HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

I am very grateful that "old lady" Mishka is still with us for another year!!

We got SNOW!

Smoke (CueB x Fog)

Rudy (Erika x Carver)

Mist (CueB x Fog)

Mist playing with her grandpa "Kane"

Lane (Izzy x Malone)

Imp. Cloud

Brit (Imp. Liz x Imp. Tweed)

Blaze

And yes the little Chihuahuas go out in the snow too!!

Ike's New Champion Photo

A great way to finish (5 point major at a specialty!!)

Congrats Stacie!!!

CueB x Fog Kids growing up!

Smoke

He is a busy boy that can get himself sucked into working the other dogs if I am not careful. I am now tempted to go ahead and offer him for sale to a home where he will live with less dogs.

He is athletic and a real thinker!!

Slick

I love this boys structure!! He is going to be a good sized boy!!


Talk about DRIVE!! He could play for hours with a hose if I would let him!! However after everyone comes in and relaxes he is right there in your face wanting to be loved on!!





Mist
She is a busy body!!


AND the social butterfly of the group!!!

Happy Halloween!!

Since I have the "little guys" I thought the costumes were appropriate!!
Kane penned his Chihuahua "sheep" with no gripping!!
(for those wondering the Chihuahuas are from left to right "Nessie" one of my hand raised orphans, "Ren" a silly male I am trying to show, and "Chewee" the old man that is a rescue.)

Nessie as you can see thought the costumes were fun!! Chewee on the other hand patiently waited for it to be over LOL!

Hope everyone has a safe and Happy Halloween!!

We have a new AKC CHAMPION!!

(**File photo**)

Yesterday at the USASA Specialty Ike went Winner's Dogs under judge Linda Robey for a FIVE Point major to finish his AKC Championship!!

Ike is owned by Stacie Coates (I just co-own him). He was handled by Heather Blackford (THANK YOU !!).

Ike is now:

AKC CH. Stoneoak PLUMRIDGE Bronze Icon!!!

Ike is a son of our "Tanner" and "Tailor".

I am so proud!!!

2010 National Sheepdog Finals

2010 National Sheepdog Finals

Here is the link to the live streaming video of today's semi finals. They are doing all the runs for the finals tomorrow too!!

AWESOME JOB!!!

USBCHA National Finals Updates!!

Mollie (this past winter)

http://http//www.nationalsheepdogfinals.com/scores.php

The Internet is great!! The runs are being updated quickly!!

I am crossing my fingers for Mollie!! She and Chris run on Sunday. But I am watching the link to the USBCHA National Finals to see how everyone else is doing!

USBCHA National Finals

Well the nursery portion of the National Finals start Saturday morning at 8am!!

Chris and Mollie don't run till Sunday ... but I will be following the scores as much as I can online!! With my new business venture ... I am unable to make the drive to VA and personally watch.

Click on the post label to go the scores page of the Finals website!!

Yesterday was a very sad day here

I am exhausted and hurting way too much to write all of what this tremendous wonderful dog has done for me. I will try to later... but for now I will post just a few of the photos I have of my beloved Risp. (he is also the dog in the top photo of this blog).

He passed away yesterday. He lived a very good long life, taught me more about working cattle than I ever thought a dog could. He worked anything and everything I ever asked him to (and did it with "STYLE"). He made me friends all over the WORLD... and I will be forever grateful for the few kids (and outstanding grandkids too) he has left behind.

He was an UK import, He had the fancy import papers and import name, He had plenty of titles (ASCA WTCH, USBCHA Open Level winner, AKC Advanced titles you name it ... )but to me he was just my 'Ispers"

He was a silly friendly boy when he was not working livestock.

But he certainly was 'always' looking to work livestock

One of my favorite photos of him. He had that creepy low to the ground style everyone loved to see and I always got comments about it when we came off the field.

I was always amazed by how fast he could move that 'low' to the ground.

A few called him a "spider" he was so creepy and stylish on stock.

One can't forget those 'trademark' areodynamic ears of his!!! (and no I never did anything to them ... his ears did that all on their own!!)

Those ears!!

He would hold a single and taught me a great deal about shedding too!!

He was buried under the tree at the farm with one of his many High in Trial Ribbons. Probably earned it on ducks ... as he was a master at keeping even fast quick ducks together!!

He would walk up on cattle so patient and quiet. Giving them every chance possible to turn and move. If they would not ... he fairly and accurately nailed them on the nose and informed them they needed to move. He knew when to bite and when to just give them time... it always amazed me how much he knew.

He was always the fun clinic dog... as I learned and he patiently taught me ... waiting till I got it.

He just 'knew' how to put livestock thru the panels or into pens... he truly understood his job.

He won me lots of prizes (including prize money!!), he made me friends all across the country and world. He would have done it for no prizes, no audience, just to make me happy.

Rest Well Old Man ... thank you for being part of my life!!!

His granddaughter is Chris Chambers "Mollie". She was 3rd in Nursey and 13th in Open at the Canadian National Sheepdog finals just recently. She will be running both Nursery and Open in the USBCHA finals starting this coming weekend. I am sure grandpa "Risp" will be smiling down on the sheep field in VA saying "Go Mollie!!!"

Another great tribute to those on four legs that did so much that day!!

Please stop and take a moment

I have my own very vivid memories of this day (I was living outside of DC in Northern VA at the time).

This video is one I would very much like to pass along for others to see.

Take a moment to be grateful for our great nation. (Especially today)

Canadian National Sheepdog FINALS!!

**File Photo**

I am so thrilled to see that Chris and Mollie did so well at the Finals up in Canada!! (Click on Post Title above for link to the full results. )

Mollie is a pup from my homebred female "Gem" (Imp. Meg x Imp. Risp) and Chris's male "Tag".

Chris and Mollie have a relationship that one can hardly describe ... on and off the field it is a joy to see the two together. (Mollie is a spoiled house dog!!)

Mollie is just over two years old and seems to mature and get better at every trial!! She is "over" qualified for the USBCHA National Nursery Finals (she has a dozen Nursery wins at least)... and she is also qualified in Open at the National Finals this year too!!

Some that read this blog regularly might remember she was the 'baby' that made the double lift finals at the Bluegrass this year too!!

I should also mention that Mollie's daddy "Tag" ran VERY VERY well at the Canadian National finals making the Double lift (knocking Mollie out of the top twelve). Tag finished 5th overall in the Open Finals!!

I am so proud!!!

Ears!!

Slick is out of the CueB x Fog litter. He is a driven yet cuddly puppy. You pick him up and he melts and cuddles... but pull out a ball or the hose (see previous video) and you have a driven intense dog!!

Slick is still looking for a home. Inquiries are welcome.

The pups LOVE the hose!!

Here is a quick video of the pups (with Grandma Cloud helping) having a blast with the water hose on the gravel driveway.

If you can't stand the heat....

THEN GET IN THE POOL!!!

Kennel Reduction!!

I am wanting to reduce the number of dogs I have at the farm. Many of the older dogs are going to be offered to retirement homes, and I will be happy to discuss many of the other dogs for placement or leases.

Feel free to contact me (email or cell phone).

THANKS!!