If we had to sum up 2025 in a single word, it would be milestones. This year pushed us, grew us, and rewarded us in ways we never could have imagined when we started Queen City Farm. From the conformation ring to the whelping box, every part of our program leveled up this year.
Here is a look back at the moments that defined our 2025.
Lyra Earns Her UKC Championship
The accomplishment we are most proud of this year is Lyra earning her United Kennel Club Championship (UCH). Watching her stack, move, and show her heart out in the ring has been one of the great joys of this journey. Multiple judges across multiple shows confirmed what we already knew — Lyra is a beautiful representation of the Australian Shepherd breed standard.
Her title is not just a ribbon on the wall. It is objective proof that our breeding program is producing dogs of correct structure, movement, and type. Lyra's success in the ring gives us confidence that the qualities she carries will be passed on to the next generation.
Stella Makes Her Show Debut
2025 was also the year Stella stepped into the conformation ring for the first time. As a young dog still maturing, she showed tremendous poise and confidence from the very beginning.
Stella has the kind of presence that catches your eye from across the ring — balanced, correct, and moving with the effortless reach and drive that the breed standard calls for. She picked up points early and gave us every reason to believe she has a bright future in the ring. We cannot wait to see what 2026 brings for her.
Banjo Joins the Program
This year we welcomed Banjo to Queen City Farm, and he has already made himself right at home. Banjo brings structure, temperament, and pedigree depth that complement our girls beautifully.
He is confident without being overbearing, social without being pushy, and has the kind of natural athleticism that makes you excited to watch him move. Banjo has been getting ring experience and building the foundation for his show career, and we have high hopes for what he will accomplish as he matures.
Our Very First Litter
The biggest milestone of 2025 — and honestly, the biggest milestone of our breeding program so far — was welcoming our very first Queen City Farm litter. Nine beautiful puppies arrived right around Thanksgiving, and we gave them all Thanksgiving feast-themed names.
From Maple's bold confidence to Butterball's calm independence, every puppy in this litter showed us exactly why we put so much effort into health testing, titling, and temperament evaluation. Watching these puppies grow through our enrichment protocol — Early Neurological Stimulation, Early Scent Imprinting, daily handling, novel surfaces, and environmental exposures — was one of the most rewarding experiences of our lives.
Matching puppies with their families and watching those first meetings happen is something we will never get tired of. This litter confirmed everything we believe about responsible breeding: when you do the work up front, the puppies speak for themselves.
Looking Ahead to 2026
We are heading into 2026 with momentum and purpose. Stella and Banjo will continue their show careers, and we have some thoughtful pairings planned that we are incredibly excited about. Our goal has always been to breed Australian Shepherds that are healthy, structurally correct, mentally stable, and ready to thrive in whatever role their families need them to fill.
If you have been following along this year — whether on Instagram, through our website, or in person at shows — thank you. This community of puppy families, fellow breeders, and dog lovers is what makes all of this meaningful.
Here is to another year of raising good dogs and building something we are proud of. From our farm to yours — happy new year.
Frequently Asked Questions
When are Queen City Farm's next Australian Shepherd litters planned for?
We plan litters thoughtfully and only when the timing is right for the female, the program, and our waitlist. The best way to know what is coming is to check our available puppies page, follow along on Instagram, or submit a puppy application — applications give us a clear picture of the families we are matching with and inform the pairings we plan next.
Where can I see the health testing results for your breeding dogs?
Every dog in our program has their complete health profile published in full on our our girls and boys pages — OFA hip and elbow results, CAER eye results, full Embark and UC Davis VGL genetic panels, and the certificate images themselves. Every OFA result is also publicly verifiable at ofa.org by searching the dog's registered name.
What is a UKC Championship and why does it matter for a breeding program?
A United Kennel Club Championship (UCH) is earned by accumulating wins under multiple judges across multiple UKC conformation shows, in which a dog is evaluated against the written Australian Shepherd breed standard for structure, movement, and type. The title is an independent, objective evaluation by judges who do not know or love the dog — which is why a finished conformation title is meaningful evidence that a breeding dog reflects the breed standard, rather than just the breeder's opinion of their own dog.
How do I get on the waitlist for a future Queen City Farm litter?
Start by filling out our puppy application. Applications open a conversation — we review every one carefully, get to know what each family is looking for, and use that information to match families with puppies as litters are planned and produced. We do not place puppies on a first-come, first-served basis; we match them.
What is the difference between AKC and UKC conformation shows?
Both the American Kennel Club and the United Kennel Club hold conformation events where dogs are evaluated against a written breed standard, and both produce titled championships that are respected in the breeding community. UKC shows are typically smaller, more relaxed in atmosphere, and owner-handler friendly, while AKC shows tend to be larger and more competitive. Many serious Australian Shepherd programs title their dogs in both venues to demonstrate that the dog holds up under multiple objective evaluations.
