Acatalaya Noble Thiwahe

Acatalaya Noble Thiwahe “Aky” was my first pedigree Border Collie and the dog who shaped so much of what Winyela later became. Being blue merle often put her at a disadvantage in the show ring, yet she still achieved things we could only have dreamed of. Her collection of titles speaks for itself, but to me she was first and foremost my best friend — the kind of dog where one look was enough and we both simply knew.

Aky was also a wonderful worker and together we successfully completed the IHT1 herding trial, proving that a merle Border Collie can most certainly work sheep. She became the foundation mother of our kennel and gave us beautiful puppies over the years, passing on so many of the qualities we loved in her.

Within the pack she had natural authority without ever needing conflict. She was gentle, fair and completely trustworthy with the other dogs. Losing her left a space in our lives that words can never truly describe. She was beauty, brains, heart and companionship all in one — and she will always remain one of the most important dogs in the story of Winyela.