Growing up, I always had horses. I dreamt of owning a horse that was on the endangered species list while also being one of the biggest horses in the world, the shire horse. I wanted to start a carriage company for special occasions, getting education out about the breed and raising them to help improve the numbers. As a senior in high school, I did just that. I got my very own shire...Trigger. At that time, I was managing a horse barn outside of Stuart, IA. I'd go on to show Trigger at fun shows doing barrels and poles while also being active in parades and trail rides. I purchased more shires in the next few years thinking this is the time my dreams would come true.

Well, like all things, it's not our timing, it's Yeshua's timing.
Life happened, moving was done and Trigger was the only one I kept.
While managing the horse barn, my then boss, had three or four Australian shepherds. Man, were they fun! From going on trails with us, swimming in the pond, traveling and just being the spoiled dogs with many personalities. I found a love for them without even knowing I needed them. I was able to get a puppy that was found on the side of the road - whether it was full aussie or not, he definitely had the personality of one. He became my best friend, going to work with me, trail riding, traveling, and his biggest job was protecting me. He was my safe place. He's the reason I feel in love with the Australian Shepherds.
Once I moved, got pregnant, married and moved again I met a gal that helped me get started with aussies in 2009. She quickly became my best friend. We traveled around Iowa showing dogs, taking our dogs to get health tested, going to training classes and just being friends on the farm where our kids would run and play for hours. Around this time there were starting to be too many breeders locally with the same bloodlines. I started to adventure out and getting away from the bloodlines that were around me. I started getting more champion lines in my dogs - conformation and working lines. At one point I went to nationals and showed one of my dogs in confirmation. I started going to shows with our 2 kids, hauling 2 to 4 dogs and showing in confirmation. I often ask myself now "How did I do all that alone?" But I did. I loved having our kids involved, playing in the "BIG" time and going out while having fun. LOL, when we would win against the professional handlers...they didn't have fun. HAHA. They made it clear they weren't by going to the judge and complaining about how we placed compared to them. 5 years go by and my best friend passes, big life changes go on and I started to pull back from showing to being the wife, mother and friend I needed to be.

Our kids are older now, one has graduated and the other is a Junior this year. Our youngest and I have started to do some other fun stuff with our dogs - Fast cat, Lure coursing, she does FFA obedience, rally, agility and showmanship. In 2025 she won her age division in all the classes and got the high point overall in Obedience, Rally and Showmanship.

I have been the Dog Superintendent for the last 5 years now. It's a lot of work but it's so rewarding to be able to help all ages of kiddos from Clover kids to FFA.

My goal is to get some dogs back in the show ring but for now, I'm being called to work with the kiddos.

Our dogs are in all sorts of homes - companions to champions at the national level.

Family companion, working livestock, therapy, obedience, rally, flyball, agility, confirmation, freestyle, and I'm sure I'm missing some.

If you are ever looking for a pure breed Australian shepherd puppy or a retired dog, please don't hesitate to reach out to me.
I would love to add you to the TAGA family but also be able to help you find your perfect fur baby!

Signing off for now.

-Toni