by Karla Deithorn
April
10 and 11, 2005 was the silver anniversary for ARC and their herding events held
at Purina Farms in Gray Summit, MO were sparkling. The rosettes awarded were
edged in silver. And I was dazzled by the quality of the herding talent displayed.
Look out all you Collies, Corgis, Cattledogs and other herding breeds…the
Rottweilers are nipping at your heels! Monday the Rottweilers may have been dripping
with rain, but as on Sunday, the young, and old, dogs I saw in HT, PT and the
Started classes were dripping with talent. What made these dogs even more impressive
was that the catalogue was sprinkled with conformation, obedience, rally, and
agility titles as well as herding titles.In Started A course sheep there was a dog that discovered his power. The sheep came out of the Z chute and started for the corner. They shifted to cut across and he instinctively dropped one shoulder and feinted to cut them off. They moved back into the corner. You could see the light go on! He got a grin on his face and went to work! It was a joy to see how thrilled he was to understand his work as he herded the sheep through the runway; across the centerline and into the exhaust pen. It was hard to tell who was more excited – handler, dog, or spectators as he came out of the arena to clamorous applause!
Judges Sean and Sharol Hathaway had a great time judging the sheep and duck classes. Both judges especially enjoyed the B Course Ducks. The white panels and pen shone brightly on the green spring grass in the field at Purina. And it was a beautiful sight as the B/T Rottweilers herded the flocks of call ducks.
It is always nerve wracking for the lower level dogs at their National event but stock handlers, Bettie Kinsley and Wayne Pillen, provided excellent stock to work and set them out well. Between the excellent stock that was well handled and the obvious work ARC club members have put into their dogs’ herding work, the qualifying rate was very high and made for a lovely event.
Sunday High In Trial Sheep was the young bitch Phantom Wood Halle V Bluepring co-owned and handled by Francie Delony and co-owned by Karla Ebert. Reserve High In Trial Sheep was the young bitch Galory Bridge of Dreams V C-Kel, OA, OAJ, HT, PT owned and handled by CK Earich-Leibert.
Sunday High In Trial Ducks was Wyndhurst’s Promises Promises HT, PT, HSAsd, HIAsd owned by N. Davis and S. Voorhees and handled by Kathy Howse. Reserve High In Trial Ducks was Darrlburgs Chablis, UD, HXAs, HIBs handled and co-owned by Joyce Eddy with William Eddy and Carol Burke.
Monday High In Trial Sheep was, CH Flatlick’s De Wilde Ladd V Garen, HT, HSAs owned by Gary and Karen Sims and handled by Tracy Parciak. Reserve High In Trial Sheep was the veteran dog, CH Tailwind A TX Stat Omnd V Helkon, UD, HT, PT owned by James Runck and Val Hellmann.
Monday High In Trial Ducks was again Promises, Promises showing her consistency on ducks. Reserve High In Trial Ducks was the HIT Sheep winner, Wilde Ladd, showing his versatility on stock.
Two days of good stock; extremely talented dogs and the camaraderie of the Silver Anniversary of the American Rottweiler Club at the beautiful Purina Farms herding facility…it doesn’t get any better than that!
Click on image for caption and larger view.
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