Hillhaven Australian Cattle Dogs

01/07/2025

Happy New Year from Hillhaven! Our dogs had a wonderful 2024 with lots of accomplishments to celebrate:

Trusty - GCHB DC Hillhaven Second Star To The Right HSAdsc HSBds HSDs HIAdsc HIBds HIDs HXAdsc HXBd HXDs
- awarded OFA Champion of Health, earned multiple High in Trial and Reserve placements in herding, and a Best Veteran in Regional Specialty, and Best 7-10 Veteran dog at the National Specialty!

Merit - GCH CH Hillhaven's Devine Miss Merit DS DJ FITB
- finished her Grand Championship and her OFA CHIC, completed her FitDog Bronze, plus some new personal bests in Dock Diving distance, air retrieve, and hydrodash!

Bonnie - GCH CH Taylryder N' Hillhaven Something To Talk About HSAsc HSDs HIAc - finished her Grand Championship and her OFA CHIC, and earned Started and Intermediate A course cattle titles, and a ranch title on sheep!

Forge - CH Dawn Heir Irons In The Fire At Hillhaven PT DS
- earned his DS dock diving title, picked up all his majors towards his grand championship, completed his OFA CHIC, and made big strides in his herding training!

Hercules - CH Taylryder N Hillhaven Hero Of Heroes CGCA ATT
- finished his Championship with all major wins, and earned his CGC, CGCA, and ATT titles!

Zephyr - CH Hillhaven Blue Zephyr BCAT - also completed her OFA CHIC!

We also said a very fond farewell to Elphaba in April - BISS OHBIS GCHB Hillhaven Defying Gravity

Huge congratulations to all the other Hillhaven dogs out there, who earned titles in numerous venues and made great memories with their people! Please drop your year end accomplishments in the comments!

Cheers to more good times with our dogs ahead in 2025! 🥂
Louanne and Amelia Brooks

11/28/2024

Forge recently completed all the health testing requirements to complete his CHIC, all with CLEAR genetics and passing results!
CHIC #201228
BAER Normal Bi-lateral hearing
PRA Clear
PLL Clear
NCL 12/8/5 Clear
Cystinuria Clear
Mytonia Congenita Clear
Degenerative Myelopathy Clear
MDR1 Clear
Also clear for everything else on the Embark panel
OFA Elbows Normal
OFA Hips Good
PennHip RDI 0.42 LDI 0.34
CAER Eye Exam Normal
He's also got full dentition and a correct scissor bite!

Here's hoping that a couple more positive test results and a couple new titles are ahead for him in the coming year!
⚔️🔥CH Dawn Heir Irons in the Fire at Hillhaven PT DS🔥⚔️

11/23/2024

Hercules has been very busy lately adding lots of letters to his name! He finished his championship earlier this month in Ocala all with 4-point major wins and many lovely compliments from the judges! He also had a fun day at the Sunshine State Herding Group Association event earning his AKC Temperament Test, Canine Good Citizen, and Advanced Canine Good Citizen certifications!
⚡️*CH* Taylryder N Hillhaven Hero of Heroes *ATT* *CGC* *CGCA*⚡️

11/16/2024

Another successful herding trial at Acorn Acres! Trusty took home High in Trial at both the ACD only trial and the all breed trial from the Advanced A cattle class! He also took 1st in Advanced A sheep. Bonnie also had a successful day with a 2nd place in Intermediate A cattle, and a 3rd place in Intermediate A Sheep! 🥳🐄🐑

10/20/2024

We are incredibly proud to share that Trusty has another feather in his cap, and has been awarded OFA's Champion of Health award! This honor is jointly awarded by the Australian Cattle Dog Club of America, Inc. and the OFA and recognizes dogs who have significant achievements in the show ring and performance venues, have produced offspring with significant accomplishments, and have completed all breed relevant health testing and clearances.

Over his career, Trusty has made his mark in the herding arena and the show ring. Trusty is one of 4 ACDs EVER to achieve both a Herding Championship and a Grand Championship Bronze or above. On the way to those titles he has won multiple High in Trial and Reserve High in Trial awards, group placements, and completed advanced herding titles on all stock types...always completely breeder-owner-handled! In addition to exceeding the CHIC health testing standards himself, Trusty has also produced CHIC certified offspring with many accomplishments of their own including titles in conformation, herding, agility, rally obedience, dock diving, and more.

This breed has historically had a strong pool of applicants and winners of this award, and we are proud to see his name among them. You can learn more about this award and past winners here: https://www.acdca.org/ofa-champions-of-health-article/

08/04/2024

Time for an update from the California crew! We've been spending time at the pool this summer, and this weekend we got to see our dock diving training pay off at the NADD competition in Ione! (Pardon the blurry pics, all I have is video screenshots!)

Forge just started jumping off the dock only a couple months ago - this was his first ever competition, and he surpassed all my expectations! He had 6 distance jumps all over 17', and hit a personal best today of 19'6"! And earned his Dock Senior title! He's going to FLY once I can time my throws better for his incredible speed! 😂
🔥⚔️CH Dawn Heir Irons in the Fire at Hillhaven PT *DS*⚔️🔥

Merit has made tons of progress this summer in tracking the bumper, and it showed! She earned her first Master division legs in Distance, including a new personal best of 21'6"!!! She also debuted in both Hydrodash and Air Retrieve, earning 2 legs in both with very minimal training. Her best HD time was 20.602, and she hit 11' on both AR splashes. She had a blast and we jointly had many "Ah-Hah!" moments!
💫GCH Hillhaven's Devine Miss Merit DJ DS - CHIC💫

Not to mention, temperatures were well over 100° this weekend, and the dogs put in some great effort in spite of the heat! We might have to put some more dock diving competitions on the calendar next season! 😁

06/10/2024

Bonnie earns her OFA CHIC! In addition to the titles listed on her certificate, she has also earned her GCH and HSDs. Such a beautiful, talented, fun-loving, delightful girl!

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03/29/2024

The winter/spring herding season in central Florida is now concluded. My heart is full and happy from the many hours spent with good friends and wonderful dogs. I love you all! Trusty and Bonnie have both made great strides. We'll be back in the fall for another year of events, after a Minnesota summer of training and trialing.

Thank you Rob Robinson, Bad A*z Dogs Photography, for these pictures of my herding buddies.

03/24/2024

Last herding trial of the Florida winter season. Trusty and I had a super fun day. We placed second in Advanced A Sheep and second in Advanced A cattle behind the magnificent Leida Jones and her Border Collie, Ember (CONGRATULATIONS 👏). Also 3rd in Advanced A ducks. Trusty was Reserve High in Trial and High Scoring ACD!

Many thanks to Brian and Deb Mintzer (Kaboom Lee Mintzer) for all your efforts, great stock, beautiful facility, delicious food and wonderful prizes. You are amazing!

11/20/2023

Yesterday was the last day of the Mid-Florida Australian Cattle Dog Fanciers 3 day trial. In the morning I scribed for judge Rachael Vest on B course sheep. As sheep were being set on course at the lovely Penn Y Caerae farm on a pristine morning, she remarked on how blessed and fortunate we are. Thanks to Leida and Casey for providing a wonderful facility and sheep, and to Mimi Williams for ducks, to the stock handlers and our fabulous secretary, Susan Gordon, and to Deb Kaboom Lee Mintzer for organizing, food, trophies and all that goes into having a trial. And thanks to my fellow competitors. The herding community here is really special!

I trialed Trusty in Advanced A course ducks and sheep against some very able dogs and handlers. I was so pleased with him. He placed 3rd on ducks and second in sheep, with a nice score of 92. He makes my heart sing with joy 💗

Today we got cows!!! Beautiful heifers from Brian and Deb Mintzer to enjoy and work all winter. Woohoo!

As Rachael said, so blessed and fortunate 😄

10/10/2023

The eight day trip to ACDCA Nationals at Purina Farms, solo in the motorhome with 7 dogs, was an exhausting blast 🤣. Multiple dogs in multiple events and LOTS and LOTS of walking. Great time with old friends and new. More ribbons and trophies than I know what to do with. Herding was the highlight for me. Trusty did a splendid job in his advanced cattle and sheep classes, placing, including a gorgeous High in Trial sheep run. Forge earned his PT. Bonnie earned a HSAc leg.

"Thank you" doesn't begin to cover the gratitude I feel to all those who worked so hard to make the week fun and rewarding. Kaboom Lee Mintzer Joyce Rowland Alexis Kurowski Ingrid Rosenquist Sherry Clark to name only a smattering of volunteers.

09/23/2023

Lori Peck Herbel, XP Ranch Photography gives me another great photo of Trusty. This dog tries so hard to understand what I am asking of him and always gives me his best effort. He brings me so much happiness! I'm blessed to share this journey with such a sincere, enthusiastic, loving, smart dog.