Herderdog

If you are interested in more info on the small fiberglass trailers--this site: http://www.fiberglassrv.com/board/index.php Has lot and lots of info--you can ask questions and the folks there are very helpful.

Thanks, Geri! for putting up my web site. Altogether--I think I took close to 5000 images--and now I too am taking a look at how awesome the trial was. You guys are to be commended on a job VERY well done!

That is a beauty, Christine! :>)

Fantastic, Denise! What an honor. We'll all be rootin' for you and Mick.

Denise, I had to erase my post---it was last years I was able to get to.

I find a lot of the people that trial have had something to do with horses at one time. I am no exception. I was a horse nut from the day I could crawl I think. I rode and showed hunter-jumpers on the junior circuit in California while I was growing up. I somehow managed to talk my parents into letting me take my horse to college with me. Big mistake. I ended up working for a professional trainer in LA and spent several years as assistant trainer for this big hunter-jumper barn. I grew tired of the rat-race of the show circuit--and moved up to the Santa Barbara area where I worked for a Thoroughbred farm. I broke and galloped yearlings for the racetrack as well as sale-prepping and handling them at the sales at Hollywood Park and other tracks in So. Cal. Those days I remember with real fondness---experiences of a lifetime. Broke some nice horses too! One won the Hollywood Gold cup and beat John Henry! I eventually burned out--and moved up to the Pacific Northwest. I lived on a horse farm --Bought and sold livestock for awhile--until I had to get a real job. Ended up becoming a meat cutter at a local supermarket. I still have that job today--counting the years to retirement, when I can devote my time to training dogs and trialling. I had always been around stock dogs and such--and after trading a horse (yes) for a border collie pet, I became interested in herding. I found a fellow in the area that trained working stockdogs. He and I, as it turns out, had both been in the horse business near each other in Calif. and had somehow ended up in the same town here in Wa. I mentored under him for many years. I got a dog that I could trial with--took him from novice-novice to Open. I bought sheep--and still keep them at a fancy bed and breakfast that has some pasture, as well as at home. For the last 10 years, I have had a wonderful dog that I bought in Scotland while visiting there from Johnny Wilson as a pup. I ran ol' Bill in Open and he did well for me. Highlight for me with him was running in the National Finals when they were out here in the West at Klamath Falls a few years back. I retired him last year. I have some young dogs coming up, but my job puts a lot of constraint on just how much I really can do. Can you say no weekends for 25 years. Tough to find the time to trial. When I can retire--here I come!! Hopefully the dogs I have now will just be reaching there prime when that happens.

Denise! (and Mick too), How cool! Great job! and I imagine and unforgettable experience. Can't wait to hear more about it!! Christine, Hats off to you too! Running at that level and putting in a consistent run on consecutive days (on difficult sheep) is no easy task. You are both to be commended! Nice work.

Here's a hint for moving the stall mats around as they are REALLY heavy. I have used vice grips if I am alone and trying to struggle with them--or if you have two people, you can run a 2X4 under the mat-one person on each end of the board can pick up the mat.

Christine, LOL This is the Pacific Northwest--what summer??? No--no more than the concrete would I suppose. No doubt that you could water down some type of aggregate a little better than the mats and get some evaporative cooling. My dogs love to dig down in the ground in the summer to stay cool. My kennels do have a wooden shed covering them, but I have used regular shade netting on them too. I actually use this hanigng in front of the kennels now to keep the sun out.

Hi Elizabeth! Yep--I'll always use the stall mats now. Luv 'em.

I had previously layed a cement pad for my dogs at another place I lived before. I found it to be cold, rough and hard to clean- When I moved I did not want to put aother slab in--so I opted for the 4X8 heavy rubber stall mats for the floor. I like them alot, and have used them in another kennel setup since. They can be washed out easily and cut to fit if necessary. I have a pea gravel base which they are layed over. My dogs are all diggers--so any kind of porous surface is not an option. Here is what it looks like. I bought mine at the local farm co-op. They are about $45 apiece. This works perfectly for me.

That color is going to start a new fashion craze!!!! Where did it come from???? I don't ever recall seeing a blue quite like that. He is one cool pup.

Nice pics of Teddy, thanks Diane. Glad you are lovin' him so much. Thanks for sharing them!

Congrats on your D-REb! I bought one a few months ago, and have been having a ball---although I REALLY upgraded the lens the other day. Yikes!!! I'm in hock up to my ears and still going. Thinking about the 20D now. You will really enjoy it I'm sure!!

Diane, Can you say Ferry??? At that time of the year it would have cost me about $125 round trip with that rig! Or more. Yeooow!!!! :eek: Ellie Mae says hey..but what sbout Fifi??? We will be at the trail--but only on Friday. You are probably there on Sat??