Reserve Champions – 2016 Meeker Classic
Derek Fisher & Nell – 5-year-old Female
New Plymouth, ID
It’s hard to miss the unmistakable bond between these two as they go out to the field and compete. Working as one and completely in tune with each other, Derek and Nell worked up to the Reserve Champion slot for the second year in a row. This being Nell’s second time in Meeker – she’s a force to be reckoned with. Steady and strong through the preliminaries and semi-finals, Derek and Nell were third high score of the day for Thursday of the preliminaries and 6th in the Semi-Finals. Running in the last slot on the final day, the two defied the heat and pressure scored an impressive 134 points for the Double Lift Finals.
Out of his Jen dog and Angie Untiz’s Luke, Nell was bred, raised and trained by Derek. As a puppy she would sit back from the rest of the litter and stare at him – waiting for him to pick her up – you might say she picked Derek. “I’ve never had a puppy whose mind was SO MADE UP that she wanted to be mine. She would walk with me and try to stare into my eyes all the time! Half the time I was tripping over her and half the time she was running into things because she just wanted to hold my eye contact,” said Derek when talking about Nell. Nothing has changed to this date, the first thing she does each morning when he lets her out is to stop to be cuddled. She’s one of the most dedicated dogs he’s ever had, completely a one many dog. Her intelligence is a challenge for Derek as sometimes learns things he didn’t intend for her to.
Even as a puppy, Nell wanted to connect only with Derek
Nell was pleasant to train, but very intense. Now that he’s training some of her offspring, Derek sees that strong will and determination that Nell has. Nell was a talented young dog but it took her a while to mature and realize her confidence. But when she did, it was like quite amazing to see that little puppy turn into this exciting partner that worked so hard for and never gave up.
One of Derek’s proudest memories of her was when he had to send her about 1,200 yards blind to find about 500 sheep that were being used for a trial that he was setting out at. She found them and brought them straight to where he had sent her from. “You can train a dog all you want and teach them to listen and respond so that you can do this job or that. But when a dog proves to you that they’ve got what it takes to help you do your job through their own intuition and brains, well, that’s pretty special.”
Nell gives it 100% on and off of the competition field – photo by Piper Anne Worcester
Derek first came to Meeker in 1997 with Heidi. She was only 18 months old – it was Derek’s first Open Trial – Heidi cut in on her outrun, but made all the gates, the shed and pen just missing the cut for the semi-finals by a few points. Derek stayed and watched the rest of the trial, Alasdair MacRae was running Nan and Ben, Jack and Kathy Knox were in the finals as was Tommy Wilson – it was an opportunity to watch so many run that he’d only read about. Derek was star struck. What made an even bigger impression was that all the handlers took the time to talk to Derek and lend their support. This has continued over the past 20 odd years and is what he loves about Meeker. All handlers are there trying to do their best in a competition, but they are all there as a support system for each other – it’s unlike any other big trial there is.
Derek Fisher & Heidi – 2000 Champions
Animals have always played an important part in Derek’s life. His 4-H sheep projects lent an interest in learning the history of sheep. Watching a PBS program on sheep, dogs and people Derek was introduced to Border Collies and saw Gwyn Jones, Penmachno working his Supreme Champion, Queen. Intrigued and fascinated by the training and instinct of the dog, he knew he had to get a Border Collie. After convincing his parents that he needed a dog, he found Jim. Eight months later training him with the help of Robin McGreggor Brown, he ran in his first trial at age 14. Heidi soon came into his life and two years later he was running in Meeker. The youngest handler ever to win Meeker, Derek and Heidi won in 2000 as a 19-year-old. Derek’s most memorable moment in Meeker, was in 2006 when he was competing with Heidi in her last Meeker trial. At 11 years, Heidi was old to tackle the rigorous course, it was the last run of the final day – hot and the sheep were a challenge. After three times at the shedding ring Derek questioned whether they could complete the course. He didn’t want to risk Heidi’s health in the heat, but he saw a renewed sense of determination in the dog and the crowd was cheering him on. They completed the shed with a minute and a half to pen – getting all but one ewe as she slipped through the gate. The run got them 4th place, and an opportunity for the crowd to see Heidi’s heart as she completed the run against all odds at her last trial.
Derek & Heidi in Meeker in 2006 – the last time she would run there.
Derek and Nell will compete on the US team at the World Sheepdog Trials held in the Netherlands in July 2017. While travelling, they’ll also compete in the Belgian International Open and the Dutch International Open. Reflecting on things, “I can’t even begin to say what this sport has given me. I started out as an insecure 14-year old kid with a dog that I wanted to teach him to come by and away. It’s given me heroes who have turned into friends. People like Alasdair and Patricia MacRae, Jack and Kathy Knox, Tommy Wilson, Amanda Milliken, Herbert and Alison Holmes and so many more. Travelling the world, it’s been a ride that I wouldn’t change for anything and it feels like just the beginning!” When talking about Meeker, “Meeker is like the Oscars to an actor or the Grammy’s for a singer – some of the best competitors in the world compete here. The crowd is as knowledgeable as most of the competitors and the feeling you get when you walk to the post, be it in the prelims, semifinal or the finals is indescribable. That is one thing that hasn’t changed and I hope it never does.” Congratulations to Derek and Nell – we welcome you back to Meeker for 2017!
