Australian Shepherd 'Gracie' Sets Best In Show Breed Record

The top-winning Australian Shepherd in the history of the breed is a Brazilian-bred 7-year-old blue merle female named “Grace.” Professional handler Megan Hof, of Greenville, South Carolina, says, "Grace has an amazing attitude, extraordinary movement and a beautiful, sweet face." Multi-BIS/Multi-BISS GCH Wind Spirit Rod’s Amazing Grace is a three-time Best of Breed winner at the United States Australia Shepherd Association National Specialty (USASA), having won in 2014 and 2016 and again in 2018, 10 months after having puppies. In 2017, Grace won the USASA’s first Top Twenty competition, and in 2015, she took Select Bitch. The only handler to win consecutive USASA Nationals with two different dogs, Hof showed the 2013 winner, GCH Woodstock’s Belle Star, before capturing Best of Breed with Grace in 2014. At the 2013 National, Hof showed 18-month-old Grace to Best Puppy in Show, and then sent her back to São Paulo, Brazil, with Wind Spirit Aussie breeders Carlos Osmar Bertero and Marcia Berna Bertero, as she was campaigning "Belle" that year. In January 2014, Hof began showing Grace, quickly finishing her AKC championship with the Aussie taking Majors at four all-breed shows. "Grace gets better and better, even now she looks better than ever," says Hof, an Australian Shepherd breeder under the Allterrain prefix and co-owner of Grace with Berna Bertero. Grace, who is now retired except for showing at select Specialty shows in the Veterans class, is fed Purina Pro Plan SPORT Performance 30/20 Salmon & Rice Formula.