"Our eyes met, our spirits touched, our
lives were intertwined,
But now you have gone on ahead, and I am
left behind.
Although in distance and in time, we may
be far apart
Nothing will ever fade your place in
memory or heart.
The day will come when Fare-Thee-Well
becomes a joyous call,
To welcome home a brave dear heart in
Heaven's hallowed halls."
.....Sherrie
Many of the dogs below began their lives here at
Skyehaven, but left us to spend their lives with other
families. Thought they may no longer be with us in a
physical sense, their memories will forever live on
in the hearts of those who shared their lives.
The Story Of Rainbow Bridge
Just this side of heaven
is a place called Rainbow Bridge.
When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that
pet goes to
Rainbow
Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our
special friends so they
can run and play together.
There is plenty of
food, water
and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.
All the animals that
had been ill and old are restored to health and
vigour. Those were hurt
or maimed are made whole and strong again, just
as we remember them in our dreams of days and
times gone by. The animals
are happy and content,
except for one small thing; they each miss someone
very special to them, who
had to be left behind.
They all run and play together, but the day comes when one
suddenly stops
and looks into the
distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body
quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the
group, flying over the green
grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.
You have been spotted, and when
you and your special friend finally meet,
you cling together in
joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy
kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and
you look once more into the
trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone
from
your life but never absent from your
heart.
Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....
Author Unknown
Champion
Skyehaven Wintergreen ROMC
"Midori"
A/C Ch Toven
Wintertide, Am CD, ROMC ex BPISS Ch Skyehaven Here I Come
Midori was one of those
ever so special girls. She was conceived in a blizzard in New
York state, and born in a blizzard in Manitoba 9 weeks later -
no wonder she was named as she was! Midori was the dam of 6
champion daughters:
Ch Skyehaven
Antiquity (Pewter)
(by Can Ch Skyehaven Supersonic)
Ch Skyehaven Sweeter Than Wine (Chablis)
(by BIS BISS Am Can Ch Glamoor's Capture The Image ROMC)
Ch Skyehaven Caught By Design (Chanel)
(by BIS BISS Am Can Ch Glamoor's Capture The Image ROMC)
Ch Skyehaven Third One's Th'Charm, RN (Charm)
(by BIS BISS Am Can Ch Glamoor's Capture The Image ROMC)
Ch Silversong Skyehaven Rekindled (McKenna)
(by Am Can Ch Shadow Hills Silver Illusion)
Ch Skyehaven After The Storm (Freya)
(by Am Can Ch Serenity Apple Acres Iceland)
Midori left
our families for the Bridge on September 18, 2009 - ten and a half
years after she arrived in this world. Many thanks to Paula Reid and
family for their wonderful care of Midori for her final years.
Goodbye, Little Miss Tittlemouse...we will meet again one day...
BPISS Champion
Skyehaven Lynnlea Heart's Ease
"Brooke"
(Ch Chanstar's Heart
Of Gold ex Ch Lynnlea's Crimson 'N Clover)
Brooke was one of
those once in a lifetime girls who ate up the show ring the
moment she stepped into it! Her first weekend out, at 7 months
of age,
Brooke took two BOB wins with group placements, and a BOS, to
pile up
9 points! She finished the following weekend at the SASSA
Specialty show by
taking BPISS along with a BOS to BISS. Brooke was retired at age 7 years and spent the rest of
her life with Ferd and Ann. Brooke left for Rainbow Bridge in
May 2009. In our minds we imagine her as she was at age 7,
above, running joyously through the fields with her sister
Reba, waiting
for the time when she will be reunited with her family.
Brooke line continues through
her daughter Allyssia, her granddaughter
Enya,
Her great-granddaughters Mary and
Destiny,
her great-great granddaughter Gypsy, and carries on down to
our more recent champions
Ellie and
Veronica.
Good-bye, my Angel
Face....until we meet again.
It is with great sadness
that we bid goodbye to Windy and Denver. They started
their lives with us, but retired to the home of our good
friends Jean and Bob. Born one year apart, from the same
dam, Denver was older by a year. Both Windy and Denver
overcame many health obstacles in their retirement
years, and both lived to a good age - Denver was well
into his 17th year, and Windy was into her 16th year.
Our hearts
mourn their
passing...
|
Ch Skyehaven Rocky
Mountain High
"Denver"
|
OTCH
Skyehaven Electrified
"Alice"
|
Ch Skyehaven Gone With The Wind
"Windy"
|
 |
Am Ch Cimmaron's Luck Of The Draw
ex
Cintara's Kaili Of Skyehaven
Denver was our first homebred Sheltie Champion. After being retired
from breeding, Denver went to live
with our very good friends Jean and Bob.
Denver and his half-sister Windy
(right) lived long and happy lives until leaving together in
November 2008.
|
A/C Ch Country Lane The Energizer
ex
Ch Amberlyn's Over The Rainbow)
Alice
was one of two puppies grown out as a show prospect from our first AOAC
litter here at Skyehaven. Allie, sister to Kate (below) was sold to our
friends Jean and Bob, where
she blossomed into a star obedience dog under Bob's
tutelage. Allie achieved
her OTCH with several HIC placements, and
a HIT as well. Allie became ill shortly before Easter 2006, and left
for the Bridge on Easter Sunday 2006.
|
A/C Ch Shadow Hill's Royal Ribbons
ex
Cintara's
Kaili Of Skyehaven
Windy was
champion number two for her dam Kaili. Windy retired to spend
her
twilight years
with her half brother Denver (left) and her other Skyehaven
buddy Alice
(centre) and of course with her human companions Jean and
Bob.
|
Champion
Skyehaven Ready Or Not ROMC
“Kate”
May 27 1994 - August 30 2007
(A/C
Ch Country Lane The Energizer ROM/ROMC ex Ch Amberlyn's Over The Rainbow)
"Heaven is here, and earth, and the
space is thin between..."
Those who have passed from this life both
long ago and recently, are yet still with us.
We being mere mortals can neither see, hear nor
touch them, but they surround us with their
spirits,
touching our hearts forever with their eternal presence,
enfolding us in their
warmth and love...
Kate was the
first Skyehaven AOAC champion and became the foundation for our
AOAC line. The dam of six Canadian Champions, one American/Canadian
Champion, and numerous Obedience title holders,
Kate was our first
recipient of the Register Of Merit Canada award from the
Canadian
Shetland Sheepdog
Association. However, these accomplishments do
nothing to
ease the pain of her
loss. We will always look for her waiting patiently for
us at the
door when we come home,
or by the bed at night, or lying behind my chair as I
sit
at the computer...oh,
how many times did I catch the long hairs of her tail
under the chair as I moved!
It would seem that each beloved friend who passes all
too briefly through our lives,
is more sorely grieved when she leaves us.
Katie, beautiful Katie, you're the one
that I adore.....goodbye, my Sweet
and God-speed you to the better place...until I can hold you in my arms
once more....
Champion
Amberlyn's Over The Rainbow
"Rainbow"
March
1992 - June 2006
Ch Amberlyn's Joker's Wild ex Gail-Don's Kam
O'Shanter CD
Rainbow
was our second AOAC (Any Other Allowed Colour) - believe it or not,
we had
only three Shelties - two sables and one blue - when Rainbow arrived at
Skyehaven in 1992! Rainbow was everything we had ever wanted in a Sheltie.
She finished her championship in style with three five point wins at
14 months of age. Rainbow was bred only twice - the first
breeding gave us our darling
Kate (above). Rainbow unfortunately had a health issue which showed up when she was four
years of age, and with great sadness we spayed her and placed her in
a pet home. Seven years later, she was found wandering in the town
of Bird's Hill, having been abandoned by her family. Rainbow found
her way back to us through Sheltie Rescue even though we were not her breeders - it was just plain luck, I guess, or perhaps Someone
or Something was watching over us all... After two surgeries, one to
remove most of her rotted teeth and to try to heal her mouth, and
the second to remove a large cyst which had obviously been growing
and festering for months on the side of her neck, we brought her back to Skyehaven.
Three short years later, we said a final goodbye to the brave
girl who began the Skyehaven tale..... Godspeed, my darling....
Ch
Skyehaven Lynnlea Heart ‘N Soul
"Reba"
28
July 1995 - 26 December 2005
Ch Chanstar's Heart Of Gold ex Ch Lynnlea's Crimson 'N
Clover
Reba was bred by Skyehaven and Lynnlea, but was owned and
loved by Lesley
and
Clyde Finlay of Winnipeg MB Canada.
When Reba hit the show ring at the
tender age of 5
years, there was no denying her! She knew that
all
applause was
meant only for her, and always barked to show her
appreciation of it, whether
in the ring, or watching her show videos
on television! Reba was bred only once, producing Champion
Skyehaven Lynnlea Pot O'Gold from that litter.
Reba inherited so many of her mother Annie's characteristics -
she
barked at noises, was fiercely possessive of "her" chair,
and greeted all
with a wag and a smile. Reba's family and
friends miss her so very much.
Cintara's
Kaili Of Skyehaven
“Kaili”
Ch Gallantry Golden
Classic ex Ch Cintara's Kilt O'Kelly
8
February 1990 - 21 May 2004
Kaili
was our introduction into breeding Shelties. Although she was never shown,
Kaili had so many of the qualities we love - elegance, outline, sweet
expression,
and a joie de vivre unparalleled in any of our other dogs.
Kaili
came to us as a 6
month old in 1990, and became our daughter's best friend
and companion for the next 7 years. Once Melanie moved out, Kaili became
"my" dog, and
latterly, always slept on her mat beside my bed at
night, or followed me throughout
the house during the day, finding a place
to curl up wherever I happened to land
for a few moments. Even in her
final hours, Kaili dogged my steps wherever I went.Kaili
was bred three times, and produced 3 champion children - one from each
of
those three litters. We are fortunate that two of those three live nearby,
and
that we can visit them from time to time, remembering our darling
"Snoopy" as
we pet the dear wee heads of her children...Kaili's
passing will be mourned by all who knew and loved her. I see her in
my
mind's eye now, running circles in the meadow with Dusty and Annie and
Spirit and Trooper....waiting for the moment when we can all be together
again...
Goodbye
Little Snoo. We will miss you always...
Ch
Lynnlea’s Crimson ‘N Clover
“Annie”
20
April 1989—3 November 2003
Am Ch Barwoods Legal Tender ROM ex Lynnlea's Sweeter Than
Wine
It
never occurred to us that, two short months after losing Spirit, we would
be saying goodbye
to our Annie.
Annie was with us for only 9-1/2 years, as she was born in the USA
and spent
her first years with Ray and Dorothy Christiansen of
Lynnlea
Shelties.
When Annie came to us
at almost 5 years of age, she challenged us
in many ways! Annie hated to be excluded from
anything, and being on the
other side of any barrier made her crazy—whether the barrier was
a
fence, a door, or a crate, she demanded to be released AT ONCE!. Annie
HATED thunderstorms,
and would never come in from the rain if there was
thunder out there to chase! If a storm
occurred when we were away from
home, we always returned to destruction of a blind, or a
curtain, or even
on one occasion, the pine trim boards around the patio doors! Annie had a
love/hate affair
with anything noisy, the exception being when she herself
received a kiss on top of her head. A big
smacking noise always drove her
into a frenzy of jumping, barking and tail-wagging…
Annie
became the official Skyehaven Ambassador the moment she arrived,
and
remained that until just a few days before she left us. All visitors were
greeted
eagerly, with a waving tail and a smile, and a sniff to see what
treasures their
pockets might contain. Annie probably sold more pet
puppies to prospective
buyers than we ever did—her happy nature showed
everyone what a Sheltie should be.
Annie
left behind three champion children, three champion grandchildren, two
champion great-grandchildren and one champion great-great-granddaughter.
We are privileged to have three of her descendents here with us still.
There
are no words to express how much we will always miss that dear wee face,
that wagging tail, and those constant kisses which were showered upon us.
Goodbye, my Ninny-Anne, my Barbie-Anne, ...we will love you forever.
Tell Spirit and the others that we will all be together again one
day soon...
Champion Amberlyn’s Native Spirit
“Spirit”
17 June 1991—2 September 2003
Ch Amberlyn's Joker's Wild ex BISS Ch Amberlyn's Echoing
Willow
Spirit
came to us as a 4 month old puppy in 1991, and for 12 years was “the
little dog with the big bark”.
Spirit was crazy about toys—ball
fetching was his
"raison d'etre"! He was also the Master Squeaker Finder in
all stuffed toys, often
walking through the house squeaking those darned
toys until it made us crazy to
hear it! Oh, to have him back to play ball one more time…
We
knew that Spirit was dying of liver failure, and when all treatments had
failed
we chose to keep him home until the last possible moment before
taking the final
car ride to send him on his way to Rainbow Bridge. His
last afternoon here at
Skyehaven, we lay together in the grass in the
sunshine. We played ball very gently
one last time. His monkey also came
out to play, and we had a good tug o’war,
and many good squeaks, with
that special toy too. Sadly, Spirit’s will to live outshone
his body’s
ability to handle food, and rather than see him suffer any longer, we
chose
to end his existence on this plane on as happy a note as we could.
“Weep
not for me, for I am the warm spring sun upon your face, the summer
breeze
which touches your skin, the autumn rain which washes away your tears
and
winter’s deep snow which brings you peace"…” Sherrie
May
there always be balls, and toys with squeakers,
in Heaven…
Champion
Skyehaven Intrepid
"Trooper"
13
July 1997 – 16 November 1999
Am Ch Mystix Quote Unquote ex Ch Skyehaven Ready Or Not
ROMC
From
the moment of his arrival in this harsh world, Trooper and I had a special
bond.
He had to fight to breathe at birth, and then again fought to
survive pneumonia
during the first 2 weeks of his life.
The fifth in a litter of nine, he was often pushed
aside by the
stronger puppies, and consequently spent a great deal of those first
weeks
tucked inside my shirt to stay dry and warm. He was named “Intrepid”
because of his strong will to live and survive.
Two short years later, he again
had to fight to survive, this time
against the cancer that was consuming him. During
his illness, he never
complained, never refused what we asked, and never ceased
to trust us
totally. Losing him has been
the hardest thing we have had to endure.
Goodbye, my Intrepid
Boy – we will meet again, I promise...
Toling's
Dustin Pride Whalsey
"Dusty"
10
February
1982 – 16 March 1998
Dusty
was not a show dog. He was not
a stud dog. He did not excel
in obedience.
He had low ears,
he didn’t have a lot of neck, and he was a terrible mooch – but he
was
our first Sheltie, our dearest friend, and our most beloved...he had a
soul.
Dusty showed us all the good traits that a Sheltie should possess, and
through our
love for him, the Skyehaven line of Shelties was conceived and
realized.
Contact Skyehaven
Sherrie and Cam Sparling
Ile-des-Chenes MB Canada
204.878.2957
