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COLLIES OF BLUEHARVEST
Breeders of Collies for over 35 years
The HarvestHil Story
"from our hearts to yours"
"from our hearts to yours"
pictured left: Lisa with Fauna and pups 2012
"Many years ago (1969ish), Elsie Piotto went looking for a sable coloured Collie for her 3 year old daughter Lisa Jane. Now, this Collie couldn't be just any Collie; she had to look like "Lassie", as young Lisa was thoroughly infatuated with that TV show. So Elsie searched high and low, and finally found a true "Lassie" type Collie @ the kennel in Glen Williams, Ontario known @ that time as GAYWOOD Collies. Home with the Piotto's came little "Lassie" as she was named, formally known as "Gaywood Monalisa Lassie".
Elsie decided to try her hand @ raising this breed, so Lassie became a mom, and by that time, Elsie & Lisa were both hooked on the world of Collies.
It would be several years before they bought the foundation bitch from which the future HARVESTHIL dogs would come from. This girl, bought from Helen Pope of SUMERSET Kennels of Fergus, Ontario, was to be known as "Peppi" (Sumerset's Golden Harvest). Peppi was the actual start of all of the HarvestHil dogs, even her name became part of Elsie & Lisa's registered kennel name (the Harvest part in HARVESTHIL.)
Shortly thereafter, Lisa, now a young teenager, decided she wanted to try showing Collies, so back again mother & daughter went to Helen Pope, and Lisa purchased her first dog which was truly her own - this dog became "Sumerset's Shifting Sands", better known as "Duran". With the combination of these 2 dogs, plus other breedings of each to outside dogs, was formed the HARVESTHIL kennel.
"Many years ago (1969ish), Elsie Piotto went looking for a sable coloured Collie for her 3 year old daughter Lisa Jane. Now, this Collie couldn't be just any Collie; she had to look like "Lassie", as young Lisa was thoroughly infatuated with that TV show. So Elsie searched high and low, and finally found a true "Lassie" type Collie @ the kennel in Glen Williams, Ontario known @ that time as GAYWOOD Collies. Home with the Piotto's came little "Lassie" as she was named, formally known as "Gaywood Monalisa Lassie".
Elsie decided to try her hand @ raising this breed, so Lassie became a mom, and by that time, Elsie & Lisa were both hooked on the world of Collies.
It would be several years before they bought the foundation bitch from which the future HARVESTHIL dogs would come from. This girl, bought from Helen Pope of SUMERSET Kennels of Fergus, Ontario, was to be known as "Peppi" (Sumerset's Golden Harvest). Peppi was the actual start of all of the HarvestHil dogs, even her name became part of Elsie & Lisa's registered kennel name (the Harvest part in HARVESTHIL.)
Shortly thereafter, Lisa, now a young teenager, decided she wanted to try showing Collies, so back again mother & daughter went to Helen Pope, and Lisa purchased her first dog which was truly her own - this dog became "Sumerset's Shifting Sands", better known as "Duran". With the combination of these 2 dogs, plus other breedings of each to outside dogs, was formed the HARVESTHIL kennel.
picture at left: Sumerset's Golden Harvest, better known as Peppi - the foundation bitch for the HarvestHil Line - shown winning Oldest Veteran at a DC&SSA specialty many, many years ago!!!
The story of CH. Wyndlair's Thunder Heart CD ROMX
- the start of "Highlandblue" Collies
- the start of "Highlandblue" Collies
Even
when he was a young kid, Chris Watts always had a love of dogs, and in
particular, the Collie. He knew even then that some day that would be
the breed he would want to be involved with. Breeding and showing these
magnificent, elegant dogs was a dream he'd always secretly fostered.
Many years later, now married with 3 daughters, the timing was right to
start off his long thought about endeavor; to begin the search for some
good quality Collies to begin his kennel with, and also to serve as
playmates for his kids to enjoy as well. After much searching, Chris
managed to purchase a couple of really nice quality female Collies with
which to begin his own kennel. The picture was starting to come
together, but was not fully complete without that much sought after stud
dog. That's when Chris made a fatefull phonecall to a then teenage Matt
Stelter of Wyndlair Collies. Chris explained to Matt what he was
looking for in a stud dog, and Matt just happened to have a new litter
of pups in which there was a blue merle male fitting the exact
description of what Chris wanted. Matt flew this blue puppy (whom was
referred to by Matt as "Tank" because he was built like one) to Chris at
8 weeks of age. The first time Chris laid eyes on this blue ball of
fur, he new he had something truly special. Chris dubbed this pup
"Thunder Heart" and started off his show career at the tender age of 6
months. Thunder pretty much flew to his championship, mostly
owner-handled except for a couple of wins. Thunder began entertaining
the ladies after finishing his championship, and thus began a lifelong
career for this blue dog in the breeding world. At the end of that
career, Thunder ended up producing 18 champion offspring. Also along the
way, Thunder gave Chris a thrilling ride as a show dog; amassing many
Best Of Breed wins along the way; the best BOB win was over 46 Collies
at the Skydome; he was also Best Of Opposite at the DCSSA specialty in
2002, plus attained a Group 1st during limited campaigning that same
year.
Thunder was everything any breeder could want in a stud dog; he far surpassed Chris's hope of a top champion producer. To date, Thunder has 18 conformation champion offspring, with a few more yet to finish. His last litter was born August 14 2006, just a few short weeks after his death.
To Chris, there will never be another dog like Thunder; we all have those special dogs, and Thunder was one of the most special.
Thunder was everything any breeder could want in a stud dog; he far surpassed Chris's hope of a top champion producer. To date, Thunder has 18 conformation champion offspring, with a few more yet to finish. His last litter was born August 14 2006, just a few short weeks after his death.
To Chris, there will never be another dog like Thunder; we all have those special dogs, and Thunder was one of the most special.
Thunder winning Best Of Opposite Sex at the DC&SSA Specialty.
Thunder winning a Group 4th.
Thunder winning the Herding Group.
AND THEN CAME
COLLIES OF BLUEHARVEST!
COLLIES OF BLUEHARVEST!
"timing is everything"
After many years of friendship, Chris & Lisa eventually realized that in each other they had met their perfect matches, and so became Mr. & Mrs. To mark this event, they decided to combine their two kennels into one, and so choosing part of each existing kennel name, came up with the new name of "BLUEHARVEST".
After many years of friendship, Chris & Lisa eventually realized that in each other they had met their perfect matches, and so became Mr. & Mrs. To mark this event, they decided to combine their two kennels into one, and so choosing part of each existing kennel name, came up with the new name of "BLUEHARVEST".