Secrets of the hay barn

On every farm there are secret places where Very Strange Things happen. At Keepmore Farms, that place is the hay barn. To the casual observer, it's where the bales of hay are stored. But more careful scrutiny reveals some interspecies co-mingling.

Let's grab a couple of really cute lambs.



And now add one slightly distressed collie.




Now ask said distressed collie to move the lambs along the hay bales.




OK, that concludes torturing Lou. Let's move on to ... working chickens! Ah, now THIS is something that Lou enjoys.

Rex, portrait of a young dog

Well, Rex has been living with us for a month now, and he's adapted to house life pretty well. He's only had one accident (which Wick may have helped cause) and he's a very easy dog to live with.

As with all my dogs, I was moved to make a video scrapbook of Rex's year with Lee. What a lot these two accomplished in 2009! I am looking forward to running this young dog in sheep dog trials, as well as training him up for agility.

That'll do, Bear, that'll do

On December 16, I lost my beloved aussie, Bear. He was somewhere between 13 and 15 years old, I think, and he'd been struggling with renal failure for a few months.

I adopted Bear in 1999 from the Vancouver SPCA. Over the next 10+ years, we went on all kinds of crazy adventures, including two trips to the AAC Agility Nationals, weekly visits to see the sheep at Rose and Bruce's lovely Keepmore Farms, as well as competing in flying disc and musical freestyle.

But most importantly, he was my buddy, my sensible dog who paved the way for the (not so sensible) parade of collies that now live with me. He was my rock and he changed my life. May everyone have a true and faithful companion like Bear just once in your lifetime.

I made a video about our lives together. I miss you, Mr. Muffin. See you on the other side.

Nursey Finals photos

80+ of the finest baby dogs went to the post in Klamath Falls. The top 40% of those ran a second time, and the highest cumulative score won. Congratulations to Scott Glen and Don!



Alisdair MacRae and Coll laid down a lovely run in the second round.



Thad Buckler and Nic, Rex's brother:


Nic's ewes stalled out a bit at the pen:





Hello Rex!



Rex had a bit of a problem with this ewe:



But eventually everyone got in the pen.


And life was good.


I think this is my favourite photo from the Nursery field. It's Ian Zoerb and Freckles, looking out over a dusty and smoky field.

Klamath Falls 2009

Woot! Road TRIP!!! Susan and I loaded up our two good dogs (bad dogs and old dogs stayed at home) and headed way south, then way east, then did a few extra loops, then came close once or twice to plummeting to our death in the Willamette Forest ... and then we were in Klamath Falls, Oregon, for the 2009 USBCHA Finals.

Lamb is my co-pilot.


Crossing the bridge into Porland:


Lou and Kyu in a pretty rest area somewhere in Oregon:


TAKE THE EXIT! For the love of all that's holy, TAKE THE EXIT!! SOOKIE!!!


There seemed to be a forest fire (what is it about these road trips and forest fires) but we still decided to pull over and pose El Magnifico against some magnificent backdrop.


So after 11 hours, some vampire audio books (SOOKIE!!!), a half bag of tiny Toblerones, and a lot of Starbucks Double Shots, we made it! Woot!

Western Canadians - the hardware

The Class of 2009:


COME ON!!! I'M TRYING TO TAKE A PICTURE



Congratulations to Dennis Gellings and Jan, the 2009 Western Canadian and CBCA Champions:


And to Peter Gonnet and Jill, the Reserve Champs:



And to my friend, Vickie, who, with her good dog, Gale, made it into the finals in her first year of running Open. You RULE!!!

Trial pics, Western Canadians

OK, enough with the frou-frou pics. Here are the dogs who represented! Woot!

Hello, Rexy. Well done on your 4th place finish at WC!




And Mazel Tov to your brother, Nic, for finishing up Reserve:




Congrats to Scott and Don, the CBCA Nursery champs:



And to Peter Gonnet and Taff, the WC Nursery champs:


This is one of Beverly Lambert's dogs.



Stormy and Roy with one of the few pens:


Holly's Mirk:




Jennifer's Spot:



Norm and Jock in the double-lift finals:


Vickie and Gale in the finals:


Amanda and Clive in the finals:




Ian and Gyp:


Bev and Mirk:





Peter and Jill:



Dennis and Jan: