Echo
Serenecrest Tartan Tone
13/05/1998 - 25/01/2012
In 1997/1998 I was 13 years old and had finally managed to convince my parents that I could get a 'proper' agility dog of my own, to add to the pet border collie and maltese I was already training. And so the search began. I researched breeders and dogs, little knowing that my quest would come to a very unexpected conclusion. I saw an add for a breeder (Hesta Vermeulen from Serenecrest Kennels) in a magazine and decided to give her a call in order to arrange a visit to see her breeding stock. It is with this phone call that she informed she has a litter of puppies, 8 weeks old and she had just had a cancellation that morning.
I convinced my ever willing mother to drive me to Serenecrest that very afternoon and it was love at first sight. As luck would have it Echo really was the best working prospect of the eight puppies. We convinced Hesta to let Echo go home with us that very afternoon.
Echo was the first dog that I acquired for the purpose of Agility and he did not dissapoint. In 2001 I feared Echo's career would come to an end, when he ran straight into a thornbush, getting one of the thorns stuck in his eye. But one emergency surgery, 2 weeks in the darkness and an additional 2 weeks of recovery later, Echo was back in the game, with only the tiniest of blindspots in his right eye. He was very forgiving in his training, allowing me to make endless mistakes, learn from them and correct them. He achieved goals beyond my wildest dreams and did so very noisily and happily. Everyone knew when Echo was negotiating the course, after all who could miss the non-stop barking of a happy Border Collie. Due to the fact that he is a very big boy, with a heavy build, I retired Echo in 2006 at the age of eight, to avoid a recurring back injury.
I miss Echo, I love him for the life he gave me. His life. Everything he had in him. He will is missed every day. I cannot thank him enough for everything.
I miss Echo, I love him for the life he gave me. His life. Everything he had in him. He will is missed every day. I cannot thank him enough for everything.
Some of Echo's Achievements:
-Qualified into highest grades in Agility and Dogjumping
-Won all three obedience shows that he entered.
-Various QC's in Agility and Dogjumping
- Qualified for the South African Agility Championships on all four occasions that he was entered, with various placings in the individual rounds.
-2nd Qualifier for South African Dog Jumping Championship - 2000
-Represented Gauteng on the A-Team Dog Jumping - 2000
-Over all winner May Extravaganza Dogjumping - 2003
- Represented South Africa at the FCI Agility World Championships in Lievin, France finishing in 75th position- 2003
- Finished 5th in the South African Freestyle (Dog Dancing) Championship (novice) - 2006
