There have been four generations of Black Rock Australian Shepherd Champions to date. The foundation dog was ASCA Ch. Wild Tyke from Odyssey CD. This moderate and exceptionally balanced black tri boy was purchased from veteran Aussie breeder Gloria Damewood. Tyke's sire was the incomparable ASCA Ch. Hemi's Regal Request. His dam was Ch. Keepsake of Windemere, a black tri daughter of Australian Shepherd foundation sire ASCA Ch. Windemere's Sunshine of Bonnie Blu.
Tyke's, now comparatively ancient, bloodlines virtually guaranteed tabletop toplines and perfect, single tracking convergence. His delightful, occasionally contemplative, temperament and keen intelligence combined to make him a versatile working companion.
Tyke specialized in air scenting search and rescue and was activated on many searches in the rugged New Mexico mountains. Two of his most memorable searches were for a lost hiker in Bandalier National Monument who died in a cliff fall following disorientation due to hypothermia, and the successful find of a small boy lost in the Three Rivers Wilderness in southern New Mexico. During the Three Rivers search Tyke was casting through wide drainage when he suddenly alerted on the circular, turbulent scents drifting above a running creek. Racing back to Storey, Tyke mouthed his collar-tab find-indicator and stood dancing in an agitated circle on his hind legs. As the child's father had followed Storey and Tyke out of the search base, and since the child had been out all night and could possibly have already died due to exposure, Storey radioed back to the search base advising them of Tyke's indications and then returned to base to gather more help. Less than an hour later the boy was found, cold and tired, several hundred yards further up the drainage from where Tyke give his unmistakable indication of the find.
Tyke sired three Black Rock litters. Among the lovely puppies he produced, the self merle dog, Ch. Black Rock Switching to Guns CGC (Gunny), and the black tri bitch, Ch. Black Rock Exiled CD (Exis), were kept to continue the Flintridge/Old Arizona based lines.
