MEEKER I Dennis Gellings and Scott Glen, who placed first and second respectively in a neck-to-neck battle at the Meeker Classic Sheepdog Championship Trials finals also ran first and second in money earned.
Gellings took home $5,000 in purse for his win with Tess and $500 for the Streigel Best International Shed and $250 for Moody’s second place finish on Thursday. His wife, Jean Gellings, took Moody Construction’s third place with Star on Wednesday and 19th place overall, adding another $390 to family coffers.
Scott Glen had the second highest take of $4,068 with his two dogs. He and June earned $2,000 in purse for placing second in the finals and another $500 for Moody Top Dog on Monday. Glen also placed 13th with Dan, for $568 in purse, along with the Moody Construction Top Dog $500 on Thursday, the Weaver/Treude Highest Preliminary Score Award of $500 and a blanket from the Colorado Wool Growers for the Best Drive.
Ron Enzeroth, who placed third with Mick and 8th with Pete on Sunday, took home $2,350 in purse and $350 from Moody Construction for placing fourth in the preliminaries on Monday with Mick and second on Friday with Pete.
Fourth-place winner on Sunday, Amanda Milliken, was fourth in the money with two dogs. She and Dorey took $1,296 in purse money and $150 for third place on Thursday from Moody Construction. Milliken and Monty placed seventh on Sunday, taking home $1,054 in purse along with a stunning belt buckle from the set out crew, Henderson and Casey, for the Cowboy’s Lift on Friday.
Beverly Lambert won $1,216 in purse for her fifth place win on Sunday and $100 from Moody’s for placing fourth in the preliminaries on Friday with Nan.
Don Helsley’s disappointing ninth-place run on Sunday paid $892 in purse. He and The Wizard also placed second in the preliminaries on Thursday, bringing his take to $1,142.
Lyle Lad and Tip, who placed t10th after retiring and Emil Luedecke and Spot, who came in 12th in spite of Sunday’s disqualification, took home $810 and $648 in purse, respectively.
Jack Knox, whose dog Jim faced off with a particularly uncooperative ewe in a breath-taking and heart-breaking run on Sunday, won $730 in purse for placing 11h, and $150 from the Jackie Brennan Family for the Bad Luck Award. He also won the hearts of handlers and fans for his unfailing gracious attitude in the face of disappointment.
Quill, the dog rescued at the Meeker Classic in 2009 after a horrendous porcupine attack, returned briefly to the spotlight. Handler Angie Coker-Sells won the $200 Besseghini Stockmanship award for retiring from an extremely taxing preliminary run.
Complete listings of Purse and Added Money and Special Awards appear at www.meekersheepdog.com.