Prescott Valley Tribune

Thursday, December 11, 2008

by Heidi Dahms-Foster

Megan Sims sits with her dogs Gracee and Ziggy. She took the top prize at the Australian Shepherd Nationals in Las Vegas Nov. 15 with a dog she shows for a New Mexico woman.
 

TribPhoto/Heidi Dahms Foster

 

Dewey teen Megan Sims, 15, was so successful at November's Australian Shepherd Club of America National Specialty in Las Vegas that her dad, Central Yavapai firefighter Mike Sims, jokingly asked her to carry a $20 bill for awhile so he could go and gamble with it.

Megan brought home the big prize - Best in Specialty Show - with Sirius, an Australian Shepherd she handles for a New Mexico woman.

Megan grew up showing horses, but for her first 12 years, she never had a memory without her Aussie, Panda. Her mother Dawna trains and trials herding dogs, and Megan began to show dogs in 4-H. She started junior conformation handling in ASCA only three years ago, after a friend convinced her she should try it after seeing her participate in 4-H. Megan was such a natural that she quickly became a popular choice to handle local breeders' dogs, and finished championships on several of them.

She became so successful at trialing her herding dogs and showing in conformation that she won the ASCA's national All Around Junior award for the past two years.

At Nationals, she competed against many of the top Australian Shepherds in the nation in herding, obedience, agility trials, and conformation.

She began her week with several wins in Nationals warmup shows, including a Best in Specialty Show on the dog that would win the Nationals, and a High-in-Trial award with her junior handling dog, Ziggy.

Then she hit the herding rings in a rather distinctive fashion. She came out of the conformation ring as judges were calling her cattle herding run, with no time to change clothes. She donned her cowboy boots and jacket over her tailored show suit, and entered the arena with Cory, a little black Aussie she got from Chino Valley breeder Debbe Dolson.

Megan and Cory proved their teamwork by taking first place in what was Cory's first-ever trial on cattle. He also won first place in his duck herding run, and qualified on his sheep herding run, giving him and Megan top combined awards.

Megan continued her winning ways on the agility obstacle courses, with her dog Gracee. She also added another High in Trial in Junior Obedience with Ziggy.

Her Nationals accomplishments also included a Premier award and a third place in the Altered Finals (a category for neutered or spayed dogs) with Ziggy.

At the end of the week, she added the prestigious Nationals Most Versatile Junior to her growing list of awards.

Megan's ability to connect and draw out the best in each dog she shows was evident on the final night of Nationals.

"She is a natural," said Maggie Gulledge of Prescott, the friend who originally convinced Megan to show in conformation.

Best of Breed competition, which included approximately 180 dogs, began at 9 a.m. that morning. Megan and Sirius survived several "cuts" (eliminations) and when they made the final one, she knew she had accomplished her goal for Nationals, a Premier award for Sirius.

When the final dogs entered the ring on Saturday evening, Dawna said, "the air was electric."

The judge awarded his Premier dogs, and then left in the ring was Megan and Sirius and a beautiful little female Aussie, ranked first in the nation, and her handler.

When the judge handed her the winning ribbon and Megan finally realized she had won Best in Show, she started laughing and crying all at once, she said. Her group of family and friends in the stands erupted.

"We were all screaming and crying," said Dawna. "It was wild. It was a fairy tale."

Gulledge was also in the stands to see her protégé take the big win.

"Megan made all of us in Arizona proud - no one could believe me when I told them she was only 15 and started really showing dogs in 4H," she said.

Megan said she was excited that her entire family - Mike, Dawna and brother Tyler, were there to share the moment with her.

After her big night, she said, "I've never been so tired in my entire life!"

Although she can't imagine topping this Nationals, Megan said she's ready to move on to new goals.

One thing she's careful to say, however, is a big thanks to those who have helped her along the way to her dreams - her parents, the many friends who have entrusted her with their dogs, the people who have taken the time to give her tips on handling and training, and those who have cheered her on.

"I couldn't have done it without them," she said.
 

Megan Sims shows Australian Shepherd Sirius at Prescott in September. She won the Aussie Nationals with the same dog in November.
TribPhoto/Heidi Dahms Foster