Grooming Rough Collies Seminar
When: Sat, November 6, 11am – 12pm
Where: On Facebook
Description: Join us for a rough collie grooming demonstration and Q&A session. This seminar will be focused on keeping your pet well-maintained and includes info on brushing techniques and tools, nail maintenance, and basic trimming.
RSVP “attending” to the Facebook event to receive the Zoom link. The event is free.
https://www.facebook.com/events/602057777584619/
Collie Only – Introduction To Scent Work
Amazing event coming December 18 from 10 to 12 AM!
Intro to Scent Work with Judge Donna Morgan Murray at her beautiful Woodinville home! 10 dogs max. Each person can bring one dog for $50. This class is normally at least $75.
Five people can audit the class without a dog for $25.
Please text Heidi Webster for questions or to confirm that you are coming. 206-909-2476. This sport is awesome!
Congratulation to SnoValley High Flyer (Benny)
In achieving his Collie Club of America Versatility Excellent Award in 2020
Congratulations to Chelsea Bloomberg and Fynn
2018 Versatility Excellent Award at the 2018 CCA National Specialty
The Versatility Award recognizes Collies who have distinguished themselves in both the breed ring and in AKC recognized performance events.
Congratulations to Corrine Boon and Encore Collies
Encore Collies was named Smooth Collie Breeder of the Year at the Collie Club of America Nationals.
I am very humbled by this honor. We all love our breed, both rough and smooth, together we are keeping this heritage breed healthy and beautiful. It has been my long belief that mentorship is the key to our future. I need to thank all the wonderful puppy homes that have showed our dogs to their championship and performance titles. They have also joined me in our commitment to heath test our dogs. The friendships I have made throughout the years have brought me so much joy and encouragement.
Corrine Boon, Encore Collies
New Club Library – By Chelsea Bloomberg
Here’s the library proposal for members to review!
I’m suggesting that we have two components to our library – items owned by the club and items owned by club members that they are willing to lend out. Items purchased by the club can have their home base on a shelf at my house and items that members are willing to lend out to anyone in the club can stay at their homes until requested. If you have particularly rare or special-to-you items that you don’t necessarily want to lend out to just anyone in the club, please do not feel that you need to include that in our list of available items.
The club needs to determine a budget for new purchases and determine the process by which we decide what will be purchased (for example, does the librarian have permission to purchase up to xx amount without pre-approval from the club or should all purchases be approved first by the club – which is maybe a good plan!).
My hope is that we can maintain an electronic list of available items and arrange pickup/returns at scheduled meetings. In general, the “due date” could be indefinite, unless the item is requested by another member, in which case the item must be returned at the following meeting. In order to request an item, a member can email me and I’ll update the list and arrange a way to get the item to the next meeting.
My first recommendation for club purchases would be to start with educational DVDs available through the CCA – I’m emailing to inquire about cost and will update you shortly.
AVAILABLE DVD’S ARE:
STORY OF ROYAL ROCK, LES CANAVAN AT SUNNYBANK Breed Education
COLLIE ILLUSION VS REALITY Breed Education
VIRTUAL LAB PRESENTED BY CINDI BOSSART, VMD Breed Education
A STUDY OF COLLIE GAIT Rachel Page Elliott
BACK TO THE FUTURE (2 disc set) Breed Education 2013
TODAY IS TOMORROWS PAST (2 disc set) Breed Education 2014
COLLIE SKULLS Brenda Miramon, Breed Education
100TH ANNIVERSARY 1986 Specials to BOB multi disc set
KENNEL HOPPING 1950s
COLLIE STANDARD Judges Education
VERSATILE COLLIES
COLLIE COLLEGE 1989 Horn/Roos
COLLIE COLLEGE 1989 Dr. Richard Donovan AVCO
COLLIE BREEDERS FORUM Panel discussion 1990 W.Coxsackie, NY
2017/2018 Club Annual Dues
Just a reminder to all Members:
CCW Annual Membership dues are due October 1st. Dues may be paid at meetings or mailed to our Treasurer:
Julie Gorveatt P O Box 1408 Oak Harbor, WA 98277
If you need a reminder on the amount or have a change in membership, please email Julie at jlgag@comcast.net
Thank you, hope to see you at our next meeting 😊
Judy2017 Collie Club of America National Specialty in Sacramento CA.
Several Collie Club of Washington members made the trek to the Nationals in California this year. Here is a report from some of our members and the experiences.
Ann Ferguson
Cameron, Rory, Sawny and I are still basking in the glow of a wonderful Collie Club of America Specialty. It was my second National, and Cameron’s first. What a blessing for me to be able to share my passion for collies with my daughter, and to bring her along on such a special trip is a memory I will long treasure. We were delighted to stay with the boys’ breeder, Laura Weiss and her husband Craig, at their lovely home in Applegate, about forty five minutes from the show grounds.
We started out Monday morning for Sacramento, stopping for the night in Redding as we usually do on our trips to visit Castlebar. The weather was unpleasant, but the dogs didn’t so much as peep all the way down. We got to the show site mid-day on Tuesday, just as Laura was learning that Craig had been in a major car accident. Thankfully, while their van was totaled, Craig was fine. Went to dinner Tuesday night and raised a glass to health and luck!
Wednesday, Cameron and I competed with the boys in Rally. While not their best runs, they placed nicely in their classes and each finished a title that day. Sawny his Novice, and Rory his Advanced. We were so happy! Thursday was Obedience and Rally for both boys. Both gave their best performances yet. One can only be thrilled when your partner works as hard for you as our boys did! One of my best memories at the National came ringside during Cameron’s Rally run Wednesday. I was back in the corner, recording her run on my phone. Behind me, one of the top competitors in the performance rings was watching Cameron and coaching her under her breath the whole way. My recording wasn’t sensitive enough to pick up her encouraging whispers of “Look at your boy, that’s it….”, “Nice turn! Now get him back, looooook…..” She clapped as loudly as I did after Cam’s run, and we hadn’t even met. I was consistently knocked out by the camaraderie, and mutual support around that ring.
Thursday, Cameron got to show one of Laura’s bitches in the Open Tri class. What a thrill for this young new handler, to handle such a lovely bitch at the National! Laura’s friend, Kelly Neeley helped Cameron groom Yoshi and gave her great handling suggestions. She learned so much! Now Cam’s trying to teach me. “Heel first Mom and EXTEND!” If I don’t sprain an ankle, this should result in improvement in my handling too.
We were thrilled to see so many Washington dogs earn their Versatility titles on Friday. I might have miscounted, but I believe seven of the eleven dogs awarded were from Washington State. We clapped and cried right along with everybody center ring. Chelsea Bloomberg’s speech made everyone that heard it puddle up. Check it out on Facebook if you haven’t read it already. Get your tissue first.
I loved the opportunity to meet in person so many of my “friends” I know only through Facebook. How wonderful to give them and their dogs REAL hugs. Then there are the friends I only see once in a while. Wonderful to pick up as though we’d seen each other the week before. And, just like at the National in 1999 where I met the lady who became such a dear friend, we come home with new friends we are anxious to see again.
We shot straight home on Sunday, more than a little melancholy that the show was over and we were leaving our puppy friend CoCo in California. The house has been pretty quiet without her! But we cheer ourselves with thoughts of Peoria 2019. Virginia Beach is just too far a drive for my tailbone, although Cameron is making plans to fly out with Laura and help her with her dogs and her booth. Have had fun today reading the amazing books we were gifted, and trolling the AKC site to see what exercises we need to master at our next levels. Can’t wait to spend another wonderful National with the gorgeous dogs and special people that make up the Collie Club of America!
Ann Ferguson
Chelsea Bloomberg
The last time the national was on the west coast, my seven-year-old Flynn was still in the whelping box. I’ve loved watching other people’s adventures during the last seven nationals, but it was such a joy to finally join in the fun for the first time this year at Sacramento.
We started our adventure with herding on Sunday, and though the sheep were beyond my skills as a handler and my dogs’ current abilities, it was wonderful to see the experienced dogs and handlers work. The greatest thing for me that day was seeing Flynn willing work after traveling fourteen hours the day before, when he’s been nervous working sheep in new places in the past. My achievement with Tempest was having the emotional strength to let go of the idea of qualifying and simply take the wild young dog out there, put her in a sit stay near the sheep and then walk off the course, telling her what a wonderful, good dog she is.
Next up was two days of agility, our favorite part! My dogs continued to exceed my expectations; despite the stress of traveling and playing the game in a new environment, they worked and focused beautifully for me.
Two days of obedience and rally followed and both dogs continued to work and enjoy themselves. Flynn earned a Rally High Combined score the first day, which was such a wonderful surprise for me. His beautiful 99-point Excellent B run the next day was the absolute highlight of the trip – it felt beautiful, it looked beautiful, and I’ll always treasure it.
Our last two days were a lot more relaxing, as Friday and Saturday I finally got to sit down and watch the dogs in the conformation ring. It was incredible to see the dogs from different parts of the country and to see the evidence of breeders’ interpretations of the standard. How different they are in person than they are in photos!
Accepting Flynn’s versatility award on Saturday was a moment long planned for and hoped for. Anyone who knows Flynn knows that he and I have had a story filled with growth and struggle and triumph. Did I cry as I accepted his beautiful silver ribbon and certificate? Yes. Yes, I did.
What struck me the most in all venues was the atmosphere of support and camaraderie. When we did well, everyone celebrated, and when we struggled, other handlers and trainers came up to offer encouragement or to laugh with me at how silly dogs (and their handlers!) can be. I saw wonderful sportsmanship from nearly every competitor and it was clear how much everyone loved their beautiful collies. The time spent with old friends, new friends, and my beloved Collies was well worth the time off from work and the long, long drive through the rain.
Coming Soon
Corrine Bloom
