3 replies to this topic

[Donald McCaig]

Dear Friends,

Earnest Coggins passed away December 2nd, I don't know exactly how old he was - last time I saw him at Dr Ben's trial 3? 4? years ago he was mid 80's. We called him "Colonel Coggins". I don't know his WW2 rank but he had a Colonel's bearing. He was a fine handler and trainer and his Dusk dog was spectacular. - As I recall Dusk was the offspring of the only dog Alastair MacRae - then a young Scottish handler - regretted selling.

He was among those southern handlers who, with Bill Dillard, started the ABCA and the sheepdog trial we know today. What I remember best about Earnest was a meeting of the USBCHA at Oatlands, many years ago (all the meetings were at trials in those days). Because of the rigorous ISDS eye requirements,some British handlers had started selling dogs that wouldn't pass to the States and one such had finally been deregistered after it ran into the drive panel.

Amanda Milliken, Dr Stu Ligon and myself wanted to start a USBCHA committee to find out how widespread PRA (we hadn't even considered CEA) was in our community. Occurences would be confidential, we were looking for numbers not starting a witchhunt. We weren't Big Hats nor among the Good Old Boys who pretty much dominated the southeast circuit (and the USBCHA & ABCA) and our suggested committee was getting a very chilly reception until Colonel Coggins stood up and said, "I just put three years training into a promising young dog and he come up blind on me. Boys' it's not something I'd like to have happen again."

Our committee was formed which morphed into eye tests at our National Finals which morphed into the knowledge and genetic studies we have today.

Thanks Colonel Coggins. Because of you a lot of dogs didn't go blind.

Donald McCaig.

[terrecar]

Dear Friends,

Earnest Coggins passed away December 2nd, I don't know exactly how old he was - last time I saw him at Dr Ben's trial 3? 4? years ago he was mid 80's. We called him "Colonel Coggins". I don't know his WW2 rank but he had a Colonel's bearing. He was a fine handler and trainer and his Dusk dog was spectacular. - As I recall Dusk was the offspring of the only dog Alastair MacRae - then a young Scottish handler - regretted selling.

He was among those southern handlers who, with Bill Dillard, started the ABCA and the sheepdog trial we know today. What I remember best about Earnest was a meeting of the USBCHA at Oatlands, many years ago (all the meetings were at trials in those days). Because of the rigorous ISDS eye requirements,some British handlers had started selling dogs that wouldn't pass to the States and one such had finally been deregistered after it ran into the drive panel.

Amanda Milliken, Dr Stu Ligon and myself wanted to start a USBCHA committee to find out how widespread PRA (we hadn't even considered CEA) was in our community. Occurences would be confidential, we were looking for numbers not starting a witchhunt. We weren't Big Hats nor among the Good Old Boys who pretty much dominated the southeast circuit (and the USBCHA & ABCA) and our suggested committee was getting a very chilly reception until Colonel Coggins stood up and said, "I just put three years training into a promising young dog and he come up blind on me. Boys' it's not something I'd like to have happen again."

Our committee was formed which morphed into eye tests at our National Finals which morphed into the knowledge and genetic studies we have today.

Thanks Colonel Coggins. Because of you a lot of dogs didn't go blind.

Donald McCaig.

What a nice tribute. Of course I didn't know Colonel Coggins, but I like him already.May he rest in peace.

[juliepoudrier]

My main memory of Earnest was when I was still quite the newbie and attending Steve Clendenin's novice trials. Earnest was there with one of his dogs--I don't remember the dog's name (this was probably 10 years ago)--entertaining us with all the tricks his dog knew, including "Bang, you're dead!" To see this old timer doing silly tricks with his dog was a real treat and made those old timers seem much more human and accessible to us newbies....

Rest in peace, Earnest.

Here's the link to his obituary, which was posted on Sheepdog-L by Francis Raley this morning:
Earnest Coggins Obit

J.

[rushdoggie]

What a nice tribute. Of course I didn't know Colonel Coggins, but I like him already.May he rest in peace.

She said it perfectly.