DISTRICT 1
Haley Hunewill: Haley has been around Border Collies her entire life (parents raised, trained and used BCs for trialling and ranch work) and Haley has been trialing for over 25 years.
Haley trials on sheep regularly and occasionally on cattle, judges sheepdog trials and uses her dogs on a daily basis on her ranch raising sheep and cattle. Haley tries to give back to the sport as much as she can by hosting a few trials each year.
Haley has won the USBCHA National Nursery Sheepdog Finals on two occasions and has been reserve once; won the National Open Cattledog Finals; represented the USA on two occasions in the World Trial. Haley has judged extensively for the last 18 years including being one of the judges for the USBCHA National Finals, Meeker, The Bluegrass and Kingston twice, among many others.
If elected, Haley would bring a lot of experience and knowledge to the Board and a desire to help keep the sport we all love thriving. She thinks USBCHA is very important and would love to help participate in keeping it going strong.
Nominated by Geri Byrne
Kelsey Nichols: Kelsey has earned the respect of her fellow handlers, trainers, and sheep producers. She organizes one of the top trials in the West (McCormick Ranch) and has a fresh perspective on sheepdog/cattle trials as her main job is a shepherd. Kelsey has lived in both Idaho and California and is well-known as she has traveled to other trials in our district to compete. She is one of the younger handlers in our sport which could provide new and different ideas for our organization. Kelsey is always competitive when she enters trials, and has won and placed in our competitions. Kelsey will be open hearing new ideas and solutions for our organization from members in our district. She would make an outstanding representative for our community.
Nominated by Patrick Shannahan
DISTRICT 2
Jan Stebbins
With my passion for the border collies, competing in trials for the last 15 years, scribing at trials, and helping organize trials, I feel it’s given me the experience to serve as a director on the board. My years of working in a law office, and being on several boards while serving in various elected positions has given me additional knowledge of a successful working board.
I welcome ideas from our members on increasing our membership, filling their educational needs and the extension of more cattle and sheep trials.
I’d appreciate your vote and the chance to serve USBCHA.
– Nominated by Dana Penrod
Bridget Strang: I have been a USBCHA member since 2009 when I started with my first dog knowing / hoping that I was in for life. I put in a bid to host the Finals well before I had run in an Open trial, and since 2011 I have hosted five Successful National Finals. My interaction with the USBCHA has been primarily as a trial host, and particularly a National finals host. As that is one of the main reasons for the USBCHA to exist I feel like I am well qualified to bring perspective to the board in helping the organization be as useful and supportive as possible to the membership in that role.
Nominated by Terry Murray
DISTRICT 3
Rachel Ritland: Rachel Ritland grew up on a working farm. From a young age, Border Collies have been an integral part of her life. In 2012, she was introduced to USBCHA and has been running in Open for the past eight years. She is active in the Iowa Stock Dog Handler’s Association, and frequently works with the university to give stock dog demonstrations to students and youth organizations to promote working dogs. She currently lives on a small farm in central Iowa, where she has a flock of Cheviot sheep used to train her dogs as well as work with students and client dogs. She works as an animal handling manager and always strives to be an advocate for both the livestock and the working Border Collie.
Nominated by Wyatt Fleming
DISTRICT 4
Kay Stephens: I am a retired veterinarian that specializes in canine behavior and training. I have had border collies since 1992 and have run in USBCHA trials since 1999. I served as President and as a board member of the Texas Sheepdog Association for 6 years. I was honored to serve as a BOD member of the USBCHA in the past. I strongly support good and timely communication with the membership, listening to and responding to the members, and transparency and openness of the workings of the club. I believe the real working border collie is a precious gift and we must work together to preserve the talents and abilities of the breed by maintaining a high standard of trials. I support growing our sport by finding ways to encourage and educate new handlers.
Nominated by Russell McCord
DISTRICT 5
Lori Perry: Lori Perry has been running dogs in Open for twenty years or more and has served as the President of the Wisconsin Working Stock Dog Association for six years and is a previous USBCHA Director for District five.
Nominated by Pearse Ward
DISTRICT 6
Shane Scallan: I grew up in Ireland and come from a family with large backgrounds in farming and horses. We always had dogs and Border Collies for cows on my uncle’s dairy farm, where my interest in Border Collies originally started. I moved to Kentucky in 2011 to work for Coolmore America, which is a Thoroughbred racehorse breeding and racing operation. I manage a farm that breeds and foals approximately 40-50 mares each year. We then raise the foal crops through to weanlings and yearlings. I bought my first Border Collie in 2013 and very tentatively got into trialing. But it was enough to catch the bug. I first ran Open in 2021 with Sam and since them I have immersed myself in the Border Collie world as much as I can. I have competed in two National Finals and have had some successful trial achievements over the last few years. The highlight was placing 6th in the 2024 Bluegrass Classic Double Lift final with Sam.
I am very interested in pedigrees and breeding and every chance I get I try to learn a little more about Border Collies and trialing and training. I live outside Lexington Ky, on the farm that I manage, with my wife, Rachel, and our young daughter.
Nominated by Bob Washer
DISTRICT 7
Sue Schoen: Been a great director. A veterinarian always willing to share her knowledge.
Nominated by Beverly Lambert
DISTRICT 8
Billy Bishop: I have been working border collies for 10 years and have qualified for the Nursery & Open Sheep Finals. I am currently a District 8 Director at the end of my first term. I am a farrier by trade and have served on the Board of Directors for our State Farrier Association as well serving on Junior Beefmaster Breeders Association (Cattle) Board. I have a good understanding of how Associations work and have the skills needed to be an integral part to serve our USBCHA members. I enjoy going to trials in my local district. I grasp the issues facing our sport and understand what is needed to help push forward to continue supporting the working border collies and sheep care. I enjoy hosting a trial in Florida each February. I am able to see all of the different aspects from competing in, hosting and coordinating sheepdog trials. My phone is always on. I enjoy talking to fellow sheepdog handlers, not only in my District but across the country. I will do my best to assist them in any needs that they may have.
Nominated by Dwight Parker
AT LARGE
Stephanie Goracke: Have been involved in breeding, training, hosting, judging and competing in USBCHA trials for over 20 years. I’ve held many conversations with folks across the multiple districts discussing trials and the dogs. I have enjoyed my time serving as a Director at Large and would enjoy serving again.
Nominated by Russell McCord
Lori Chamberlain: Lori Chamberlain grew up in a farm setting in rural California and has been involved with animals all her life. She has been trialing, with increasing success, for almost 20 years. Now retired, she was an attorney in a large organization, and she has long volunteered in other non-profit organizations. The skills she would bring to the Board include an understanding of how to achieve goals in a complex organization – listening, communicating, solving problems, and working with others to achieve consensus. She would welcome the chance to represent the membership as a Director at Large — and looks forward to the opportunity to help address issues such as attracting new handlers, helping prepare new judges, acknowledging the pressures facing trial hosts and honoring these amazing dogs.
Nominated by Mary Minor