Officers and Committee

Chairman: Iain Lewis
Secretary: Karen Angier
Treasurer: David Angier

As a friendly, welcoming club we felt it only right that when you visit our site you get to know a little about not just the CLUB but also the PEOPLE – so here is a brief introduction to our hardworking committee members and how they ended up where they are today! We work as a team and despite the hard work we have a lot of fun too.

Our aim is to continue to work to the aims of the club since its foundation in 1979 - ‘to preserve the working attributes of the breed, to encourage responsible ownership, to endeavour to safeguard the breed from exploitation by breeders, the promotion, general care and well being of the breed both on the field and in the show ring’.

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Chairman: Iain Lewis ACAI (also Discover Dogs Co-ordinator)
My family has always owned dogs and the first one I remember as a very young child was a Boxer named Patsy. This was followed by a Foxhound called Willum, who we had for over fifteen years. At the age of seventeen I obtained my first Border Collie, Joey, who became famous as one of the dogs trained by the late Barbara Woodhouse....Sit! I lost Joey when he was just eighteen months old with severe epilepsy. But my heart was now with the breed.

Border Collies brought my wife and me together. She was my original agility trainer and I purchased my other dog, Owen, from her. Little did I know I was going to adopt three more the following year.
I currently run my own dog training and hydrotherapy business. I have passed my ACAI exams and am a qualified Border Collie Breed judge and also judge agility and flyball (BFA and Crufts). I instruct agility regularly each week at my agility club, Cranbourne, and also take ringcraft classes on a rota basis. I write a column for the bi-monthly magazine Freedom of Spirit and have done a few "specials" on Police, Fire, Mine Detection Dogs, Search & Rescue and Dogs of the Titanic.

One of my roles on the committee is Discover Dogs Co-ordinator - a job I have been doing for the past six years. It is one of the Southern Border Collie Club's main "meeting the public" events and over the past few years has been very successful winning the Royal Canin award for best stand in 2006. We also finished 3rd in 2007, 2nd in 2008 and 1st in 2009 in the Kennel Club best stand completion.
I am an active member of Berkshire Search and Rescue Dogs on call 24/7 365 days a year to help search for missing persons. I currently have two dogs in training Bodger & Mist who are due to take their operational assessments within the next few months to become qualified Lowland Search and Rescue Dogs.

Secretary: Karen Angier
My father was a farmer and Border Collies played a large part in my childhood. I got my first German Shepherd in my late teens – from there I moved into the world of Obedience. I went on numerous courses, some for the weekend and sometimes for a whole week, and worked with some wonderful people – the late John Fisher, Roy Hunter, John Rogerson and Ian Dunbar, and from the USA, Martha Jordan, Gail Fisher and Linda Tellington.

When my last GSD went to the Rainbow Bridge, I did some research into Belgian Shepherds and from there moved into the world of showing and eventually gained my first ticket in Belgians. Other Belgians became part of my family – and so did David. My first words to him were, “Do you like dogs?” He replied “I had one once.” By now he was hooked as well!

One day a little red merle Border Collie, Frank, arrived on the scene, just as a pal. So things had come full circle and Border Collies were back in my life. At the same time, David and I were looking for another breed and were introduced to Australian Shepherds. I had no intention of showing Frank, but somehow he just got entered. Life is funny, and because of showing him, I have renewed some old friendships from the German Shepherd days.

For many years, I ran a dog training school with a friend. I have served on other committees and I judge all the breeds with which I have been involved and have enjoyed every appointment. The most exciting was judging Australian Shepherds at Crufts in 2003, where my Best of Breed went on to be shortlisted in the Group.

We have been lucky enough to have had some success in each breed we been involved with. Our family now consists of Border Collies and Aussies. When people ask me how long have you been in dogs, I say, "A lifetime!" But I'm not telling you just how long!

Treasurer: David Angier
It is 30 years since I had my first dog, but only since I met Karen have I became involved with showing, training and living with more than one dog. In those early years I attended a variety of one day and residential courses organised by, amongst others, John Rogerson, John Uncle, Roy Hunter and Gail Fisher, and The Anglo American Dog Training Association. These gave me real insight into the behavioural aspects and training skills associated with our canine friends. I also helped Karen to run her dog-training club in Chatham.

Karen took me to my first Championship Show at Bath - she was showing Belgian Shepherds. I stood around generally helping, holding dogs and fetching tea and also watching the Briards. I remember one particular handler running around the ring in a very strange manner - I was heard to say "you will never get me in the ring if I have to run like that!" But it wasn’t long before I was persuaded. My first show dog was ‘Flight’ – a beautiful Groenendal and she will always be very special to me. Amongst her many achievements were two Reserve Tickets and the last CC at LKA before the four Belgian Shepherds varieties were amalgamated - a decision which has since been reversed. Sadly an accident ended her show career, but I continued to show our other Belgians and won Best Puppy in breed at Crufts and went to the European speciality show in France.

Some years ago we got our first Border Collie and then, with the help of our good friends, our first Australian Shepherd, Tucker, whom I handled throughout his career to numerous Best of Breeds at Open and Championship shows. We qualified for the Kent Super Match several times, winning Best Veteran in Show. Our Tucker went to the Rainbow Bridge in 2006 and is sadly missed. I have also been showing Louis, a fabulous Blue Merle who has won several Best in Shows and qualified each year for the Kent Super Match. He has been awarded his Show Certificate of Merit. He is now a Veteran and lightly shown.

I have twice attended the National Australian Shepherd show in America and the All Winners Show in Amsterdam. I am a member of several societies and clubs and for some time was Treasurer of the National Australian Shepherd Association.

Terry Condra
Apart from being on the Committee for Southern Border Collie Club I am also a trustee for Border Collie Trust G.B., a rescue organisation specialising in rescuing and rehoming Border Collies and Collie crosses throughout the U.K.

So how did I get involved in Border Collies? My parents moved to the Isle of Man when I was five, and we returned to Wooburn Green when I was twelve to take over a Newsagents/Confectioners/Tobacconist and Gents Hairdressers. My father thought it would be a good idea to have a dog to help protect the premises, and we acquired a Border Collie puppy who I called Scamp. He was mainly white, came from a farm and was a bit of a problem dog. Neither my parents nor I knew then what I know now about puppy behaviour. Scamp would growl if we tried to take things away from him, wouldn't come when called – in fact all the usual puppy behaviours. Dad decided he was deaf and he might well have been but the end result was he "disappeared" and a black and white Border Collie puppy bitch appeared indoors. I called her Trixie, and from the moment she came an instant bond was formed between us.

As I mentioned my parents had a newsagents and as the norm I had a paper round to go with it. The roads were a lot quieter then and Trixie would accompany me on my deliveries, me on my bike, her running beside me. We would go for walks, she would play football with me and my mates – really good centre forward, Chelsea would have paid a fortune for her – and she introduced me to Jan, my "better half". Trixie taught me so much in the way of enjoying the company of Man's Best Friend.

It was while we were on holiday in Scotland that Jan and I rescued a Cairn cross terrier. Dogs in Scotland at that time roamed fairly freely, and this puppy, although reported as found to the police came home to Wooburn Green to live with Jan and her parents and their dog. We named her Dusty.
After Jan and I married Dusty came to live with us and we decided to get her a companion. The choice of a Scottie dog was not approved by my 18 month old son who screamed the pet shop down, but he fell in love with a West Highland White Terrier. So there we were, one rescue and one "proper" dog, and the start of a lifelong relationship with rescues. Every time a member of the canine household passed over Rainbow Bridge it was replaced in kind – a home for a rescue for the one departed, or a "proper" dog for a "proper"” i.e. bought one.

Misty, a rescue Border Collie from Pine Ridge Dog Sanctuary introduced me to both Obedience and Agility. Over the years my collies have brought me great pleasure. Gael was my first Border Collie to take me up the "dizzy" heights of Agility by winning out of Starters at ten years of age, and taking me to the Scottish Starter Dog of the Year in 2002. She really showed what the Border Collie is capable of by absorbing training like a sponge. She got me involved in not only Agility and Obedience but Heelwork to Music and Flyball. It is because of her I am a qualified Agility trainer and Judge, and judge at BFA Flyball Tournaments. I also run my own BFA Flyball team.

At the moment I have three "proper" dogs and three rescues, all Border Collies living at home. They all involve themselves in Agility, Heelwork to Music, and BFA Flyball, and Jena, my thinking dog has even had a go at Search and Rescue and the recent Sheepdog Training Day run by SBCC. Jena also represented Border Collies on the Channel 4 programme "It's Me or the Dog", but proved too bright in the tests compared to the other breeds represented. For the last two years she has been demonstrating HTM on the Dog Activities Stand at Crufts.

I look forward to learning more about the breed side of the Border Collie and involving myself with Southern Border Collie Club and meeting the members.

Carol Curtis
As a child we only had cats but I managed to persuade my parents to let me have my first dog at around age 10, she was a little Manchester terrier who unfortunately died at 2 years. My second dog came after I was married when we acquired a mongrel from Battersea which was a complete disaster, even after castration we had so many problems he became a liability and had to be put down.

After this rather shaky start with dogs our first Border Collie came home in 1968 and is the only breed we have owned since.

My main interest for many years has been obedience and watching sheep dog trials whenever possible although I have dabbled in training other disciplines. I entered my first obedience competition in 1972 with my Border Collie and was hooked. I have worked up to C and I judge all classes. I also take training classes. My husband Ernie also competed in the past and still does some stewarding.

We have also been involved on committees and the running of shows in some form from the early days. I seem to have spent a lot of time in kitchens so I suppose was mainly on the catering side but have been involved with most aspects of running shows.

I acquired my lovely Macey from Corinne Geering eight years ago with no intention of showing; well the best laid plans as they say. I have two boys I show at the moment so you could say I am still interested. I have enjoyed the first eight years greatly and I have become more involved and interested in the breeding and health issues of Border Collies.

I still compete and judge in obedience with Macey's daughter Dixie currently working C. I love the training side and building a bond with my dogs, my methods are all motivational, and I love to see my dogs enjoying the training side as well as running in the fields.

Corinne Geering
My interest in dogs goes back to my early childhood, at the age of 4 I was given a Poodle as a birthday present. A great character but not the breed I longed for. That came along when I was 11, a beautiful German Shepherd, this was the beginning of a love of this wonderful breed which lasted until the end of 2009, when I lost my gentle golden bear, at almost 15 years of age. Border Collies came along in 1990. I have dabbled in Obedience, Working Trials and Agility with all of my dogs. I didn’t start showing until 1999, and then, I guess, I caught the bug. I have bred only two litters of Border Collies, the last were from semen imported from Australia. I have two bitches from this litter, one of which will, hopefully, be competing in obedience, the other will be my show girl.

I have served on the Committee of Warlingham Dog Training Club for many years, 9 of which were as their Secretary. I look forward to the future serving The Southern Border Collie Club.

Cathy Green

Robert Harlow
I was born into a dog family, my grandfather bred Fox Terriers and my father Chows. I attended my first show in 1971 and have been going ever since.

My interest in dogs always has been and will remain varied; I have had many different breeds over the years, but since the mid 70s have always had Border Collies. I have always competed in multiple disciplines but am probably better known in obedience where I have worked dogs in Ch Test C and award CCs.

I first showed Border Collies when they were first accepted as a breed and qualified two dogs that first year; I first judged the breed back in 1989 and have continued ever since.

I am a member of the Kennel Club and currently sit on the Judges Working Party (Working), WTOA sub-committee, Obedience Council and I am a board member of the Kennel Club Accreditation of Dog Training Instructors and Behaviourists scheme; I also have responsibility for the Obedience World Cup at Crufts.

I have sat on many committees over the years in many roles and have had responsibility for running many events. I was surprised to be asked if I would like to become a member of the SBCC committee, and I hope that I will be of some use to the club.

Melanie Lewis (Membership Secretary & Puppy List Co-ordinator)
I fell in love with the Border Collie at a very young age - it was always the only dog for me. I was not allowed to have a dog until I was 10 - actually that's not that old really, but at that age it seems like forever! She was a collie/lab cross and you guessed it, black and white. I did a bit of obedience, but not seriously. She died the year I qualified as an Optometrist. My next dog was a pedigree BC - I was going to do obedience, but Felix Cosme introduced me to showing and soon I was hooked. Bella was good all rounder and I had a lot of fun with her in obedience, showing and agility, and learned so much.

I met my husband, Iain, through agility - I was his instructor! He had a puppy from my first litter with Bella's half sister Stelle - I had to marry him to get him back! Iain introduced me to flyball and I also got an interested in heel work to music, first with Cloud - so life is very busy for us and our six collies. Showing is still my main love, and the best day in my life, (other than my wedding day, of course,) was winning the CC with Hesky at LKA – dreams can come true!

Julie Waterman
‘When you’re ready – GO - over - climb – flat - no silly’. Oh sorry my name is Julie and that was Beth on an agility course! My interest in the Border Collie started when I went to a show with my Jack Russell terrier and had a go at agility. Then, in 1991, I got my Sharn - she was a working sheepdog, she taught me obedience and agility and I also started showing her at companion dog shows. I got my first Border Collie in January 1996 from a local breeder in Maidstone; we dabbled in showing, obedience, agility; she is also able to search for drugs and is a protection dog.

In June 2000 I got a blue merle bitch from the same breeder - she is a sweet loving little lady, a good obedience dog as long as when you are in the ring she knows no one outside as she loves people! I bred from her in 2001 and kept a black & white bitch, Beth, who is my agility dog - she would be great with a better handler! Then there is my Dream, she is Beth’s daughter, her one and only puppy, who was born in 2004. She has made one of my dreams come true by qualifying for Crufts in 2006.