Meeker Classic Champion Border Collie
Meeker Classic Champion ‘Alice’ Becomes Most-Accomplished Border Collie in North America
Winning the 2021 Meeker Classic was the crown jewel for “Alice,” a 9 ½-year-old rough black-ticked tricolor Border Collie. One of the toughest sheepdog competitions in North America, arguably the world, drew a large entry of 170 teams. Those lucky enough to be one of 15 Finalists faced a challenging course.
A double lift required skillful maneuvering of first one, and then a second, group of sheep across a 550-yard rocky pasture into a pen. Handler Scott Glen blew whistle commands to Alice, as the talented stock dog worked in unison with him, exuding confidence and intelligence.
It was a bittersweet victory. Only weeks later, Alice was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Her condition worsened quickly, and Glen made the difficult decision to have her euthanized. The Meeker Classic was the bookend of a successful career that many handlers only dream about.
“Alice’s attitude was that she was 10-feet tall and bulletproof,” says Glen, her owner and a professional trainer from New Dayton, Alberta, Canada. “She was a pretty honest stock dog. ”
It was Glen’s third win in Meeker, Colorado. In 2005, he and “Pleat” won, and in 2019, he won with “Taff.” “You have to do everything right at Meeker, and typically one thing or another goes wrong,” says Glen, who owns Alta-Pete — Scottish for Aim High — Stock Dogs. In between training and trialing, Glen teaches herding clinics.
Bred by Wendy Schmaltz of Mankota, Saskatchewan, Canada, Alice was Glen’s puppy back, as her sire was his male “Don,” the 2009 and 2015 U.S. Border Collie Handlers Association (USBCHA) National Champion and the 2014 Reserve Champion at Meeker and the National.
Winning trials for Alice started early at the USBCHA National Nursery Championship for dogs under 30 months of age. When she won in 2013 as one of the youngest competitors, Glen says, “It was a surprise.” The next year, Alice was the National Nursery Reserve Champion.
Alice is a three-time winner of the USBCHA National Championship — something only three dogs have done. She won in 2016, 2017 and 2019. Notably, she is a third-generation National Champion. Besides her sire Don winning two times, her granddam, “Star,” won three times.
In 2016 and 2017, Alice won the Western Canadian Championship. In 2018, she won the Soldier Hollow Championship, Bluegrass Classic and the Canadian Championship. In 2020, she won her third Western Canadian Championship.
Reflecting proudly, Glen says, “During her career, Alice won every major trial at least one time. At Meeker, she ran as nice a run as you’ll see. Alice always found a way to get things done. She was a good dog.”
Alice (Nov. 3, 2011-Oct. 20, 2021) was fed Purina Pro Plan SPORT Performance 30/20 Chicken & Rice.