We are Steve & Joyce Strobel, we are a relatively new kennel, having had ridgebacks for the last five years. Although we have admired them for over twenty years, we felt that our lifestyles did not accommodate them until six years ago. It took us a year to find a breeder that we felt we could work with. Kristine Nielsen of Vanfax Kennels.

We got our first ridgeback, Vanfax’s Rooi Rhuubii Tooz Day, from Kristine, initially as a pet, but soon Kristine was showing Rhuubii, and the rest they say is history. Before too long I was showing, not well but showing! Rhuubii tested my patience beyond the limits, embarrassing me every time I showed her!! Kristine completed Rhuubii’s championship in a relatively short time, with me taking Rhuubii to shows when Kristine had to work, I was unsuccessful with winning, but we still tried!

We got our second ridgeback, Vanfax’s Serengeti Simbah in December of 2004, and I was to learn to show her! Oh boy did she test me!! By January 2006, being fully frustrated with trying to show Sere and not very successful, I either had to stop showing or start getting some professional help, or meds!! I started taking handling classes with Joy & Vaughn, in January 2006. Sere was a champion by October of 2006, even with taking the whole summer off while Rhuubii had her litter of puppies.

By now I was completely “hooked” keeping pick girl “Ashanti’s First Choice” Tyra from Rhuubii’s litter. Tyra finished her Canadian championship while we were in Calgary for the RR Nationals in 2007. Her Brother “Ashanti’s Boomer The-Dee-O-Gee” Boomer, finished his championship in October 2007.

When we met Kristine, we didn’t know that we would become such good friends, but we have. Kristine is not only a wonderful friend, but a mentor as well. That’s the fun part of being a ridgeback owner, or ownee as is the reality. We have made some wonderful friends not just locally, but in the U.S. as well. Regardless of where you meet other ridgeback owners, it’s always the same, they truly love the breed, and what’s not to love!

They are loyal, majestic, regal, head-strong, counter-surfers, intelligent, naughty, otherwise just plain ”human”! But through all this, you wouldn’t change them for the world. Once owned by a ridgeback, always owned by a ridgeback!! They are different than any other breed I have known!

We are members of the Canadian Kennel Club, Rhodesian Ridgeback Club of Canada, and are active in the re-establishment of the Ridgeback Club of B.C.