Calgary Alberta

My experience this year in Alberta Canada at The World Champion Stock Dog Trials was extraordinary, intense, exciting and very fulfilling.

Let's rewind a bit.

I am a Cattle Dog Trainer at heart and have spent the last 39 years training and handling cattle dogs in all areas of ranching, trialing, and front lining some of the best cattle dog sales in the nation. Going to Calgary was a little bit out of my comfort zone. #1 it is a sheep dog trial with some of the best international handlers attending. #2 it's all about speed, barrels, and impeccable timing. Did I go there to win?

Absolutely! It’s in my blood. I have hundreds, if not thousands of trials behind me. Like they say, “it's not my first rodeo” but truthfully I did feel intimidated.

I ran next to last in the running order out of 65 runs. So I had that to my advantage. I could study the course, the dogs’ abilities along with their weaknesses, and how the dogs’ were handled in each puzzle piece of the trial.

This is how I’ve always done it. Study the course, go somewhere alone and really think through a strategy. I knew my timing had to be spot on and quick. There was no room for error here. I felt very confident I had the dog to the job. His name is Ben, Burndale Ben.

Ben was imported 3 years ago for the purpose of bringing different genetics into my cow dog lines. My goal was to breed him to my best females in an attempt to get a sports car type of canine. I studied genetics far and wide and was totally in love with Bens's traits. He had it all; Speed, confidence, talent, movement. A total package of all the things I love in a dog. I found a wonderful dedicated and talented trainer in the UK that was completely trust-worthy, and that I connected with in a very practical working way. Ben was on his way to Idaho. I fell in Love with his work ethic, strong mind, and fierce conviction to gather his flock and take them to new pastures without hesitation.

I knew Ben could get me to the finals as long as I handled him fairly and precisely. We had to work as a team.

Run #1: The first run was good. He obeyed all my commands. We made it through all the obstacle and had a very good time up to the last chute obstacle on the fence. I was ready at the pen and had lots of time to get it done, but unfortunately my draw and positioning to place the dog in the right place was not good enough. I felt it could carry me to the next day. I was very hopeful and spent some time talking to Ben that evening. ;)

I went over my run at least 50 times with a top handler who I traveled there with and together we constructively talked through my mistakes. You're never too experienced to learn from others. I went to sleep feeling at ease and ready to get it done the next day.

Run #2: Ben and I went to the post with confidence. It felt like we were both moving out with purpose as a team. I told him to LOOK, and he was ready as ever. Our sights were on the gate where the sheep would be let out. I sent him the proper way and hit all my panels with a very good chute time. That is important because the fastest chute time would break a tie should it occur. “I could do this”, I thought quietly in my mind. We made it to the pen with plenty of time but struggled with some challenging sheep. The sound of the Buzz caught me dead in my tracks, no pen yet again and now I was starting to worry. It would be until the afternoon before I knew if my penless run was enough to put me in the finals. Several of us had the same score and we all knew 4 would be dropped out of the finals. My times were faster than the others, so I was very hopeful.

While I was waiting I took Ben alone the the river where he was able to relax and feel the cool water on his skin . He came back to me from the river bank and we shared many silent conversations on how special our bond was and then sat in silence while i pet is forehead.

I studied my run again and found the missing puzzle piece that would insure my success at my next pen. It was the angle and a few other things that I learned from watching myself and others fail at the pen. I felt like I had solved a huge math problem. I felt like the weight of my pen problem was lifted. Im back in the game I thought as I approached the arena.. Moments after getting to the arena I found out I had made int into the finals.

I was ready. I went to a quiet place and meditated and went over my flawless run in my mind. It ws my turn I had watched several runs and things were not going well for many of the top 12.. I walked into my circle, i gave Ben the command and we were “in it to win it”! Our Run together was extra special. It felt different, it felt right correct and and only one minor mistake after the chute but we carried on perfectly to the Pen and we executed perfection. Ben held his line, and I held my gate and my side, we worked together like a finely tuned instrument, and we were rewarded with a beautiful “straight in pen "The best pen in the finals I was told! I was in heaven. watching the last runs was a bit like torture trying to hold on to my spot as 1st place thus far with only 3 runs to go

I was beat out by a few mere seconds to a wonderful contender that was as humble as they come. I was happy and proud to stand next to her as the 2024 Reserve World Champion Stock Dog . I will cherish the memory and experience that I shared with friends and my special Ben. I also bought dinner that night at a fancy restaurant outside of Calgary, oh yes and ice-cream to boot! I am always so grateful for the community that stock dog competitions have brought to my life. On to the next one!