I believe great dogs, touch many people's lives in one way or another.
"Val" is one of those dogs, whom walked into a room, and made his presence known.

My late husband Roger used to say "Val is the MAN" and I believe he was right.

There is a song, by Garth Brooks called "The Dance"
I believe my family would all agree, we would have never missed the dance with "Val"

We lost our Val just shy of his 14th birthday. On May 16th, 2003, Val left our hands, and went on we believe to a better place. My son Trevor, says "Val" is now with his dad and his daughter "Bat". I believe Trevor feels he is playing ball with his dad. I know his soul may be gone, but his presence is felt everywhere in our home.

"Val" came to us as his third home. Half way to his OTCH we had to retire him due to a severe injury........... It is that injury we believe that took him from us this Friday.

I would like to take this time, to thank his breeder Donna Polka of Hidden Valley Border Collies. Mere words will never express how thankful my family is to her for breeding him. I know Donna still has Val's sister Ellie. Donna and I had some dreams of red babies out of him.........I guess that just was not meant to be. But Donna, our family can never express our gratitude to you....."Val" was to us the perfect example of loyalty to his family, kindness and biddability to his sheep, gentle with our kids.......unbelievable work ethic.........

"Val" progeny says it all. 2002 Delaney System shows what "Val" kids can do............. three of his offspring our in the top ten Border Collies, and his son "Beep" is in the top 10 Herding Breeds.............

For those of you that have his kids...........I hope they give you even just half of the love that Val gave us. My father, who rarely sheds a tear, found the loss of Val this past week, unbearable.

I whispered into "Val's" ear before he left us to "remember how much is he loved, to tell Roger how much we miss him, and to make sure he watches over his two daughters "Bat" and "Trigger"............. He licked my face, laid his head into my palms and closed his eyes.............I believe he understood everything I told him.

For those of you who loved him and adored him, we can remember him with his gorgeous prance, proud flowing white main...............fast retrieves, unbelievable drive.............loyalty to his work...........


Val............if I would have know this time would have come, and knew what I know now, I still would have never missed our "dance"

Thank you "Val" for coming into our lives.........and thank you Donna for breeding him.

Special note to Nirel Katz: Nirel thank you for being a sounding board on Friday. I felt you felt my pain, having two Val kids. Your friendship during Val's final hours.....meant more to me than I will ever be able to express. I will always see "Val" in Gracie and Crook........and I know you feel the same.

Maureen Schultz Tobias
of
Wildfire Border Collies, Lake Forest, IL