February 10, 1997--June 7, 2011
BCSA Versatility Winthrop Ysabel CD OA AXJ NAP NJP HSAs OAC OJC TN-O NADAC Novice Versatility FD CGC TDI
OFA Hips Good, CEA/DNA Normal, and at 10 years old CERF Normal (7/06) and Cardiologist Exam Normal.
When I first decided to get a Border Colllie in 1996, I could not find the kind of dog I wanted locally, so I leased a herding-line bitch and bred my own litter! Belle is the result of breeding Kelly to Walt Jagger's Celt. She has been a joy to train, and more my teacher, I think, than the other way around! She and her littermate Yankee introduced me to agility and herding.
In 2001, I bred her to Lyle Lad's Cap, and she had 9 pups.
Pups from that litter have been very successful in various fields:
HC Versatility-NATCH BCSA-VCH WNT Myrrh CDX, AX, AXJ, RE, HSAs, HSBs, HIAs, HXAsd, HXBs, CGC, TDI, multiple Herding High in Trial/Reserve High in Trials
BCSA VX WNT Hutch CDX, OA, OAJ, XF, RE, HSAsd, HSBd HIBd CGC, TT, NADAC Novice Versatility, WV-E, Natch-TN, TG-E, was HIT in an AKC herding trial at Purina Farms!
HC WTCH HTCh WNT Norwood Liza HXAscd, HXBd, HIBs, a triple herding champion!
U-AGI U-AGII Lil' Petey AX, AXJ, EAC, OJC, OGC, multiple UKC High in Trials!
Winthrop Abbey HIC--farm dog, companion
WNT Ciobair--vet's office greeter and farm dog
WNT Banner--therapy dog and "only child"
and Riley and Shep, both farm dogs
From a second litter: Winthrop Argus CD, NA
One Halloween, Belle went to the office with me for the day at the Visiting Nurse Association, and we put on a short skit demonstrating "herding" my sheep slippers! She was quite a hit with the staff, and enjoyed a quiet day under my desk.
Spring 2008--Belle has come out of retirement!!!
At 11 years old, Belle has been begging to play agility again! I entered her at local AKC and NADAC trials, and the old girl had a blast! She Q'd 7 of 8 runs in AKC and finished her NAP and NJP titles and earned her first OAP leg. In NADAC she has played the games for the first time in Novice Veterans/Skilled, and finished her TN-N, TG-N, WV-N and Nov Chances to finish the Novice Versatility Award, as she had already completed titles in Regular and Jumpers to the Open level! She's cavorting around the courses like a puppy, as the pictures show:
2009--Belle is now 12 years old and still going strong! I entered her in a couple of Open Tunnelers classes at a NADAC Fun-Raiser in April and she not only Q'd but placed 2nd and 3rd running against dogs "half her age!" Then in August, she Q'd again for the Open Tunnelers title with a first place! In November, she ran a non-competitive "Veterans on Parade" class at a NADAC trial, bouncing and barking joyfully through the course, even taking the A-frame happily!
Christmas card 2009:
Belle on her 14th birthday, Feb 10, 2011!
She had a blast herding sheep!
