Jimmy Walker Border Collies

Hillsboro, Texas

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BEN--6/19/99--5/17/08
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IF YOU EVER HAVE A GOOD ONE, YOU'LL NEVER BE WITHOUT ONE.




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.




Bill wins Open in Sundowner Futurity Jackpot




The Sundowner Stockdog Association held it's Spring Futurity. My entry this year was Oreo belonging to Preston Carter of Weatherford. We didn't have a great run in the first go but was 2nd in the second go to make the Finals in 2nd place. Our Finals run didn't go in our favor and Oreo ended up 5th overall. I might add that she was the youngest dog competing. They have an Open and Non-Open Jackpot along with the Futurity. Each of these has 2 go-rounds and a Finals. In the first go, Bill won first in the Open and Mitch won 2nd in the Open. Angie won 1st in the Non-Open. In the second go, Bill won 2nd in the go and Mitch and Bill both qualified for the Finals. When it was all said and done, Bill won the Average and Mitch was 3rd. Angie didn't make the Non-Open Finals.



Recent Trial Results in Brief



Highland Games in Helotes, Tx. A fun judged arena sheep trial. Ben was 3rd in the first Open Class and then came back to win 1st in the second Open. Mitch was 5th in the first Open and 3rd in the second run. Angie won the Nursery in both trials.

Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo had a very good sheepdog trial. Mitch and Ben couldn't get any of the Open money but Angie finished 2nd in the Open Ranch.

At the Spring Fling Sheepdog Trial hosted but Mike and Stephanie Goracke, Angie won 1st in the Open Ranch and 3rd in the Nursery.

At my cattledog trial here in Hillsboro, Bill won 1st in the Open.

At the Star of Texas Sheepdog Trial in Austin, Ben won 1st in the Open and Mitch won 3rd in the Open. Angie won 3rd in the Open Ranch.



Everybody gets a check at the Ft. Worth Stock Show



Ft. Worth Stock Show Sheepdog Trial is always a lot of fun. I get to meet a lot of local people and we, the handlers, get to show off our dogs to people who live in my area. The trial runs for 2 days and is 2 separate trials. The first day was a little tough for us. Ben won the first go-round of the Open but you have to put 2 runs together to get a check and our 2nd run was too slow to keep us in the top 5 or 6. Mitch had a good second run but gripped out in the first go so had nothing to show for it. Angie however, put together 2 good runs to finish 3rd out of 25 Open Ranch entries. On the second day we came back with a little more luck running our way. Mitch won 2nd in the Open, Ben won 4th in the Open and Angie won 1st in the Open Ranch.



Santa Anna Cattledog Trials



The family combo of Miles Allen, James Allen and Guy Allen put together two cattledog trials on one day in the Santa Anna City Arena. The cattle were tough as we were using roping steers who are certainly at home in an arena. In the first trial, Bill won 1st in the Open. In the second trial, Bill again won 1st in the Open and Angie won 1st in the Pro-Novice.


Texas Sheepdog and Cattledog Association State Finals



Angie Wins in Both Sheep and Cattle


The sheep started on Friday. Angie and Mitch were entered in the sheep and cattle. Mitch won 5th in the 1st go-round of the Open with 28 dogs running. Angie won 3rd in the 1st go of the Open Ranch. Saturday we started the cattle so that put me running back and forth from the sheep fields to the cattle arena. Mitch had a really tough bunch of sheep and didn't place very high in the 2nd go. His 2 scores put him 12th overall and the top 11 went back to the Double Lift Finals. He did manage a 5th in the first go of cattle. Angie didn't place as high in the 2nd go-round of Open Ranch Sheep but it was high enough so that her 2 score total put her 2nd in the Average. She went over and won a 3rd in the first go of Pro-Novice Cattle. Bill had his first run in the cattle and placed 8th. In the second go of cattle, Bill won 3rd and that secured him 4th in the Average. Angie won the 2nd go of Pro-Novice Cattle which clinched for her, 1st in the Average.



Hillsboro Cattledog Trial



I decided to have a cattledog trial here at the house on the Sunday after the Wild Bunch Trial. In the Open, Mitch won 1st and Bill was 3rd with 12 dogs running. Angie was 5th in the Pro-Novice in a class of 9 dogs.



Wild Bunch Cattledog Trial



The Wild Bunch, lead by Jerry Lynch of Crawford, held their annual cattledog trial at the Crawford city arena. Two trials were held on the same day. In the first trial Bill won 3rd in the Open and Angie won 3rd in the Pro-Novice. In the second trial, Bill won 4th in the Open and Angie was again, 3rd in the Pro-Novice.



Bluebonnett Sheepdog Trial



The Bluebonnett Sheepdog Trial is an annual spring event hosted by the Raleys and Lynchs of Crawford, Tx. This year it got rained out so was postponed until October. Two separate trials on 2 days. On the 1st day Mitch finished in the middle of the pack in the Open and Angie won 4th in the Open Ranch with 16 entries. On Sunday, Mitch won 1st in the Open with 16 dogs and Angie won 3rd in the Open Ranch.




Bryan County Invitational Cattledog Trial



This is a first time trial that was an invitational cattledog trial hosted by Dave Mollenhour and held in Durant, Oklahoma. Ten handlers each with 2 dogs, one of their own and one belonging to someone else, competed in 1 go-round with the top 5 handlers coming back for a finals. I ran Angie and Kirby Elenburg's Slick. Slick and I won the first go-round to make it back to the finals. However, we didn't draw too well and finished 5th out of the 5 finalist.



Temple Sheepdog Trial



A new sheepdog trial was held in Temple during the Antique Tractor Association annual fall exhibit. Though not a big course, the uneven terrain and a Maltese Cross made for challenging runs. We ran 2 separate trials that day. In the first trial, Angie won 2nd in the Open Ranch and in the 2nd trial, Mitch won 4th in the Open.







CLICK HERE FOR MORE PAST ACTIVITIES AND RESULTS


CALENDER OF EVENTS HERE AT JIMMY WALKER BORDER COLLIES

Sept. 20--Sheepdog Trial here at the house
Sept. 21--The Gather Sheepdog Trial, Hillsboro(Chris and Sally Thomson's)
Sept. 27--Wild Bunch Cattledog Trial, Crawford,Tx
Oct. 4&5--Temple Sheepdog Trial, Temple, Tx
Oct. 18--Trail to the Cross Cattledog Trial, Hillsboro, Tx
Oct. 25--Jerry's Sheepdog Trial, Crawford, Tx
Nov. 1&2--Texas Cattledog Finals, Graham, Tx
Nov. 7-9--Sundowner Stockdog Assoc. Cattledog Challenge, Calera,Ok




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:

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

Hillsboro, TX 76645

254-582-9724

jwalker@hillsboro.net