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Performance Week 2017 Part Three Interview :: For The Love Of It

Collies Online: When and how did you know that the Collie was the breed for you?

Jeannette Poling I have loved Collies since I was a young girl. Tom and I were fortunate to buy our first Collie 41 years ago. Our Maggie was a special girl. Her gentle sweet nature and willingness to be a companion for anything at any time, from being a bed partner to the obedience ring, made it very clear that Collies are very special souls. During these 40-plus years we have been lucky to love 13 Collies, and 5 Golden Retrievers. Today we have three Collies and one Golden. As one would not ask a mother to pick her favorite child, I will just say, that I have been blessed to love wonderful dogs from both breeds.

Like many Moms, I do not have a picture of myself with my wonderful dogs, but I have included a photo of them with my husband, Tom. For me, this picture shows where joy lives!

(L-R) Tom Poling with "Josh," Chelsea Special Request, CD, TDX, ACT1, CGC, TKN, HIC, "Cooper," PACH All-Starr's Cooperstown Bound, VCD2, CDX, RE, TDX, MXPC, MJPG, PAX, T2BP, WC, VCX, CGC, TKA, "Gabi," CH Chelsea Twilight Time, VCD1, CD, TDX, AX, AXJ, MXP, CGC, TKN and "Rory," Chelsea Here Comes the Sun.

Sue Larson, Trailwind Collies: Collies have been my breed since I was a small child. We had a family springer and when he died, my Dad wanted an Irish Setter but I'd been reading every Albert Payson Terhune book I could get my hands on, and I wanted a collie. Being the good Dad that he was, we got a collie, and she was this young girl's best friend for many years. Her name was "Flicka" and I've been a collie lover ever since. She died while I was in college and a collie pup was the first thing I bought when I graduated. I bought another one a couple of years later and my love for collies has grown every year since then. In the last 50+ years I've loved and trained 18 collies, and I still enjoy all the time I spend with them.

Alicia Moore, Moore Collies: I’ve loved the breed since I was a child. My husband and I first bought a few books and researched which breeds appealed to us. We then went to a few dog shows and interacted with those breeds. We were lucky enough to get a show quality puppy from a local breeder. I had no idea about dog sports at all at that point. Once I started, I was told that my breed wasn’t known for performance. One reason I do compete is to prove the doubters wrong!

"Kenzie," MACH PACH Moore's Alainn Aoife, RAE, HSAds, MXS, MJG, MXPB, MJP5, MJPS, PAX, MXF, XFP, T2B, VX owned by Moore Collies

Chris Carilli, Luck Of The Draw Farm: I've always wanted a collie since I was young. My mother had grown up on her grandfather's dairy farm, and they had collies to help move the cows, so she told me that a collie needed to live on a farm! I was allowed to have small dogs only, and I got Mac after I graduated from nursing school. He was such a wonderful dog and embodied everything I had read about the breed. 23 years later I can't imagine life without a collie.

Linda Marie Ward, Sinkona Collies: When I was a kid, of course! Doesn't everyone want a "Lassie"? I got my first collie in 1973 and have had them ever since. I had a wonderful mentor and friend that guided me into the wonderful world of collies. Sinkona Collies was started with that guidance and I cannot imagine not having a collie in my life. My daughter Tanya grew up with collies and also trains and competes with them and we have been fortunate to have some very nice successes.

Babbi Dilbeck, DVM, Mello-D Collies: A little collie mix named Rover came into our lives when we were a young, newly-married couple. Rover was exceptionally intelligent and people-centered. I figured that, if a mix was that great, a purebred Collie could only be better . . . I was right.

Judy Belluomini, St. Germaine Collies: I fell in love with a tri-color collie that lived behind us in the late 70s. My husband and I were hooked! We have loved and enjoyed so many wonderful collies and they have been such an important part of our lives. I owe so much to Don and Leslie [Jeszewski] for their friendship, support, and love . . . and to best friend Marcy Bankus, who keeps me going.

(L-R) The St. Germaine Collies: BIS GCH Highcroft Bourne Ultimatum, CD, RN, TDX, HT, “Brett,” GCH Highcroft Brilliance in Blue, BN, HIC, “Scholar” and CH Highcroft St. Germaine Wildfire, “Fire”

Beth Rutherford, Cardross Collies: When I was 12-years-old, I got a book of breed standards for my birthday. As a child, my mother had many books about collies (none of which were actually "Lassie") from her childhood that she passed on to me and I fell in love with the intelligence of the dogs portrayed in those stories. When I opened the breed book and began reading the pages and came across the collie, I then found out that the collie actually came in a smooth variety. Right then and there I knew I wanted a smooth. I do have both varieties and I enjoy both, but smooths are my priority. I owe it all to some childhood books and a book of breed standards!

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