picture history of Spiritwind Collies - USA

Pictures of some of my Collies.... I've had Collies for just over 13 yrs. I've had roughs the entire time but I got my first smooth in 2001....

My very first collie that I got in 1994 was of course named Laddie, he was a rough tri male. He was VERY much a pet, not show quality, but true collie in temperament, heart and soul! I was 12yrs old when I got him..... now 25yrs old, he was the start of it all for me....
Here is Laddie..

3yrs old


8yrs old

Laddie died of old age at 12 1/2 (Feb 2007). He was a VERY large male.. 80-85lbs lean, 26" tall at the shoulders. He was also my first agility dog in his younger years, and he got me into showing thru the local 4-H clubs.... since he wasn't show quality to show in AKC.

I had a few other dogs along with Laddie, and did have a few I showed in conformation from time to time, but didn't get my first truly good start with AKC conformation until I bought Ben - CH Apple Valley Shades Of Blue.



CH Apple Valley Shades Of Blue - my first champion
(CH Capella's Midnight Blues, ROM x Apple valley Abigail)

about 6 months after I bought Ben, I got Angie from a breeder friend of mine...





Angie - Tomelle's Painted Angel, OFA
(ptd. Tomelles Moonlit Summer Nite x Tomelle's Blue Christmas)
- my foundation bitch. She is behind almost every dog I have right now.



Zack - CH HawkEire Flyin Without Wings
(CH Fantasy's Touched By An Angel x CH HawkEire Bo-Dandy Venture, ROM)
- he was my male foundation sire, though he was not the first male I bought, he was the one that really helped me get the look I was going for. He is behind every single dog I currently own, except for my 7yr old smooth blue dog.

Angie was bred to Zack and produced:


Spiritwind Ain't No Angel - Kelsey (bred/owned by me) and also


Paris

CH Spiritwind Barely An Angel - Paris (bred/owned by me) In this litter was also


Can. CH Armitage Spiritwind Stolen Halo - Lindsay - bred by me, owned by Neweyes Collies in Canada. Also in this litter was a rough sable merle male that went to a pet home... though he was just as beautiful!..

In 2006 I leased a rough tri bitch from a breeder friend of mine and bred her to Zack to get Lucy...


Ptd. Spiritwind Rumor Has It
(CH HawkEire Flyin Without Wings x Armitage Godiva) there is also a rough sable bitch from this litter in a show home as well as another smooth tri bitch in a show home.

In 2006 Kelsey was then bred to CH Winover Debonair a beautiful rough pure for sable dog who was tightly bred on CH Tartanside's Th'Critics Choice, ROM and she produced....


Amy - Spiritwind Amaretto - pictured at 4 months old
(CH Winover Debonair x Spiritwind Ain't No Angel)


- Amy at 18 months of age

Also there were Amy's 2 brothers....


Aiden - Spiritwind Vision Quest - bred/owned by me and living here and also....


Andy - Spiritwind Visionary - no living in Finland! watch for him in the ring!

and then most recently is my 2008 litter... Kelsey was bred to CH Apple Valley Shades Of Blue to give me these babies born June 9th.


rough and smooth babies born June 9, 2008

thank you for sharing your pictures of your collies,,all of them gorgeous,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,i have pictures of our collies from 25 years ago,,,,,,,,,,,,,, our first was a tri called bonnie,,,,,,,,,,,,

You've got lovely Collies, spiritwind, and I find Laddie just gorgeous, no matter he wasn't a showdog. And, funny thing, did you notice we have pups of almost same age? Mine were born on 8.06 and yours just the next day, would be lovely to post pictures at the same age and see how each line develops.... I plan to do my next pics as soon as they'll be 2 weeks old. What about you?

Olivia wrote:You've got lovely Collies, spiritwind, and I find Laddie just gorgeous, no matter he wasn't a showdog. And, funny thing, did you notice we have pups of almost same age? Mine were born on 8.06 and yours just the next day, would be lovely to post pictures at the same age and see how each line develops.... I plan to do my next pics as soon as they'll be 2 weeks old. What about you?

Thanks Olivia!

Laddie was a good looking boy!! Far from show quality (his ears didn't even stand up, but he was my first collie, I had no idea about taping and bracing ears at the time LOL) But he was a great dog, loyal and protective of me.. he LOVED puppies.. here is a picture of Kelsey as a 7-8 wk old pup playing tug with Laddie... this was fall 2004 so Laddie would have been 10yrs old in this picture.



In his younger days he did agility and was very good... he gave those border collies some tough competition!!

Thats neat about having litters so close in age... I too will post the next pictures when the babies will be 2 wks old, which will be Monday... so we can compare the two litters! Good idea! will be fun to see how different lines mature and develop..

Janna

now we are really worldwide

Ahhh I love the smooth collies, they are the so gorgeous