Rylee's story

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Rylee acquired her first Aussie, River, in 2015 and trained him as her 4-H project. They competed in showmanship, obedience, and agility. In addition to qualifying for State Fair in obedience and showmanship, Rylee and River were the only team to compete and qualify in agility from her county that year. She brought home numerous ribbons and everyone said she was a "natural" at working and showing dogs. But the Fair was not enough to satisfy Rylee's appetite for showing. She wanted to show more than just at a County Fair or two, however her 4-H leader told Rylee to be competitive in AKC she would need a better dog. And getting a "better" dog wasn't as easy as Rylee thought it might be. 

Getting a quality Australian Shepherd show dog can be challenging. Being a young kid with little experience showing and finding a show prospect can be even more challenging, but Rylee was determined. Rylee's search for a "show" puppy stretched from the West Coast to the East Coast contacting reputable Aussie breeders. Some emailed back and said "Sorry, I don't have anything right now" to which Rylee's mom said "Ok, please keep us in mind." Others never responded. It wasn't until Rylee's mom made a comment on a Facebook post stating how difficult it had been finding a "show" dog for her daughter. Laura Reeves picked right up on this opportunity and started a private chat with several Aussie handler/breeders she knew in the Pacific Northwest, and this time all but one came back and said "Sorry, nothing." That one person reached out to Rylee's mom and said, "I think I might know of a dog for your daughter" and she continued the conversation with Rylee asking about her goals and what she wanted to accomplish. Long story short, in 2017 Rylee eventually made her way to Canada to meet long-time Aussie breeder, Kim Schmidt of Kiji Kennels and Channing. And that day marked the beginning of not only a beautiful Junior Team but a valuable friendship with Kim and her family.  Rylee finished Channing's Champion, Grand Champion, and ASCA Champion all while honing her handling skills in Juniors, show after show. Having experience in both the Juniors and breed rings grew Rylee's knowledge and network among the fellow exhibitors and soon other friendships were being formed all throughout the fancy. 

If there is a moral to this story, sometimes life it isn't always "what" you know but "who" you know (Thank you, Laura Reeves). Rylee will be forever grateful to Kim Schmidt for trusting her with Channing and allowing her to create such memorable moments with this beautiful boy. Rylee hopes she made Kim proud! 

If you are looking for a nice dog and want to get into showing or performance events, drop Rylee a note. She has made wonderful connections across the dog sport and might be able to give you a hand.  And remember, when a breeder gives you a chance, treasure that opportunity and go make the most of it!