The Last Dance

Sometimes you lead

And sometimes I do

We dance

In the afternoon rays of sun

Or the misty morning fog

We dance

Country western, of course

“Save a horse, ride a Cowboy”

We dance

For many years we do

The dance before the run

We dance

Our steps are in sync

Our minds as one

We dance

We laugh and cry

As we spin around and around

We dance

Tradition, it has become

Fast or slow, we just go

We dance

People look at us and laugh
Point fingers and smirk
We dance

We come off the field in victory
They don’t smirk anymore
We dance

Together your paws and my hands
Are joined in love and laugher
We dance

But now, we dance one last dance
Your eyes are dim and I cry
We dance

Our last dance together
You won a quilt with honors
We dance

Now we dance together in our dreams
Partners on and off the field
We dance

I love how you have led the dance
Proud and strong you carried me
We dance

I will miss our dance
And you by my side
We dance

Farewell my friend
I will miss our steps
We dance

No one else will dance with me
It’s our traditional, our bond of love
We dance

Tess retired in June 2009. Her last USBCHA trial was MacDonald's June trial. I will miss dancing with her.

Photos by Aaron

Happy Birthday TESS!!

Today is Tess's birthday. She is 11 years old. We love her dearly and she is the reason I am into trialing. She is the love of our life!!

A tradition for many years, Getty got Tess a McDonald's cheeseburger and he fed her. It's a private time they share together. She got two new toys, a gator and a lizard from tufftoys. She was very happy with her new toys and pranced about with them.

So, here are some random pictures of her. It's hard to believe that almost 11 years ago, we bought her as a pity buy for $100 to prevent her from being shot. I hadn't really wanted her since she had no papers, was spooky/shy and nothing about her working background and from a back yard breeder. Getty wanted to keep her and she was just going to be a pet. She turned our world upside down!!

But people believed in her (Scott Glen and Getty and me and numerous others!!) and she got her papers on merit, the third dog ever in ABCA history to do so, placed 6th in the 2001 USBCHA Nursery Finals (run by Scott Glen), placed 39th overall in the Bluegrass (run by Scott Glen - see a pattern of how he believed in her!!), ran in the USBCHA Finals (run by me), qualified numerous times, including this year for the USBCHA Finals and got a sheep farm for her second birthday. I got a weedwhacker that year.

She has produced winning Open dogs in sheep and cattle who have ran at the USBCHA Finals (Open and Nursery) and her grandpups have qualified for the USBCHA Nursery and Open Finals. She has been the main dog at the farm, working up to 120 ewes/lambs and cattle.

She has been my right hand for years and saved me more than I can count on the trial field. She is my pillow thief and bed warmer at trials. She critiques the blog each night and is always ready to have fun.

She taught me to take off my rose colored glasses because the diamond you seek is the rough stone you have in your hand. We are truly blessed to have her in our lives.

Happy Birthday DeltaBluez Tess. We love you.

This Old Dog - Reba

Reba is 15 years old this month and she is a fine, old dog. Her sire is Chick Shaw’s Gus and her dam is from Candy Kennedy’s breeding. Linda DeJong proudly owns Reba. Linda got Reba at 2 years old and she was an Open dog for most her trial career. She has won Open trials and attended the Finals several times. Some of most notable attributes is the ability to grip without detection, usually behind a panel. In addition, she won enough money to pay for thyroid treatment for Cat who was sick.

She is a regal dog that is often wandering about to get her cherished pets from the handlers. She is a grand ole dog.

The pictures speak for themselves.

Sheep Thrillz Results July 2-5

Open Day One
Handler Dog score
Lynne Green Kurt 93
Karen Child Jim 81
Elissa Thau Riof 79
Noelle Williams Gael 78
Jo Ferguson Teak 76
Noelle Williams Lad 70
Noelle Williams Nap 70
Karen Child Rock 69
Morgen Magnuson Tess 69
Diane Pagel Nan 69
Derel Fisher Jan 69
Diane Pagel Lucy 68
Ian Caldicott Joe Kidd 64
Donna Donahue Davy 60
Laura Vishoot Ripley 59
Lynn Johnston Anna 58
Laura Vishoot Wren 58
Sandra Babb Cap 49
Sue MacDonald Jan dq
Lora Withnell Killiebrai Sally rt
Lorri Schubert Quill rt
Sue MacDonald Bess rt
Cheryl Munson Cap rt
Jim Cooper Zot rt
Bonnie Block Dan rt
Brian Ricards Mig rt
George MacDonald Chris rt
Donna Donahue Kate rt
Elissa Thau Nell rt
Amy Coapman Jean rt
David Lee-Johnson Bute rt
George MacDonald Huck rt
Ian Caldicott Bear rt
Cheryl Munson Jett rt
Lorri Schubert Mot rt
Brian Ricards Doc rt


Open Day two
Handler Dog score
Derek Fisher Jen 95
Brian Ricards Doc 83
Karen Child Jim 82
Karen Child Rock 75
Elissa Thau Riof 73
David Lee-Johnson Bute 68
Noelle Williams Lad 67
Noelle Williams Gael 67
Morgen Magnuson Tess 66
Diane Pagel Lucy 60
Noelle Williams Nap 59
Laura Vishoot Wren 56
Lora Withnell Killiebrai Sally 55
Laura Vishoot Ripley 55
Donna Donahue Davy 55
Lynn Johnston Anna 55
Ian Caldicott Joe Kidd 54
Elissa Thau Nell 54
Jo Ferguson Teak 47
Sandra Babb Cap 46
Diane Pagel Nan dq
Ian Caldicott Bear rt
Amy Coapman Jean rt
Cheryl Munson Jett rt
Lorri Schubert Mot rt
Sue MacDonald Jan rt
George MacDonald Huck rt
Donna Donahue Kate rt
George MacDonald Chris rt
Lynne Green Kurt rt
Cheryl Munson Cap rt
Jim Cooper Zot rt
Lorri Schubert Quill rt
Sue MacDonald Bess rt
Brian Ricards Mig rt
Bonnie Block Dan rt

DOUBLE LIFT Top 16 Dogs from the two days of Open
Handler Dog score
Derek Fisher Jan 148
Noelle Williams Nap 145
Karen Childs Jim 135
Noelle Williams Lad 128
Noelle Williams Gael 109
Lynne Green Kurt 100
Ian Caldicott Joe Kidd 96
Diane Pagel Lucy 96
Donna Donahue Davy 77
Brian Ricards Doc 60
Laura Vishoot Wren RT
Elissa Thau Riof RT
Laura Vishoot Ripley RT
Morgen Magnuson Tess RT
Jo Ferguson Teak RT
Karen Childs Rock DQ

Novice 1st round
Handler Dog score
Brittnay MacNeill Hillcrest Havoc 39
Karen Combs Tex 37
Karen Combs Skye 34
Ally Lantis Lex 25
Molly Westling Mel 20
Ally Lantis Lucy 13

Ranch 1st Round
Handler Dog score
Fred Dickhous Buster 55
Suzanna Anaya Yoko 48
Ruth Lake Sophie 40
Ruth Lake Tia nc
Sue Foster Ben rt
Shilah Olsen Tess rt

Pro-Novice 1st round
Handler Dog score
Karen Child Hickory 68
Cheryl Munson Flint 61
Lynn Johnston Jesse 55
Lora Withnell Nell 54
Jim Cooper Amos 53
Suzanna Anaya Kilt 48
Brittnay MacNeill Hillcrest Mick 37
Laura Vishoot Drew 36
Dick Wilson Raygan 35
Linda Whedbee Liddy 29
Noelle Williams Max dq
Dan Williams Lad dq
Donna Donahue Taff dq
Judy Boles Gilly rt
Linda Whedbee Tristan rt
Karen Combs Buddy rt
Ursala Pettyjohn Pete rt
Dave Imas Cap rt
Julie Roeter Jade rt
Lorri Schubert Pete rt
Karen Child Molly rt
Vicki Smith Jessy rt
Lisa Williams Tess sc


Nursery
Handler Dog score
Jim Cooper Amos 67
Noelle Williams Max 49
Dave Imas Cap 45
Laura Vishoot Tucker 39
Karen Child Nell 34
Lora Withnell Nell 23
Donna Donahue Taff rt
Karen Child Chance rt

Novice 2nd round
Handler Dog score
Jodi Wiktorowski Sweep sc
Karen Combs Tex dq
Ally Lantis Lucy rt
Brittnay MacNeill Hillcrest Havoc rt


Ranch 2nd round
Handler Dog score
Suzanna Anaya Yoko 48
Karen Combs Skye 43
Sue Foster Ben dq
Fred Dickhous Buster dq
Ally Lex rt
Ruth Lake Tia sc
Shilah Olsen Tess sc
Ruth Lake Sophie sc


Pro-Novice 2nd round
Handler Dog score
Laura Vishoot Drew 71
Lynn Johnston Jesse 69
Dave Imas Cap 64
Suzanna Anaya Kilt 60
Dan Williams Lad 59
Dick Wilson Raygan 56
Lorri Schubert Pete 56
Noelle Williams Max 52
Karen Child Molly 50
Vicki Smith Jessy 38
Linda Whedbee Liddy 36
Donna Donahue Taff dq
Karen Combs Buddy dq
Laura Vishoot Tucker dq
Karen Child Hickory dq
Cheryl Munson Flint rt
Brittnay MacNeill Hillcrest Mick rt
Ursala Pettyjohn Pete rt
Julie Roeter Jade rt
Judy Boles Gilly sc
Lisa Williams Tess sc
Jim Cooper Amos sc
Linda Whedbee Tristan sc

Name the dog and cat

OK, you folks are too darn clever. Here is a tougher one to guess.

Name the dog and cat?

Just what are they doing?

Where is this taken?

Hints: Open dog. Handler is from out of State. Cat is local.

This is sure to stump ya!! Only one other person knows this answer!!

Derek Fisher Lessons on Aug 22 and 23 at my farm

I am pleased to offer herding lessons with Derek Fisher on Aug 22 and 23. Lessons will be $60 for one hr (2 dogs max) and $35 for 30 minutes (one dog). Derek has generously offered to give us a good rate for the weekend.

Please let me know your date and time preferences. Located in Carnation, WA


A little about Derek:

Derek Fisher is a USBCHA open handler from Idaho who has been competing for 13 years. He was named “Rookie of the Year” at the 2001 USBCHA and ABCA National Finals at the age of 20. He was the 2000 champion at the prestigious Meeker Classic Sheepdog Championship Trials, and is a three time winner at the Western States Regional Championship. He has also been in the top 20 at the USBCHA Finals

Derek is known for his ability to “read” dogs and to tailor his training methods to the individual dog/handler team. He is fair and consistent and brings out the best of each dog’s natural ability. He is an interactive trainer who welcomes questions.