01/07/2026
Bill Davis sent me a photo today, and feeling a little nostalgic I thought I’d share.
Bamba Sid is turning 15 — a milestone that carries a story worth remembering.
Sid was one of many sheepdog pups I bred over the years, but his journey has never been a straight line. He was originally sold and later returned by a farmer who complained that Sid kept circling to the far side of the sheep to bring them back — the very instinct these dogs were bred for. Instead of embracing that gift, the farmer tied him to what he called a “dingo fence” as a guard. It left me baffled then, and it still does now. I organised for Sid to come home.
When he arrived back, he was a different dog — hesitant, unsure, avoiding sheep altogether. But with patience and time, he found his confidence again. Eventually, Bill Davis of Santolina Stud in California saw what Sid truly was and purchased him. Bill is a vet, a good dog man with an excellent knowledge of genetics and Sid found the life he deserved with him. Over the years, Bill has spoken of him with nothing but admiration, saying Sid has left “some truly memorable offspring.”
Sid’s mother, Riana Jasmine, was the first of many dogs I purchased from the Hazlett family in Barraba, NSW. His father, a Steadfast dog with deep Riana roots, carried the kind of pedigree that some of my mentors spoke of fondly.
The litter consisted of one red and tan, three creams, and a black and tan — all of whom went on to various other Kelpie breeders across Australia and the US.
Sid was always my litter favourite, and selling him as a pup was a mistake on my part — passing him on to someone who didn’t understand what he was. But in the end, it all worked out, and an important lesson was learned.
Sid’s story reminds me — every time — just how remarkable these dogs are. From the hills of coastal Australia to a stud in the USA, he overcame the odds, found his purpose, and became part of a lineage that shaped my own journey.
15 years on, and still going strong.
He is a testament to over a century of amazing breeding and over a decade of great care.
Thank-you Bill and Victor,
For this sentimental moment.
Happy birthday, Sid.
A life well lived, and a legacy well earned.
