May 1, 2026

Champions 2025 Meeker Classic

Jamie Spring and Monster – 6-year-old Male

Union Springs, South Dakota

Monster met Jamie, his forever handler in 2022 when his owner Joni Tietjen offered to let Jamie run him at the Black Hills Stock show.  It was a good pairing and the two continued to compete that year and qualified for the National Finals.  The next year, 2023, Joni successfully ran Monster in multiple trials and were crowned Reserve Champions at the Meeker Classic.  Following the National Cattledog Finals that year, Monster went back to Jamie and he’s been there since.

Jamie and Monster had a good connection, but it really developed and grew during lambing season of 2024.  Since then, they had been getting to know and understand each other, really solidifying at Meeker. Hard work, patience and determination helped overcome some challenges leading up to Meeker. It all gelled at Meeker – no one watching that final run could argue otherwise.

While working as a dairy herdsman, Jamie discovered her passion for sheepdog trialing at the Trailing of the Sheep Festival, Hailey, ID, where she met mentor Patrick Shannahan and got her first dog, Redtop Reece. Inspired by Reece’s talent and guided by mentors like Patrick, Don Helsley, Scott Glen, and Joni, Jamie has built a life surrounded by these amazing dogs.

Jamie and her husband Lee have two daughters. They are the fifth generation on the family’s cow/calf ranch in Union Springs where Jamie has added a flock of fine-wooled Targhee sheep. The girls, now in high school, are good help on the ranch and like to compete in sheepdog trials when they can. The family relies on dogs to help manage the livestock on the ranch.

Living in a remote area, Jamie moves 60 miles into town for the girls to go to school.  During the fall and spring, she can commute back and forth to the ranch to work the livestock and her dogs, but winter weather makes it difficult. That leaves summer as the best time for intense training of her dogs.

Jamie balances a full life of ranching, dog training, and a remote project management job, prioritizing her daughters, Emma and Joni, above all else. It’s a process of juggling schedules and making sure she’s there for her family – after that it’s the dogs!

To prepare for the World Trial, Jamie is planning to get some cheviot lambs for the summer so that she and Monster can get acclimated to lighter sheep than hers.  Jamie’s family plan on going over to the UK about 3 weeks early they can get to some local trials and work sheep with a friend who has generously offered to host them.

Jamie remembers, the run that final day in Meeker: “I was ready to blow Monster out on the first run to ensure a clean lift, and he delivered a great first fetch. Although his turnback wasn’t as clean as I wanted, I felt a huge sigh of relief once he was on his way, knowing we had a chance to complete the course. While Monster executed a beautiful second lift, I didn’t handle the second fetch well.”

“The drive felt great. Monster had no issue pushing those ewes around, and they seemed to like him. Once the sheep settled into the shedding ring, I sent Monster for water and prayed for peace and calm and that Monster and I would work together the way we do at home.”

“That international shed may have been the most fun I’ve had at a dog trial ever! The ewes stayed quiet and really respected Monster, and I found myself smiling as I would try to see how little I could do to get the response I was hoping for as I urged ewes to leave.”

“After finishing the shed, I was overwhelmed with gratitude that this was finally happening. As we approached the pen, a stubborn ewe challenged Monster, so we took our time, knowing we had over 4 minutes left. I never doubted Monster, but I wanted to keep him calm. When a ewe tried to break away, Monster made a strong move to tuck her back in, and they immediately marched into the pen. I focused on staying composed to shut the gate, then I called Monster over to tell him how proud I was of his effort.”

“I’ll never forget that moment, or the one a few minutes later when Jenny came out and hugged me at the water tank!”

Thank you Jamie – for sharing your story with us. We wish you luck as you traverse across the pond in September to compete at the World Trial!