Please Please Pretty Please!

More (begging) letters written today!

Waggers Pet Products. A Canadian Manufacturer of healthy training treats for dogs. Kettle cooked with Omega 3 DHA sourced from Algae. My dogs have tried these and LOVE them!!




Pet Supply House. A Canadian suplier of pet products. I have ordered a lot of stuff from here over the years!

Rens Pets. Another Canadian supplier of pet products. More than a few dollars invested here too!
Any other ideas?
I wonder if asking Air Canada would be stretching things a bit...

And Let the Begging Begin!

I have written my first letters to potential sponsors. Hey the worst they can say is no, right? I have tried to target Canadian companies whose products I use, like and trust. Here are the companies I have targeted so far:




Tilley Endurables. I wear their clothes, I love their hats. In nearly every sheepdog trialing picture I have, I am wearing my Tilley Hat. I am Canadian. They are Canadian. Plus I would love to fill my suitcase with their awesome and beautiful and expensive outdoor clothing :)

AVID Canada. I use their microchips. I am Canadian. The World Trial has an agricultural flair. Every single Canadian dog who ever travels overseas will need a microchip. It should be an AVID chip. Patented anti migrating technology. Jus, Tap, Pat, Blaze, Che, Max, Rhyll, Cait all have AVID chips. I am almost a spokesperson!


Interpath North America. Ok, so technically a branch of the Australian manufacturer of the absolutely FABULOUS joint supplement, Sasha's Blend. Pat takes it. Pat is going to the Worlds. therefore, they should give me money, right? Or at least lots of free Sasha's Blend - it is wicked expensive! But worth it!


Biolgic Nutritional Research. They are a Canadian manufacturer of canine and feline supplements. I have used their JOINT, FATS, and SPORT supplements with good results. Mostly before I fed raw. But they don't have to know that! They have a virtually untapped market in the sheepdog world!

I will also be trying to find a collar / leash maker who might donate a Canadian Flag themed leash and collar and bandannas for Pat and Tap to wear in the Opening ceremonies...

More Begging Later.

And the whole process gets repeated...

...As I have decided to take Pat too! Pat was ranked 9th in qualifying points on the list of potential Canadian team members (Tap was 2nd). As I was told by a fellow handler, "You can always decide last minute not to take her, but you can't decide last minute to take her." (Her words were much more philosophical, I am sure!) So I am going through the entire hoop jumping process for the PETS travel scheme rabies requirements AGAIN.

This time, I'm going to be smart and drive my own damn car across the border to ship the sample from Vermont. Last time it cost $120 in shipping costs from North Hatley, Canada to go overnight (aka 3 days thank you US customs) to Manhattan, Kansas to the one and only designated FAVN test lab in North America.

From Newport, Vermont (a 15 minute drive from my vet's office) via USPS Express (overnight, really!) will cost a mere $20 plus $2.50 if I want a signature. Oh, and I guess about $10 in gas...If I drive the entire time in 2nd gear...At 70 mph.

Duh.

US Team Announcement

Here is the official USA team line up. I don't know the complete dog line up yet, but have put dog names beside handlers where possible.

Maria Amodei, Dunstable, MA with Cato and Rhyme
Cathy Balliu, Fort Lupton, CO
Dawn Boyce, Carnesville, GA with Karch and Juno (?)
Chuck Dimit, Roanoke, IN
Joyce Geier, Mendon, NY with Clue and Brass
Haley Howard, Alturas, CA
Alasdair MacRae, Vichy, MO with Star and Nap (?)
Jennifer Maginnis, Jasper, GA with Bay (?)
Donald McCaig, Williamsville, VA
Anne Mock, Plymouth, CA
Gene Sheninger, Boonton, NJ with Jess and Jen (?)
Karen Wessinger, Leona Valley, CA
Tom Wilson, Gordonsville, VA with Sly (?) & ?

As you can see, there are lot of USBCHA semi finalists and finalists in the line up, including the 2007 USBCHA Champions, Alasdair and Star as well as the Reserve Champions, Tom Wilson and Sly.

....And then there's little the little rookie from Canada (as in ME). YIKES! Rubbing elbows with these handlers at the Finals last year was daunting enough...And it was Tom Wilson who had to drive me out on the 4 wheeler to rescue Tap from her face off with the Gettysburg sheep. Gulp.

OK - I am going to read lots of confidence building books between now and September!!! Any ideas?

Humming and Hawing...

So, it seems like every competitor is taking 2 dogs.

I made the decision a while ago not to take Pat, even though she is more experienced. At the time of my decision, she was also undergoing weekly acupuncture for a sore back, which of course affected my decision. Now that it's getting down to the wire (March 31 close date for entries, not to mention a March 3 deadline for the whole tedious rabies process, which, if I had done at the same time as Tap, would have saved me a whole bunch of money) I am second guessing my decision not to take Pat.

Although the acupuncture and the addition of a daily dose of Sasha's Blend joint supplement have helped her back problem tremendously, they unfortunately don't turn back the clock. Pat will still turn 10 in September. My thoughts were that she is past her prime, and may not bounce back as quicky as her daughter after a long, stressful flight. The trial course may be too big for her. She also has a serious fault in that she can get completely hung up on her outrun and lift. Not always, but it happens. And when it does? Well I can basically kiss my run goodbye. It would suck for it to happen after spending $3000 to get her to Wales. Not that Tap is without imperfections, and everyone knows anything can happen on the trial field, no matter if you are running the current World Champion or a rookie youngster!

True, my travel plans will be much facilitated by only having to manage one dog (planes, trains and automobiles...) But oh, the thought of Tap and I blowing it early on in the preliminary round and not having a "second chance" is almost killing me!

What to do what to do?

And, as promised: I (as the lone Canadian competitor) was selected to be profiled on the World Trial Website. You can read it, if you are interested by following this link: http://www.worldsheepdogtrials.org/new/index.php?page=fiona-robertson The photo was taken in 2006, my hair is much longer now!

Another Step Completed

Tap's rabies titer result came back from KS State rabies lab today. The PETS Travel Scheme says that a satisfactory test result must show that the rabies neutralising antibody titre was equal to or greater than 0.5 IU/ml. Tap's was 3.5 IU/ml. So she is all set! Glad I don't have to do that again - Cha Ching, Cha Ching! Next step to to get the "third country official veterinary certificate" in July and then her tick and tapeworm treatment 24-48 hours before she is loaded into the plane.

Also found a fabulous B&B for the first few days of my trip, when I will be in the North watching the International Supreme and hiking in Snowdonia. The hostess, Mary Marrow has been SO helpful and kind. She is welcoming both Tap and I into her home, whose occupancy records date back to the 1600s! Funny to think that a house built in the 1800s here in Canada is old!

As soon as I find out what the World Trial Committee is organizing in terms of trials for us foreigners during the week between the International and the World Trial, then I will need to find 2 more night accomodation somewhere!

Oh...If anyone has been to the World Trial website lately, you will find details about the photo contest. I happen to know a couple of very excellent photographers who are Creekside puppy owners! Submit photos and maybe earn a spot in the ISDS Calendar and in Working Sheepdog News. You could also win (for me :) grandstand tickets for the International!

Here is the B&B: Firs Cottage. It is 10 miles from the sea (and dog friendly beaches), 30 minutes to the mountains and the wonderful (dog friendly, of course) hiking in Snowdonia National Park and 15 miles to the site of the International.