Jimmy Walker Border Collies
Hillsboro, Texas
The 2009 United States Border Collie Handler's Association National Cattledog Finals in Gering, Nebraska
Preston Carter's Oreo--National Champion Nursery Cattledog
Mitch--Reserve National Champion Open Cattledog
In the picture from left to right: Dan Gill, judge; Red Oliver and Blaze, National Champion Open Cattledog(I let Red practice on my cattle before he left for the National Finals and the ol' coot beat me.); Herbert Holmes, judge; myself and Mitch; Amy and Preston Carter with Oreo; and Tim Gifford and Tip, Reserve National Champion Nursery Cattledog.
The Wildflower Sheepdog Trial Apr. 25th and 26th Temple, Tx--Mitch won 4th in the first Open trial and 2nd in the second Open. Oreo won 4th in the first Nursery and Rose won 3rd in the second Nursery.
The Bluebonnett Sheepdog Trial Apr. 19th Crawford, Tx--Angie won 2nd in the Open.
The Western Classic Sheepdog and Cattledog Trials Apr. 10, 11, & 12 Snyder, Tx--In the sheep Angie won 3rd in the first Open with Mitch coming in 5th and Jiggs won 2nd in the first Open Ranch. Mitch won 1st in the second Open. In the cattledog trial, Rose won 4th in the first Pro-Novice trial and in the second trial Angie won 1st in the Pro-Novice with Oreo coming in 3rd.
The Slate River Ranch Cattledog Trial Mar. 28th Perrin, Tx--Mitch won 1st in the first Open trial and Jiggs won 1st in the 2nd Pro-Novice Trial.
The Trail to the Cross Cattledog Trial Mar. 21st Hillsboro--Mitch won 2nd in the Open for both trials. Oreo won 1st in the first Pro-Novice trial and Jiggs won 1st in the 2nd Pro-Novice trial with Oreo coming in 2nd.
The Star of Texas Stock Show Sheepdog Trial Mar. 15th, Austin--Mitch won 2nd in the Open.
Houston Livestock Show Sheepdog Trial Mar. 14th--Another good sheepdog trial in Houston. Mitch finished 4th in the Open and Banjo was 5th in the Open Ranch.
San Antonio Stock Show Sheepdog Trial Feb. 15th--Another good sheepdog trial in San Antonio. Mitch and Angie got checks in the Open, changing positions from the Ft. Worth Stock Show with Mitch coming in 1st and Angie 2nd.
Ft. Worth Stock Show Sheepdog Trial Feb. 7th and 8th--Angie, Mitch, Rose and Oreo all got checks. Angie won 1st in the Open on Saturday and 5th on Sunday. Her combined times for both day were the fastest to be the Overall Open Champion for the 2009 Stock Show. Mitch won 2nd behind Angie on Saturday and 1st on Sunday but his combined times were a little slower which made him the Reserver Open Champion. Rose, belonging to Cam Brandon of Weatherford won 2nd in the Nursery on Saturday. I decided to move her to the Open Ranch on Sunday and she won 3rd in a very large class of 27 entries. Oreo, belonging to Preston Carter of Weatherford, won 4th in the Nursery on Saturday and 2nd on Sunday to become the Reserve Nursery Champion.
The new trial year for the cattledogs started off in Santa Anna on Sunday January 25th. Bill won the 2nd Open trial but the big winner in my kennel was Jiggs who belongs to Rusty Fleming of Weatherford. Jiggs won both Pro-Novice classes. In the picture above, Jiggs and I are standing with Miles Allen, organizer of the trial and his Uncle James Allen who furnished the cattle.
A Summary of Fall 2008
After returning from our annual Wyoming trip, we had about a month off and then hosted a sheepdog trial here at the house. In that trial, Mitch won 2nd in the Open and Angie won 3rd. The next day we moved to Chris and Sally Thomson's for another sheepdog trial. Angie won 1st in the Open, Mitch won 3rd and Oreo(Preston Carter of Weatherfor-owner), won 3rd in the Nursery.
The next weekend we went to Crawford where Jerry Lynch hosts her annual cattledog trial in the Crawford City Arena. In the first trial, Bill won 1st in the Open. In the 2nd trial, Mitch won 1st in the Open and Oreo won 3rd in the Pro-Novice.
The following weekend we went to Temple for a two day sheepdog trial. On the firt day first trial, Angie won 1st in the Open and Mitch won 4th in the Open. Banjo, my new dog I bought in Canada this past summer, won 1st in the Open Ranch. On Sunday, Mitch won 1st in the Open and Angie was 5th.
Two weeks later, Wayne Elmore and the Trail to the Cross Cowboy Church hosted a cattledog trial here in Hillsboro. In the first trial Oreo won 1st in the Pro-Novice and Angie was 3rd. In the second trial, Bill won 2nd in the Open, Angie was 4th in the Pro-Novice and Rose(belonging to Cam Brandon of Weatherford) won 5th in the Pro-Novice.
Back to Crawford for Jerry Lynch's sheepdog trial. With two trials in one day, I just took Mitch and Angie. Mitch was off his game that day but Angie won 1st in the Open for both trials.
Next came the Texas Cattledog Finals. Besides being the end of the year get together and a trial with more enties and more money in the pot, the End of the Year Champions are crowned for the dogs accumulating the most points in each class. Bill was in 2nd place in the Open going into the Finals. In the first go-round of Open, Mitch came in 3rd and Bill finished 6th. In the Pro-Novice, Oreo won 2nd. For the 2nd go-round, Bill won 1st in the Open, Angie won 1st in the Pro-Novice, and Oreo won 3rd in the Pro-Novice. For the Average, in the Open, Bill won 2nd and Mitch won 3rd. Oreo won 1st in the Average in the Pro-Novice for her owner Preston Carter, and Angie won 2nd in the Average. Bill's success at the Finals vaulted him to the top of the point standings so he was crowned the 2008 TEXAS OPEN CATTLEDOG CHAMPION.
Our fall ended up in Calera, Oklahoma for the Sundowners Stockdog Association Fall Futurity and Jackpot Challenge. I didn't have a Futurity dog but ran Bill and Mitch in the Open Challenge and Angie, Oreo, and Rose in the Non-Open Challenge. Bill and Mitch had no luck in the first go of the Open but Mitch came back to win 3rd in the 2nd go. Neither one made the finals. In the Non-Open, Angie won 1st place in the second go-round but her combined wasn't high enough to make the finals either. The big winners for my kennels were Oreo and Rose. Remember Oreo belongs to Preston Carter of Weatherford and Rose belongs to Cam Brandon of Weatherford. Oreo and Rose happen to be litter mates. In the first go of the Non-Open, Oreo won 1st and Rose won 3rd. Neither placed in the 2nd go but both made the Finals and when the final go-round was over, Oreo was the CHAMPION and Rose was the RESERVE CHAMPION. That ended our fall run for 2008.
Summer 2008-Wyoming to Canada and back to Wyoming
We started our 2008 summer by going to the Sheepherders Fair in Powder River, Wyoming. Two go-rounds on fresh yearling range ewes in a timed arena trial. Angie and Bill(my 2 entries) both made it back to the finals but neither were fast enough to get checks in the average. That was a fun trial with different courses than we run here in Texas. The first course had a sorting gate and you had to sort 6 head 3 ways. Something different is always more fun.
Then on to the Calgary Stampede. The sheep were tough again this year and a lot of luck was needed to make the finals. Luck wasn't with us so we watched the finals from the grandstand but look out next year. I feel like I'm in pretty good company having been one of the 12 winners in the event's history.
Back to Wyoming for the cattledog trials and the State Fair sheepdog trial. We actually started in Morrill, Nebraska. Last year Morrill was a good trial for us but this year we came up empty. Not a good way to start a long trip. On to Rock Springs, Wyoming. The tide turned for us as Mitch won the Open, Bill was 3rd, Angie won the Open Ranch and Rose(belonging to Cam Brandon of Weatherford), won the Nursery. Cam's husband, Rueben Parton won the Ranch Class with his dog Toby. Texas won all the classes.
Next came Wheatland at the ranch of Juan and Joni Reyes. Bill won 2nd in the Open(getting beat by the very last dog) and Angie won 2nd in the Open Ranch.
Rawlins was next and Rawlins hasn't been real good to us the last few years. Angie did manage a 2nd in the Open Ranch and Rose won 2nd in the Nursery Class.
In Torrington, Angie won the Open Ranch. Mitch was 7th in the Open.
Next came an added field cattledog trial at the home of Tim Gifford in Harrisburg, Nebraska. In this trial Bill won the Open, Angie won the Open Ranch, and Banjo(my new dog I bought from Dave Claypool of Cranbrook,British Columbia Canada), won 3rd in the Open Ranch.
To Douglas and the Wyoming State Fair. Saturday was the sheepdog trial and Angie won 1st in the combined Open/Open Ranch Class.
Last on the travel plans was the State Fair Cattledog Trial. Here the top Open Handlers can run their top qualifying Open dog for the State Fair Championship. Mitch won it last year but Bill was my high qualifier this year. Bill did his best but it didn't get us into the top 5 finals so look out next year.
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CALENDER OF EVENTS HERE AT JIMMY WALKER BORDER COLLIES
May 23&24 The Gather Sheepdog Trial-Hillsboro(Thomson's)
June 27&28 The Sheepherders Fair--Powder River, Wyoming
July 5&6 World Stockdog Championship--Calgary, Alberta Canada
Here are the Associations I belong to and their web links and some other sites that I like to browse through on a regular basis:
Walker Livestock-- North Branch, Minnesota
Texas Sheep Dog Association/Texas Cattle Dog Association
United States Border Collie Handlers Association
Sundowner Stockdog Association
Wyoming Stockdog Association
Cowdog News
Vinson Livestock
Gilbert Stockdogs
I answer all of my phone calls and emails. If you don't get a response, try the other method. Sometimes I don't get all of my emails. I do want to visit with you.
Jimmy Walker
368 HCR 3134N
