We are a family owned farm raising Polypay and Dorper cross sheep in Deer Park, Washington......just north of Spokane.
Noelle Williams has been raising Border Collies, and training and trialling sheepdogs since 1990.
Click the link below for a recent article about Noelle and her dogs written by Cindy Hval for the Spokesman Review newspaper! There's also a great video journal by Jesse Tinsley!
For border collies, reward is in the work
video journal by Jesse Tinsley featuring Nap:
About Our Dogs:
Gael is Noelle's 8 year old Open trialling bitch, out of Suzy Applegates' tremendous dog "Tug" and Charlotte Jones' "Katie". Gael is a prick eared, smooth coated, keen athlete with good balance, big outruns, and fast flanks. She is extremely biddable, taking commands eagerly even at 500 yards away.
She has been very successful at trialling in the west, winning several open trials. She ranked 2nd overall in the Oregon Sheepdog Society for USBCHA points accumulated during 2007. In 2008 she won the Double-Lift Final at Sterling Acres SDT in Canada and won the second Open trial at the Northwest Champion SDT Scio, Oregon. In 2009 she won the overall championship at Caldonian Games, placed in the top 5 at 5 open trials and the Double Lift Final at Sheep Thrillz SDT.
Nap is Noelle's 5 year old Open trialling Dog, who is out of Amanda Millikins' International Supreme Champion dog "Star" and her tremendous bitch "Grace". Nap is a prick eared, smooth coated, keen athlete with exact balance, big outrun, extreme biddability and tons of Heart. He has been competing successfully in Open while he had competed successfully in Nursery in 2007, winning an Open trial and taking high placements at others. He qualified to compete in double lift elimination runs at Big Willow SDT, Idaho and also at the Western Regionals in Corvallis, Oregon. Of note in 2008, he won the Double-Lift Final at the Kearny Creek SDT in Onalaska, WA; place 2nd at the Double-Lift Final at the Sterling Acres SDT in Canada (right behind Noelle's other Open dog, Gael !); won a day of Open trialling at MacDonald's Eweful Acres SDT; won a first place in his first cattle dog trial at the Hindman Memorial Cattledog Trial, Rancher Class, in March 2008 and then took a 3rd place in his next cattle trial moved up to Open division at the Central Washington CDT in October-his first 2 USBCHA cattle points . In 2009, Nap qualified to compete in Double Lift Finals at Sheep Thrillz SDT, On The River SDT and at Lacamas SDT. His Reserve Champion rank at Sheep Thrillz earned him an invitation to Soldier Hollow SDT, Utah.
Lad, owned by Dan Williams, made his debut in USBCHA Nursery trials in June at Sue Wessels' Dirt Blowin' SDT. He surprised all of us with his strong, smooth style in a short amount of time left to qualify for the Nursery Finals! He worked with equal ease on tough range lambs and on flighty hairsheep. He placed 19th overall against the best Nursery dogs in the Nation at the 2008 USBCHA Nursery Finals in South Dakota! In 2009, Noelle and Dan decided to trade dogs (Lad for Gael) and Noelle took Lad to his first Open trial at Sheep Thrillz SDT in Oregon in July where he earned his first USBCHA Open points and qualified to run in the Double Lift Final. To top it off, Lad took 4th place in the Double Lift Final ! Lad went on the place in the top 5 at On The River SDT in Washington and the honor to compete in the Double Lift Final there as well.
A breeding of Nap to Gael in 2007 has produced some talented young dogs . These yearlings show the same large scope of outrun, biddability and athletic ability of their parents. They are a real JOY to train.
"Max" is a smooth coated, beautifully marked tri-colored male. He's compact, athletic and very keen. Noelle started trialling him in Nursery in 2009 and he qualified for the USBCHA Nursery Finals in Kalamath Falls within his first 3 trials. Max has his dam's looser eye and free flanking style. He seems to tolerate heat very well and is keen to keep the stock moving. Noelle decided he is a bit too keen and wasn't ready for the 2009 Nursery Finals.
"Fly", a compact powerhouse of a pup. Noelle trained her on dog-broke calves to start, but Fly soon had enough handle to work sheep. She has more eye than her brother, Max, but loves to push the sheep. Noelle will trial her in Nursery in 2010.
"Sweet", a beautiful pup with half-white face. Sweet has a personality just like her name..... very sweet and affectionate to people. She seems to be a "sleeper" like her full-brother Lad was before he turned on strong at age 2 years. Right now she has a looser degree of eye and is pretty relaxed around the sheep, although she does nip heels and heads.
And from the 2008 litter of Noelle's "Gael" X Loren Holmes' "Leo", we have "Jumpin' W Copper". Copper is a red and white, smooth coated female. She's a very bold and fearless pup. Noelle has started her on sheep during the summer of 2009 and she seem to have a strong temperment and very keen on her sheep. Perhaps she will start her trialling career as early as 2010.
contact information:
Noelle Williams
509-276-1876