The winners: Rusty, Sean and Haley Hood, Meeker
This statue represents the Meeker Classic Sheepdog Championship Trials. This year, it will be held Sept. 5-9. Events include an art contest, food booths and craft fairs, live entertainment, and pancake breakfasts put on by the Rio Blanco County Masons on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. They also have a dog-handling demonstration and lots of barbecue. Sunday is the final elimination. We can’t wait!
Some perspective: Maryo Ewell, Gunnison
I’ve gone to the sheepdog trials for about five years now in memory of our border collie, and I stay at the Meeker Hotel, where you can see this sculpture by Brenda Daniher of LaJunta from the balcony.
I travel with folklorist Ronna Lee Sharpe. The first time we went to the trials, we kept noticing that our observations weren’t the same. We realized that she was watching from the perspective of the animal handler (since she cowboys) and I was watching from the perspective of the sheep (since I was managed by old Zoe the collie).
14th place: Cathy Balliu, Fort Lupton
The statue was placed in 1998 to commemorate the impact of the border collie and the sheep industry on Meeker and the region. I’ve competed at Meeker for the past six years with some of my dogs. Last year I finished 14th out of 120 entries with my dog Ben.
