Scott Glen & Taff – 2019 Meeker Classic by Paul Turner
2019 Meeker Classic Champions
Scott Glen & Taff, 4-year-old Male
New Dayton, Alberta CANADA
Scott is no stranger to the winners circle in Meeker or any other trial. He’s made his mark on the sheepdog world with numerous dogs. Friendly and helpful, Scott always has a kind word to share or a listening ear. We congratulate Scott on winning his second Meeker Classic Championship with Taff! His first win was with Pleat in 2005.
Scott Glen’s Pleat – 2005 Meeker Classic Champion Photo courtesy of TK
Taff was born in Ireland and was trained by Seamus Gallagher and run in a few trials over there. Michael Gallagher matched him up with Scott and helped import him when Taff was a little over a year old.Taff is a great grandson of Michael’s International Supreme winner, Cap. Taff had a lot to learn his irst winter in Canada. First off, he came to us with the name Lad, but because Scott’s wife Jenny already had a dog named Lad, they changed it to Taff. Second, he had to learn new whistles, and third, he had to learn how to work the tough Western Sheep. His first season in North America, he was young enough to run in the nursery classes but because of a rule that says an import dog must be younger than a year old to run in nursery, he was unable to trial in that class. He ran in open instead and held his own against dogs with much more experience than him, ending the year by placing 4th in the National Finals. Taff has a pretty, sunny disposition and gets along with dogs most of the time.
Scott Glen’s Taff by Jenny Glen
Reflecting on the 2019 Meeker Classic with Tam, Scott reflects that Taff had been working well prior to Meeker but had had some bad luck at the Canadian Championships and Soldier Hollow. So, coming into Meeker he didn’t know what to expect. Taff handled the outwork in the double lift well but struggled to get the last two sheep off in the shed and my time ran out. With their run early in the day, Scott expected there to be no chance of winning without a shed. In the end it came down to he and Dennis Edwards and it was very close. Taff has now been sold to a handler in Washington state (where he lives like a king) and they have already had some happy outcomes in their trials.
Scott Glen & Taff after their Championship Run – 2019 Meeker Classic
Scott Glen grew up on a cattle ranch in Southern Alberta, Canada. His family always had ranch dogs around, but they weren’t expected to help much with the stock work. When he was in his early twenties, he decided to start raising sheep. Scott attended a sheep convention where he was planning to learn how to shear but got distracted by a sheepdog herding demonstration. He never made it to the shearing class, but he has been hooked on herding ever since. Scott has been training border collies to herd sheep and cattle for over 25 years now and made it a full-time profession in 1997. He and his wife Jenny manage their kennel, Alta-Pete Stock Dogs (named after his family’s Scottish clan motto). Alta-Pete means “Aim High”. Most winters they can be found on their Alberta ranch where Scott trains sheep herding dogs for customers. They spend two months each spring trialing and giving clinics and then summertime finds them getting ready for the fall trials. During the fall, they are back on the road trialing again at Soldier Hollow, Meeker and the National Finals.
Scott Glen & Alice at the 2016 Meeker Classic, Alice is now 9, but won 3 National Championships – photo by PiperAnne Worcester
Reflecting on how COVID has affected them, Scott says that they kept the dogs on they were training for customers, but with the Canadian border being closed and gatherings shut down, they spent some extra time starting younger dogs that wouldn’t normally be started until the fall. Scott started offering video lessons and hosting live, on-line lectures with Q&A sessions. The year brought its disappointments said Scott, “Probably the most disappointing thing has been the lack of a season for my up and coming nursery dog, Pip and my young dog Ben, who would have been competing in his first year of open. Pip will be one of my main open dogs for the 2021 season. Alice, my main open dog is coming 9 this Fall. She has achieved great things in her life and won her third National championship in 2019, however this might have been her last year before retirement. Ultimately, that will be up to her. It is disappointing to have not gotten a last chance at the World Trial with her.”
Says Scott of the Meeker Classic, “Meeker is one of our favorite trials. It is also one of the most difficult. A dog that can prove itself at Meeker has really proven itself one of the toughest in North America.”
Alta-Pete Stockdogs “Aim High” www.altapetestockdogs.com
Scott and Alice in his trademark pose – Photo courtesy PiperAnne Worcester 2019