Cassie
has been showing dogs since the age of 8, starting
in the local 4-H Dog program in Colorado. After attending
her first AKC Fun Match, she decided that this was
the sport for her.
At
the age of 9, Cassie CD’d her first dog, Kabar
her Keeshond, with respectable scores in the 190’s.
At age 10, she moved in to the AKC Junior Showmanship
rings where she successfully competed for the next
8 years, garnering many Best Junior Handler Awards,
and winning top Scholarship competitions and Regional
Specialties. This included qualifying for, and competing
at Westminster for 5 years. Cassie ended this successful
Juniors Career as the #5 All Breed Junior Handler,
#2 ESS Junior and #2 Sporting Group Junior.
At
the age of 10, Cassie chose the Australian Shepherd
as her breed, and purchased her first puppy, AKC/ASCA/CKC/INTL
BIS Ch. Calais Country Hotshot of Carolina, CD, STDS.
Hotshot was the foundation of her breeding program
and her start in the conformation rings.
Owner
handled, Hotshot earned his ASCA, AKC and CKC Championships
by the time he was three, all while becoming a team
to be reckoned with in the Juniors rings. They not
only won multiple Best of Breed wins in the US and
Canada, they also became the #1 Aussie Junior Team
in 1999, and were the only Aussie Junior Team to qualify
and attend Westminster in 2000, where they were among
the final 8 being chosen to send on to Junior Finals
under Edd Embry Bivin.
At
age 12, Cassie was approached by Professional Handler,
Sara Melichar, to become her assistant. Cassie worked
for Sara for 2 ½ years, learning the ropes
and what it takes to become a professional handler.
While with Sara, Cassie learned grooming, handling
and care of breeds such as Dobermans, Siberian Huskies,
and Afghan Hounds, to name a few.
After
Sara moved to California, Cassie was approached by
Doug Johnson of Bugaboo OES/Rochesus Bouviers, and
later by his son Colton and daughter-in-law Heather
Johnson about working for them. This was an accumulated
3 year venture, where further education was earned
with breeds such as Bouviers, Old English Sheepdogs,
Portuguese Water Dogs, and several others.
After
Graduation from High School in 2004, Cassie went to
Washington State to work for Professional handlers
Don and Pat Rodgers of Jubliee Kennels, and then January
of 2005 moved to California to work for Amy Rodrigues
as her Assistant. |
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Cassie
and Amy made a great team, and showed all over the
US. Amy continued Cassie’s education in the
sport of dogs, by adding Golden Retrievers, Smooth
Fox Terriers, and Brittany’s to her growing
list.
Under
Amy’s tutelage, Cassie earned her first Group
win on the Montana circuit handling Amy’s Smooth
Fox Terrier, BIS Ch. Broxden High Button Shoes. From
this point on, the breed and group wins and placements
continued to add up in the Sporting and Terrier rings
across the country.
In
March of 2006, Cassie and Amy moved to Fowlerville,
Michigan to be with Amy’s now husband, Phil
Booth, and the start of Blue Rose Kennels. With the
new Blue Rose Team, Cassie added knowledge and grooming
skills in Irish Setters, Giant Schnauzers, German
Wirehair Pointers, and others to her growing resume.
While
on the new Blue Rose team, Cassie achieved more great
successes with group wins and placements in multiple
breeds.
In
February of 2007, Cassie moved back to Colorado to
pursue a degree in Business Management, and slowly
start her own Professionally Presented Dog business.
Over
the years, Cassie has successfully shown and campaigned
Australian Shepherds, Bouviers, German Shorthaired
Pointers, English Mastiff’s, Whippets, Dobermans,
Golden Retrievers, Brittany’s, Irish Setters,
Smooth Fox Terriers, Kerry Blue Terriers, English
Springer Spaniels, and Polish Lowland Sheepdogs to
name a few.
Cassie
is a member in good standing with:
The Australian Shepherd Club of America (ASCA)
The United States Australian Shepherd Assoc.
American Fox Terrier Club, Inc.
The Arapahoe Kennel Club
Southern Colorado Australian Shepherd Club |
