BREEDER: Laura Thompson: Devon Alberta : 30 Years of Breeding Shelties : Website
BIO
The Zesta story begins in 1961 when I saw and fell in love with my first Sheltie that was owned by Marilyn Taylor of Clan Lasslyn Shelties. Marilyn would later become my lifelong friend and mentor.
For my eighteenth birthday (1973) my parents gave me a show prospect sable Sheltie pup from Marilyn. As luck would have it he was monorchid and my replacement went oversize. The luck of show prospects!
Then being in my early twenty’s I put dog shows and thoughts of breeding on hold while I travelled.
In 1981, I went back to Marilyn and bought a sable male and reentered the world of showing, he finished quickly and became Ch Clan Lasslyn the Bandit CD. With the success of Bandit, I then acquired Bessie, OT Ch & BIS Ch. Clan Lasslyn Best Choice TT who became the foundation for Zesta and produced 3 champions. I then acquired Ch. Barwoods Casual Affair and never looked back. These 2 girls are behind all the Zesta progeny! After 40 years of being an exhibitor/breeding and producing and or finishing 50+ titled Shelties, I thought it time to switch to the judging side and had just started to wind down the breeding aspect in 2001. Then in 2003 I was fortunate enough to be reunited with my former junior handler Jenn and her new hubby Gabe in 2003! Jenn & Gabe deBoer took and active interest in all aspects of purebred Shelties and became full partners in Zesta in 2008 when MBIS, BISS Am/GCH. Zesta Creatin’ Havoc became #1 Sheltie in Canada. Gabe was also the able handler who showed Quake Ch. Zesta Earth Shattering to his National win of Best Opposite Sex in 2010. With the addition of the dynamic duo Zesta now has 100+ titled champions. We are currently working on the 2nd generation of Zesta handlers with my niece Jessica and the expected arrival of Jenn and Gabe’s little one at the end of March! Zesta has been so blessed by all the great friends and Sheltie owners that we have made through out this journey. And so the Zesta story continues ……….