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Dates to remember: Our last Dog Jumping show will be on3 November and we will run a double IPO weekend, in Bulawayo on 23 & 24 November. Note these days in your diary.

London: The two-year-old Labrador Todd has saved his own life by swimming 16 kilometres, after he, at the north point of the island of Wight, was washed off the boat of his owner. For six hours long he struggled through the ice-cold sea and the bay of Southampton on Water, where he landed, not far from his hometown. A passer by took the totally exhausted dog to the police, who thanks to the microchip's details, found out where the dog belonged. When the police took the animal to his home, the sad and stressed owner arrived at same time. He had been looking, for hours at sea, for his animal, and finally had given up hope ever finding him again.

Shows: 3 & 4 August. Pippa qualified excellent in CD, Xobi also qualified. Kelly qualified TD 2.
We had three tracks on the Saturday and four on Sunday. It was so nice to see two competitors, Pam and Ann, coming from Bulawayo to participate.

Farewell:
We had a farewell tea for Guy Houghton, who has packet his bags, wife and dogs to Naysna and we hope he will have a good time. Perhaps Guy will find a club to continue his success with 'Bess'. Do keep in contact Guy and all the best from all of us at Working Trials, we will miss you.

With acknowledgement to the Border Collie Club of Great Britain.

I was born in the summer a few years ago, quite why I was born, I'll never know.
Some folks owned by Mother, decided to breed; no reason I know of except for their greed.
I know I was hungry, I know I was cold; they sold me quite early at just five weeks old.
My number one owners seemed friendly at first, and life was quite good till my bubble burst.
They started to argue, their marriage split up, and in went the advert; "For sale - 4 month pup".
Some more folk arrived, the next ones in line, they treated me kindly and life was just fine.
But Master dropped dead, and she couldn't cope, so she sold me again (I'll soon give up hope!)
I now had a new home right up in the sky; we went up in the lift fourteen floors high.
The new folk were kind but they left me all day; I was bursting to wee and had nowhere to play.
It was boredom, I think, when I chewed up that chair; they agreed I should go, as it just wasn't fair.
The next home was good and I thought, "This is it"; they started to show and I won…. well, a bit.
Then somebody told them that I had no bone and in went the advert:" For sale - to a good home".
The next lot were dreadful; they wanted a guard, but I didn't know how, although I tried hard.
One night they got burgled and I didn't bark, tied up in that shed all alone in the dark.
For four months I lay in that cold, dark shed, with only an old paper sack for a bed.
A small dish of water all slimy and green; the state I was in, well, it had to be seen.
I longed for destruction, an end to the pain, but some new people came and I went off again.
Well now I'm with Rescue and this home is good, there's walks in the country and lots of good food.
There's kisses and cuddles to greet me each day, and I dread the time they will send me away.
But for now here I stand, skin and bone on all fours, PLEASE…. don't let "ME" happen to any of yours!

Do you know that a simple "HELLO" can be a sweet one? I received one recently from my friend, in an e-mail she sent to me. Here's what she wrote: The word "HELLO" means:

H = How are you?
E = Everything all right?
L = Like to hear from you.
L = Love to see you soon!
O = Obviously, I miss you...
So, HELLO! It has made me smile every time I say hello since then...

From: JEAN PARSONS

As a butcher is shooing a dog from his shop, he sees $10 and a note in his mouth, reading: "10 lamb chops, please." Amazed, he takes the money, puts a bag of chops in the dog's mouth, and quickly closes the shop.

He follows the dog and watches him wait for a green light, look both ways, and trot across the road to a bus stop. The dog checks the timetable and sits on the bench. When a bus arrives, he walks around to the front and looks at the number, then boards the bus. The butcher follows, dumbstruck.

As the bus travels out into the suburbs, the dog takes in the scenery. After awhile he stands on his back paws to push the "stop" button, then the butcher follows him off.

The dog runs up to a house and drops his bag on the stoop. He goes back down the path, takes a big run, and throws himself -Whap! - against the door. He does this again and again. No answer. So he jumps on a wall, walks around the garden, beats his head against a window, jumps off, and waits at the front door. A big guy opens it and starts cursing and pummelling the dog.

The butcher runs up screams at the guy: "What the hell are you doing? This dog's a genius!"
The owner responds, "Genius? I don't think so ...... it's the second time this week he's forgotten his key!"