About meI've had dogs since I was 2 1/2. My first dog Brodi was a very tidy little short haired Border collie off a farm in Hawkes Bay. She was an absolute natural on stock and taught me a lot. It is thanks to her that I'm hooked on the true working Border collies!
I started competing in agility when I was 8, started flygility not long after and also canine freestyle. I first ran a dog in a sheepdog yarding trial in March 2009. I've done some casual shepherding and love watching the dogs do what their real purpose in life is. You can take the dog off the farm but you can never take the farm out of the dog, it just doesn't happen. I've qualified dogs to Agility Champion, Agility Grand Champion, Flygility Champion, Flygility Grand Champion, Jumpers Champion, Jumpers Grand Champion and Companion Dog Excellent. I have also never rehomed a pup that I don't get on with or that doesn't have bucket loads of potential - I figure that you work with what you have, and each of my dogs have their strong points. They have all competed and all work stock, I've never had one turn out useless for everything. Each one teaches you something new, and makes the natural ones even more of a pleasure to work with. I won Wonder Dogs with Quest in 2005 when I was 13 and she was 22 months old, performed with her at Coca-cola Christmas in the Park in 2006 and made it to the final of New Zealand's Got Talent in 2008. The dogs love getting out there doing stuff, I take them out behind the dirt bike most days and also take one when I go mountain biking in the forest. They can't get enough to do, and just keep on keeping on. My foundation bitch Astra Cloud was imported from Scotland by Jinnie Gailey of Ohutu Kennels. Cloud came to live with me in December 2009 and is the mother of my first Cliffhanger litter, sired by my Legend. Many thanks to Jinnnie for letting me have such a lovely little working bitch. Cliffhanger Kennels are named after one of my favourite freestyle motocross tricks - the Cliffhanger. |