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BCSA
Board of Directors |
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I
am the newest member of the board. I took over for Julia Ecklar in June
2007 when Julia had to resign due to the demands of a job change. I am
fairly new to border collies. My first border collie, Slider, turned four
years old in September of 2007. With border collies being rather
addictive, I now have another border collie, Steam, who is Slider’s half
brother. Steam was born at the end of November 2006.
I grew up with animals. My family had a hobby farm in Oregon where we raised sheep, pigs and horses and we showed our animals in 4-H. In junior high I started training my dog Rocky in 4-H and my 4-H leader was none other than Bobbie Anderson. I didn’t know at the time how lucky I was to have such good instruction. Rocky and I ended up doing pretty well and I was bitten by the dog training bug. Then it was off to college where I received my B.S. in Animal Science from Oregon State University. During my third year of college, I had the opportunity to be an exchange student in New Zealand for a year where I was able to spend some time on a few different sheep farms and stations. This was my first introduction to herding dogs in action and to the border collie. I marveled at how those dogs worked! After college, I started my zoo keeping career and got married so it wasn’t until a little over 15 years ago that I had the opportunity to get another dog. Russ and I were newlyweds and at that time were renting a small house with a short fence around the back yard. I really liked herding dogs so we decided to get a Pembroke Welsh Corgi to fit the house and yard. One corgi led to two corgis, our own bigger house (with a taller fence), and it was through my corgis that I met my friend Yvonne Anderson and her border collie, the Fabulous Fable. I fell in love with Fable and when Yvonne told me that Fable had sired a litter, my plans changed from adding a third corgi to the household to adding the first border collie. I contacted the breeder, Jan DeMello of Hob Nob Border Collies, and she let me take my Fable (x Chisel) puppy Slider home. And then, one Fable puppy led to another Fable (x Kindle) puppy, Steam.
Slider is a dream come true! Slider, CH HC OTCH MACH Hob Nob Triple Play UDX is the first border collie to earn 4 AKC championships. As a trainer, he is the first dog I have earned any kind of championship with. And although I am proud to say that Slider was owner trained and handled to all four of his championships, I must admit that Slider made it easy for me by being an exceptional dog. Slider was the first dog that I showed in the breed ring and he finished his breed championship at 17 months of age. This year (2007), we finished his other three championships when he earned his HC on 26 May, his OTCH on 21 July and his MACH on 18 August. I am looking forward to many more years of training and competing with my Amazing Sliderman! This winter we hope to start tracking.
I have worked as a zookeeper at the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle for over 17 years and I really love my job. We live just outside the city of Seattle in a very urban area so we have to fit in herding the best we can since we have to drive quite a ways to find sheep. However, after just one herding lesson with Slider when he was 17 months, I was hooked on herding and there was no turning back! Slider and I are just starting to get our feet wet in the beginning levels of border collie trials. Steam, Hob Nob Fire and Ice, “turned on” to sheep at 3 ½ months old but now he needs to wait until his brain grows up to match his powerful body before he gets to start training on sheep. For now, I am showing him in the breed ring and training him in obedience and agility. Steam is coming along in his training even though he’s had to take a bit of a back seat to his big brother this year. He has quite a different personality than Slider which is exciting for me as a trainer since it gives me a chance to expand my skills.
I am excited about this opportunity to learn more about border collies and the BCSA by serving as Recording Secretary. This fall of 2007, we will be driving back to attend the BCSA National Specialty for the first time. I am excited to get to meet more of the BCSA membership and my fellow board members. I am very thankful for this unexpected opportunity to serve on the BCSA board.
Page Updated 11.25.2007