The name AnBonjo came about in 1974 when a tri colored collie I had purchased started me on the road to showing. My husband and I were stationed with the Navy in Norfolk, Va. Being a dog lover all of my life, I decided I wanted to get a dog but I wanted a family type dog. I checked around and decided on a collie. I knew nothing about the breed except they were good family dogs and great with children. I found an ad in the paper by a breeder named Rusty Shack and gave her a call. We made arrangements for me to come to her house and look at her puppies. She had two females left out of an outstanding litter. One was a blue bitch and one was a little tri bitch. I took one look at the blue dam, totally out of coat and said I perfer the tri girl. If any of you have seen a blue bitch out of coat from a litter you know why I wanted the tri, especially if you are a novice anyway. Bonnie was suppose to be a pet but I convinced Rusty to wait about having her spayed and see how she looked at 6 months. I didn't start out wanting to get into showing but like many others got caught up in the fun of it all. I took Bonnie to as many handling classes as I could and practiced grooming. She was so patient. I tried everything on that collie and she just let me. When the 6 month time was up I took her down to visit Rusty and she was so surprized. Bonnie and I learned together at the shows. I would set my table up by someone I knew was an expert and whatever grooming they did to their collie I did to Bonnie. I didnt' win any points with Bonnie but she did take many reserves, and that was a great feeling for a green novice. Especially since I won over many well known handlers. Bonnie's registered name was "Jodi's Day Dream Surprize" because I had day dreamed about her being a show dog for 6 months and she surprized everyone by becoming a show dog. At that time I was trying to think of a kennel name. I had read in the "Collie Cues" magazine of someone using a combination of the husband and wife's name but there was already a AnJo collies. I decided to make it a little different. I used An - from my husband's name Anthony, Bon - from Bonnie, and Jo from my name Jodi. So, AnBonjo was born. I have thought of changing it many times because my husband doesn't care for the dogs or for showing but I have chose not to change the name because it is a name no one else has or probably will never think to use. My husband was in the Navy for 25 years and retired in 1992. Since we were moving so much during those years, it was hard traveling with 2 children and big dogs, I decided in 1980 to let the collies go, except Bonnie, and get shelties. I had shown a friend's sheltie and really liked what I saw. I began looking for a sheltie. This friend had been receiving The Pacesetter and she loaned me some of her magazines. We were in CA at that time and Sumersong's shelties really caught my eye. I loved their faces and that was something I had to have, a sweet face. I called Sumersong and made plans to visit with Jan and Peggy. Peggy had ask what I liked in a sheltie and I told her the color didn't matter, but I had to have a face. Well, they pulled out everything they had with a pretty face.There was one little sable girl who kept jumping up on the expen who was the cutest, had the best personality, and the sweetest face I could have ask for. Needless to say I bought her. She became Sumersong Ruffles-n-Lace, 9pts. Ruffles is behind the Bi-Black who won his Futurity class at Nationals in Houston, AnBonjo Coup de Foudre, which means "Love at First Sight." A year later I was able to purchase a tri bitch from Karen Duffy of Sanshoku fame named Sanshoku Enchanting Eve. Evie's dam was a half brother/sister breeding on "George", Ch. Banchory Thunder Blue. Evie had the best body I have ever seen on a sheltie but her head planes were awful. I decided to breed her to Ch. Banchory Deep Purple to see if I could correct that head and boy did that work. Out of that litter came AnBonjo The Minute Man, 12pts 1mj. Mickey was a small Bi-Black with a white blaze, had tons of coat, and this head that was the same then as it is now. His head has not changed since he was 6 months old. The first time I took Mickey to a show was the S.S. of Southern CA. When I walked into the ring I heard whispers start at one end and it went completely around the ring, "Look at that Bi-Black Deep Purple son". It was awsome. Mickey should have finished but I wanted to do it myself and time ran out after my health declined. Mickey produced one CH. and many more that are pointed. Mickey passed away last July at 15 years. I thank God for allowing me to share my life with such a dog as Mickey, he was once in a lifetime dog. We moved to Panama City, FL in 1987. The first match I went to after arriving in Panama City I met a lady just getting started in shelties, Donna Willsey. Donna wanted a show bitch and I was planning to breed my SumerSong Ruffles-n-Lace to The Minute Man. In that litter I had two bitches, a sable and a tri. The tri was the pick and always stopped four square. Donna had chosen the name Siedah as her kennel name and so we registered "Lace" as "AnBonjo Siedah's Ebony Lace", pts. Donna liked the same type of dog as I did and she and her husband started travelling to shows with me. During that time we had co-bred several litters and co-owned several dogs. I thought we could do alot more with the dogs if we worked together. It was a good decision and in 1989 I ask Donna to join me at AnBonjo. We pointed many shelties and finished a Mickey son, Ch. Siedah's Sweet-Bi-N-Bi. We also pointed and finished a few Belgian Tevs. In 1992 I began having some health problems and Donna had moved to Tallahassee, it was hard to keep the partnership up. So, in 1995 we decided it was time for us to go our separate ways. We both kept several of the old dogs but until 2000 have not been able to get to any shows. I moved to Lake Lure, NC in January of 1998 and Donna moved here in October of 1999. This year , 2001, we have joined together again to start our breeding program. We have one litter on the ground, 2 blue merle girls and 3 blue merle males, by Apple Acres Polar Blue (an African Grey son) ex Angelicia's Kissed By An Angel, (a Ch. Apple Acre Black Book daughter), and a litter of 3 blue girls and a blue male, by Apple Acres Polar Blue ex a AnBonjo Minute Man daughter. We are very excited about these litters. Donna and I have wanted to breed one of our bitches to an Apple Acres dog since we saw African Grey at the Nationals in Denver. They have the look and movement we strive for. We hope to have one or two of these puppies in the ring next year and hope you stop by and visit with us at the shows. There is a new development as of Oct. 2002. Donna and Tom moved back to Tallahassee, FL. And, although we will be doing some breedings together, because of the distance we will each have our own kennel names and breeding programs. Donna will use the kennel name Jenesis. If you need to get in touch with her for stud service on Apple Acres Polar Blue or AnBonjo Coup de Foudre, you can email her at dothedogs63@yahoo.com. Thank you for your interest in AnBonjo Shelties. Please come by again, you are always welcome at AnBonjo. Jodi Neal & Donna Willsey |
AnBonjo The Name |
Bonny |
