Current Nominations-Scroll to bottom for judge bios. Final results will be posted after they are confirmed after March 1
SHEEP
Wilda Bahr
Bill Berhow
Andy Carnegie
Jennifer Clark-Ewers
Thom Conn
Linda Fogt
Peter Gonnet
Aled Owen
Jamie Spring
Joni Tietjen
Pearse Ward
Nigel Watkins
CATTLE
Steve McCall
Steve has judged the USBCHA Cattledog Finals 3 times.
Nominated by Richard Brandon
BIOS
SHEEP
Wilda Bahr:
Wilda Bahr has been trialing for over 25 years and judging for about 15 years. On the trial field, she has enjoyed considerable success and consistently qualified for the National Finals, qualifying for the double lift there and at Soldier Hollow. She has judged big trials and small, including Big Willow, Fire Ridge, Trailing of the Sheep, Palm Cottage, the Carbondale benefit trial, Hotchkiss and many others. Though there have been fewer opportunities to judge this year, she will be judging at the Fort Stockton trial in February and a new trial in New Mexico in May. She has trained dogs and students. She served 2 terms on the USBCHA Board. All of this speaks to her competence to judge: a thorough familiarity with the rules and an understanding of the difficulties and challenges. However, while success as a handler may be a necessary qualification to judge our National Finals, it is not sufficient. At least equally important is to have demonstrated the right temperament to be a successful judge at such an important venue: the ability to bring the same judgment to a long succession of teams coming to the post, to remain focused and impartial, and to have the courage to make some difficult calls. Wilda has a well-earned reputation for fairness that would serve all handlers well at the National Finals.
Nominated by: Lori Chamberlain
Bill Berhow:
Bill Berhow has been dog trialing for over 42 years and has amassed a tremendous record. He has trained and trialed two dogs that are in the ABCA hall of fame. Bill has served on the boards of both the USBCHA and the ABCA.
Some notable results:* USBCHA National Champion three times, * USBCHA National Reserve Champion three times, * Meeker Classic Champion three times, * Soldier Hollow classic two time winner … medaled four times, * Purina dog of the year two times, * Canadian Border Collie National finals Champion
Bill has also judged many of the top trials in the country * USBCHA finals twice, * Canadian National finals twice, * Soldier Hollow Classic, * Kelpie National Finals
Bill Berhow lives on a 200 acre ranch in the Dunnigan Hills outside Zamora, California. The ranch is a sheep, wool and training facility. The training offered is for trainers and handlers of any and all levels. He accept dogs throughout the year for custom training, and provides lessons and clinics around the country ( judging , training , handling). He judges about half a dozen trials yearly
Nominated by: Bridget Strang
Andy Carnegie
Nominated by Dee Bailes
Jennifer Clark-Ewers
Jennifer is a well known handler of 25 years; and well respected judge with a history of judging many of the most prestigious trials in North America including Soldier Hollow, Zamora Hills, Kingston, Blue Grass, Rural Hills and the National Finals. Jennifer recently relocated from District 1 (California) to District 3 (Arkansas) In this year in particular she offers the advantage of being. She is familiar with Belle Grove, having judged a prior National Championship at that location. Jennifer’s knowledge, experience, fairness and integrity are unquestionable.
Nominated by: Bryan White
Thom Conn:
Nominated by: Sue Thompson
Linda Fogt
Linda Fogt lives on a sheep farm in Sidney, Ohio with her husband, Bruce, and daughter, Haley. Linda and Bruce care for 100 plus sheep, 8 chickens, 10 cats and 8 Border Collies on their 70-acre farm. Linda and Bruce hold the popular Rush Creek Summer and Fall trials at their home farm in Sidney Ohio for over 25 years. Linda has been training dogs since she was 11 years old. She has numerous appearances in the top 20 finals at Bluegrass Classic Open Trial, as well as The Meeker Classic and the USBCHA National Finals. She has judged Blue Ridge Open Trial, Sonoma Wine Country as well as numerous Bluegrass Benefit trials over the years. Linda currently works as an Operating Room nurse in a Level I hospital in Dayton, Ohio.
Top 20 Finals: USBCHA – 1994, Meeker -1997, USBHCA – 1997, Bluegrass – 1999, USBCHA -2001, USBCHA – 2002, Bluegrass – 2003, USBCHA – 2003, Bluegrass – 2004, Meeker – 2004, Bluegrass – 2005, Soldier Hollow- 2005, Meeker- 2005, USBCHA – 2005, Bluegrass – 2006 , Bluegrass – 2007, USBCHA – 2007, Bluegrass – 2008, Bluegrass – 2010, Bluegrass – 2011, North Carolina Double Lift Champion – 2012 & 2013, Bluegrass – 2013, USBCHA – 2013, Bluegrass – 2014, Bluegrass – 2015
Nominated by: Mike Neary
Peter Gonnet
Nominated by: Scott Glen
Aled Owen:
Winner of the International Supreme in all four countries with four different dogs. Multiple winner of the Welsh National and World Trial
Nominated by Judy Gambill
Jamie Spring
I ranch in western SD with my husband, Lee, and our two daughters. We are a commercial cow/calf and fine-wool range ewe operation and use our dogs in our daily management of the ranch. Along with ranch work, I began trialing about fifteen ago. My trialing is limited due to ranch and family obligations, but I have competed in the National Sheepdog Finals with three dogs. I have been honored to receive the Shining Star at Meeker in 2014 and the Pete Carmichael Memorial at the Black Hills Stock Show in 2016. I have won Open trials with four home-raised and trained dogs, including double lifts with two of those dogs. We host two field trials, one being a double lift, annually on our ranch and have for over ten years. As a judge and trial host, I strive to be honest, knowledgeable, fair, respectful and always keep stockmanship at the forefront. I began judging seven years ago with a few of the highlights being Trailing of the Sheep (ID), the Upper Midwest Championship (WI) and the 2019 USBCHA National Cattledog Finals. It has been my honor to serve as an ABCA Director and I am currently serving my third term, this year as Vice President. I am also serving my first term as a USBCHA director. It would be a privilege to continue to serve the breed in the capacity of judging the National Sheepdog Finals.
Nominated by: Thad Fleming
Joni Tietjen
She has been a top handler in this country for 20 plus years consistently winning at the very highest level. She has judged at the premier trials and she judged the 2018 National Finals in Alturas, CA. She has tremendous character and integrity. She performs every task to the very best of her ability.
Nominated by: Cynthia Good
Pearse Ward
I got my first Border Collie in mid-2002 and started competing in trials in 2005. I ran my first Open trial that year and qualified for the National Finals finishing 15th. Since then, I’ve competed at numerous National Finals and competed in other double-lift trials and championships. I’ve been running my own trial, Star of the North SDT in Minnesota since 2006. I’ve served on the Board of the Wisconsin Working Stock Dog Association from 2005 – 2014, including two terms as President. I was on the USBCHA Board from 2012-2018 and on the ABCA Board 2012-2014. I’ve judged a number of trials, mostly in the Midwest and some on the west coast. These included double-lift trials including; The Upper Midwest Championship (WWSDA trials), Nippersink, Sheep Thrillz, Spring Ranch trials and others. It is a singular honor to be nominated to judge the USBCHA National Finals
Nominated by: Mike Neary
Nigel Watkins:
Nominated by: Sue Thompson