Advanced Handler Clinic

We have a date for the first fall clinic: September 20-21 2019. This is an Advanced Handler Clinic designed only for dogs currently running in pro-novice and open classes.

You will be working on course work and situations that may occur at trials.

Cost of 2 day clinic is $250.00 which will include lunch.

Limited to 12 working spots. Spots will only be guaranteed when payment has been received. Last day to pull to receive full refund is September 13th.

Entries will be accepted with postmark starting on August 16^th. No early postmark entries accepted. The entry form (found below) is two pages. Please read both pages carefully.

Clinic spots will be filled with entries postmarked on August 16^th or later. No early postmarked entries will be excepted. If more than 12 entries are received, we will have a waiting list. You will be notified by email as to your status in the clinic.

Click ➜ HERE for the entry form in PDF and click ➜ HERE for the entry form in Word.

Lessons will be available on Thursday & Friday, September 19-20th for dogs that ARE NOT in clinic. Lesson payment may be made on the day of your lesson. Please contact Kerry Watt (bre.2002@yahoo.co.uk) with lesson times available. Cost of lessons are $75.00.

Clinic & Lessons (IL)

Clinic in Harvard Illinois: Irish Woods Farm

Clinic: August 3-4, 2019
Private lessons: Friday, August 2 and Monday August 5th

This clinic and the lesson days will be open to all levels of handlers and their Border Collies. Clinic will be limited to 12 dogs per day and Lessons 12 dogs per day.

Limited to 2 dogs per handler, you are welcome to switch dogs around.

Clinic Cost: $120 per dog per day
Lesson Cost: $80

Clinic spots will be filled as entries are received with full payment. No entries will be accepted without full payment.

Click below for entry form and additional information.

Microsoft Word
PDF

Lessons in Illinois

Gordon will be offering lessons at his farm in Alden/Harvard, Illinois. Lesson dates are: December 18 – 23, 2018.

Gordon works with dogs and handlers at all stages from totally new to advanced skills. Private lessons are one-on-one sessions with Gordon where he helps guide you and your dog to the next steps.

Contact Kerry to set up your private lesson.
email: bre.2002@yahoo.co.uk
phone/text: 573-619-2393
Address and directions provided once lesson time confirmed.

Check the events calendar for other dates and locations for private lessons and clinics.

Clinic Definitions and Dates (2018-2019)

Gordon Watt will be offering a long list of clinics in the winter of 2018-2019. Please read through these definitions to be sure you are entering the correct level. If you have any questions, the contact information is at the end of this post.

Move Forward Clinics
For pro novice and open dogs. Dog must be capable of at least a 250 outrun and can drive a full cross drive. These clinics are designed for handlers and dogs wanting to move forward to the next class (pro novice to open) Designed for open handlers and dogs to further their trial course skills.

January 23/24
January 26-27
March 2-3
March 6/7
March 30-31
April 3/4
May 8/9
May 11-12

All “Open” Move Forward clinics held at Cedar Stone Farm, Cambridge WI

Novice Move Forward Clinics
These clinics are designed for novice handlers and dogs that compete at novice level and wanting to move forward to the next class (pro novice/ranch.)

November 24-25: Counting Ewe Farm, Raymond, Wisconsin
December 29-30: Laughing Frog Farm, Kansasville, Wisconsin
April 6-7: Nic Of Time Farm, Walworth, Wisconsin

Shedding Clinic
This clinic is for pro novice/open dogs completing at trials. This will be a basic shedding clinic to cater for handlers and dogs needs. (International Shedding clinic will be later in the spring.)

March 16-17: Cedar Stone Farm, Cambridge, WI

Judging Clinic
Judging clinic is open to all handlers. This clinic consist of is people running dogs on a course and everyone judges them. We watch and talk through them and compare points.

May 18-19: Cedar Stone Farm, Cambridge, WI

Puppy & Young Dog clinics
This clinic is designed for puppies 6 months and over. We will take dogs up to the age of 5 years. For first time puppies that need an introduction to sheep or puppies that have already started on sheep and young dogs slow starters late developing dogs.

Held at Nic Of Time Farm, Walworth, WI or Farm in Harvard, IL (Depending on weather)

Dates:
January 5-6
January 12-13
January 19-20
March 9-10

How to sign up for these clinics:
All clinics will be a cost of $230 for the 2 days with lunch included. All clinics will be limited to 12 working spots. Auditing spots are $35 and includes lunch.

To book a slot at any of these clinics send email to bre.2002@yahoo.co.uk. In the email, state which clinic and how many dogs.

Checks made payable to: Gordon Watt sheepdogs
Mail to: PO Box 611, Lake Geneva, WI 53147

For those of you that have entered more than one clinic, individual checks for each clinic would work best please. Just put which clinic in the Memo section of the check. For weather purposes in case we should cancel, no checks will be cashed until the day before each clinic.

Clinics in Illinois

John and Connie Seraphine are happy to have Gordon Watt back at Heatherhope Farm, Sycamore, Illinois, and happy to invite sheepdog handlers for a clinic Thursday through Sunday, November 1-4, 2018 and again April 25-28, 2019.

Post by John Seraphine

We first had Gordon at Heatherhope in 2007, prior to his judging the Wisconsin Working Stock Dog Trial in Portage, Wisconsin, and for many years he has offered his expertise here both in early November and in April. It has been a wonder to watch him quickly get raw dogs comfortable with being in their “zone” for working sheep quietly and smoothly. It has also been a revelation to see him impart real skill and confidence to handlers—some of whom had become discouraged with past failures, only to be given new hope and motivation.

Of course, everyone has a good laugh as well. We develop thick skins as Gordon uses his Irish humor on us to keep us humble. And we even sometimes turn the tables on him and get to give him a rough time. Gordon assures us this is all a vital part of sheepdog handling.

We plan to open up 10 working slots a day for the clinic. If you get in touch via email we will keep track of you, but those slots are guaranteed on a first-come-first served basis for those who get their full $130 in for two times out with Gordon on that day. If you must pull out, refunds will be made if we can fill that slot with someone on the wait list or someone who begs for that slot at the clinic. In the past we have just about always been able to make those refunds.

The $130, or the cost for a one-time-out lesson, which is $75, or the cost of a day’s audit, which is $45, also covers the cost of a continental breakfast and a full lunch. Dinner is on your own, and a couple of nights we will go off to a restaurant with Gordon. Connie is well known for her down-home-friendly meals of breakfast and lunch. Speak up soon if you want to reserve one of a handful of camper spots on the farm, and consider slipping John a fiver for a day and night’s electricity.

These are the most common questions asked about Clinic’s with Gordon. Here is how we handle it at Heather Hope Farm:

Do you have to sign up for all the days? No. You pick-em.
Is it a themed clinic? Only if “whatever you need to work on” is a theme.
How many work spots does a person get? For us a “working spot” entails two times out with Gordon. You can go out with two different dogs or one dog two times. Keep in mind that a very young, inexperienced dog may only be able to mentally handle one time out a day.
Welcome to Heatherhope

Please make contact with John Seraphine at heatherhopefarm@gmail.com, or 815-895-9736 for further information. But mail in your check payable to John Seraphine, 22417 Airport Road, Sycamore, IL 60178 to guarantee your spot. You can also see Heatherhope’s web site for directions to the farm.

We hope you can join us for the good doggy times this November and again in April.

Post Trial Lessons, June 18th

Monday, June 18th Gordon will be offering private lessons at Cedar Stone Farm in Cambridge, WI. This is the Monday immediately following the Cedar Stone trial.

Handlers signing up for these lessons will have a unique opportunity with Gordon. He will watch your runs during the trial and provide valuable feedback during your private lesson times. Gordon has impeccable memory and a keen eye when watching runs. During your lesson, he will help break it all down to explain what went wrong at the trial.

These lessons are perfect for handlers needing to brush up on trialing skills and to discuss how specific handling techniques can make all the difference in having a successful run.

Limited spots are available starting at noon on the 18th (morning times already taken.)

Gordon works with dogs and handlers at all stages from totally new to advanced skills. Private lessons are one-on-one sessions with Gordon where he helps guide you and your dog to the next steps.

Lessons are from 9-5 and cost $75. Several working areas including a 20 acre field.

Contact Kerry to set up your private lesson.
email: bre.2002@yahoo.co.uk
phone/text: 573-619-2393

Check the events calendar for other dates and locations for private lessons and clinics.

Lessons, June 8th @ Cedar Stone

Private Lessons

Friday, June 8th Gordon will be offering private lessons at Cedar Stone Farm in Cambridge, WI. Gordon works with dogs and handlers at all stages from totally new to advanced skills. Private lessons are one-on-one sessions with Gordon where he helps guide you and your dog to the next steps. If you’re new and your dog has limited experience on sheep, Gordon is a master at starting a young dog. If you’re already trialing and you want some handling advice, Gordons shares his decades of experience. Perhaps you’re having trouble with aspects of the course: driving, penning, shedding, a private lesson is the perfect environment to get those things sorted out.

The sheep at Cedar Stone Farm are a nice flock that are respectful of the movements of the dogs and being an expert stockman, Gordon keeps things quiet. This creates a calm environment where both dog and handler can learn more quickly.

Lessons are from 9-5 and cost $75. Several working areas including a 20 acre field.

Contact Kerry to set up your private lesson.
email: bre.2002@yahoo.co.uk
phone/text: 573-619-2393

Check the events calendar for other dates and locations for private lessons and clinics.

Last minute opening – Minnesota (5/12)

A last minute cancellation has made two lessons available with Gordon this Saturday, May 12th at Legacy Farm in Mora, MN. The available time slots are 9:30 a.m. and 2:45 p.m. Please contact Michelle at: 507-951-6783 if you an have interest. mepguderian@gmail.com

Missouri Clinic, April 2018

Missouri Clinic, April 2018
By: Carol Wanta

The grass was green and the trees were beginning to bloom. The occasionally chilly breeze reminded us that winter was not long gone from here, but the coolness made it great weather for training dogs old and new with Gordon. Claire and Randy Sandbothe hosted a great clinic! Their wonderful hospitality and delicious food were enjoyed by all at their beautiful farm in mid-Missouri.

Rachel Ritland and Pepper getting instructions from Gordon

The April clinic provided handlers with an opportunity to work on whatever they needed to do in order to tune up their dogs and improve their skills for the upcoming trial season. We had a wide range of dogs and handlers attend. Some handlers were just beginning their journey with their dog while others worked on their precision as a team. Gordon was ready for all of our questions and problems. His skill at handling dogs combined with his knowledge, experience, and willingness to share all that with other handlers makes lessons with him priceless. I would not be where I am today without Gordon helping me. I know others from the clinic can say the same. Gordon is a gem!

Carol Wanta and Sadie as they begin their sheepdog journey

Handlers from Alabama, Mississippi, South Dakota, Iowa, and Tennessee traveled to Missouri for the clinic. It was great to see old friends and make new ones. And it was FUN! While I can’t go into details (what happens in at the Sandbothe’s stays at the Sandbothe’s), I can say the evenings were full of lively conversation, games of chance and skill (though the skill part degraded as the night grew old), and Irish dancing (oh, you had to see it to believe it)!

Overheard:
“What struck me about the clinic was how much fun it was. It was not just about sheep dogging, but also about building a community of great friends who support each other.”

“The journey of what you once were and who you are now becoming is where the Dance of Life really takes place – Barbara DeAngelis”

Heatherhope Farm Clinic

April 26-29 Gordon Watt Clinic Part of a Rich Tradition
By: John Seraphine

Here at Heatherhope Farm, near Sycamore, Illinois, we have hosted Gordon Watt sheepdog clinics since 2007. The last several years we have hosted two four-day clinics a year, both in late April and early November. In all that time we have built a solid core of regulars, and we have welcomed newcomers to both the world of sheepdogs and to Gordon’s approach to training, and it has been a delight to see dogs and handlers improve, and everyone going away wanting more.

This year’s clinic, April 26-29 was no exception. Eighteen students, of every level of experience, gathered from Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin. We had two students whose dogs were practically raw to sheep work. Their owners soon discovered what all of Gordon’s regulars know, that it is essential to keep a dog away from a small round pen and into an open field—especially when they can start out with a master of sheep-dog-handler choreography such as Gordon. Dogs that were running helter-skelter and scattering the sheep one moment were soon finding themselves in a comfort zone where they could feel their sheep, listen and learn. These new students went away committed to following up with Gordon and helping their dogs rise to their potential.

Another thing Gordon’s regulars have learned is that he is uniquely dedicated to seeing each of his students improve, and he is wonderfully gifted in helping people polish their more experienced dogs. Once students adjust to Gordon’s Irish ways of kidding, and his often colorful language, they understand that he is helping them see the big picture of where there dog is now, where it is going down the road, and what they need to do to help and not hinder the journey.

An obvious bonus with our clinics is that the community of students that has coalesced has developed a grand personality all its own. My wife Connie lays out the food for breakfasts, snacks, and lunch; and we do dinner together with Gordon most evenings. The banter is always laced with both laughter and genuine insight into dogs, shepherding, competition, and many other miscellaneous things. And the regulars among us are so comfortable and confident that they easily keep newcomers from being strangers for more than a few seconds. Time and again we hear, “Thank you for making me feel like I belong.”

Dogs, sheep, learning, caring conversation: what more could you want? Thank you, Gordon, and thank you clinic participants, for helping to build a rich and rewarding clinic tradition at Heatherhope Farm.

Heatherhope Farm.

Private Lessons

Missouri Clinic, April 2018 By: Carol Wanta

April 26-29 Gordon Watt Clinic Part of a Rich Tradition By: John Seraphine

Missouri Clinic, April 2018
By: Carol Wanta

April 26-29 Gordon Watt Clinic Part of a Rich Tradition
By: John Seraphine