Woolgather Farm -- Bess

ABC 34844
January 27, 1993-November 4, 2008

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Bonnie Bessie Logan, she's handsome, young, and fair,
Aye! the very wind that blows lingers in her hair.
She's lithesome, long, and lovely as she links* o'er the lea,
But bonnie Bessie Logan is ower young for me.

Bonnie Bessie Logan, the lads are at the stile,
And halfway up the loanin'** tae gain her winnin' smile.
I fain wad be amang them, but och! that cannae be,
For bonnie Bessie Logan is ower young for me.

(Bonnie Bessie Logan, a traditional song, words by Scottish poet Alexander Anderson (1845-1909),
sung by Scottish singer, Jean Redpath, from Jean Redpath Sings with kind permission)

(*To link: a Scottish word that means to walk smartly, to trip.)
(**Loaning: an open space between cultivated fields through which cattle are driven, and where the cows are sometimes milked; also, a lane.)

Left and above, Bess' sire,
Francis Raley's Imported Moss (ABC 24804)

Below, left and right, Bess' dam, Francis Raley's Imported Bess (ABC 32104)

Left, Bess at 6 months old and right, Bess at about 3 years old.

Bess was bred by Francis Raley of Crawford, Texas, and was born in 1993. She comes from imported Welsh working lines and she is currently my only real working dogs. She can herd both sheep and poultry, and she would herd the llama if he would let her. She is also very ball-crazy and is the only one of my dogs who has ever been able to consistantly catch a ball on the fly. She seems to watch where it's going and instinctively know where she will cross with its trajectory. Bess has earned her Canine Good Citizen (CGC) award and her Flyball Dog Excellent (FDX) title as well, and would have been a great flyball dog except that I started her at 5 years old and she could never manage the speed that was required for the sport. She is currently (2008) "retired" and celebrated her 15th birthday on January 27th of this year. Bess has an excellent temperament and is very sensitive and bidable. I always thought she was the perfect dog, for me, anyway, and originally thought I would breed her, but then I got involved with Border Collie rescue and decided that breeding and bringing more puppies into the world wasn't the best option. She has been my favorite of all the dogs I've ever had. The photos are in random order.