Welcome to IHDA! We are a group of people throughout Iowa who work our dogs in real life and at trials. All breeds are welcome and we have members at all levels of competition and work.

Iowa Herding Dog Association membership is open to anyone interested in herding/stock work. There are 3 types of memberships available:

• Single: $15/yr (1 vote)
• Family: $20/yr (2 votes)
• Junior: $5/yr (no vote)

Membership benefits:

• Members Receive the IHDA Newsletter
• At present IHDA members get a $5 discount on many IHDA sponsored events. More benefits are in the works!

Would you like to join?  Click the link to the Membership Form!!! (or it can be accessed via the Forms page)

ANNOUNCEMENTS- 

For current information please go to the new homepage www.iowastockdog.com

• 12-6-09 Newsletter

  Wishing everyone Happy Holidays!!! 

  The process is beginning to compile the next issue of the IHDA/ISDA newsletter.  If anyone has classified ads or articles about events they have participated in or if you just want to share what is going on at home on the farm please forward them on to me at the following email address:  debbieihda@cs.com   Part 2 of Operant Conditioning will be included.

  I wanted to take a moment to welcome our new members:

    Doug & Tracey Beckman of Burlington, Iowa

    Vernon & Marsha Spykerman of Sibley, Iowa

  The date is set for the Winter Warm up Cattle Dog and Sheep Dog trial that will be produced by John Holman and held near Elkhorn Nebraska (just outside of Omaha) is January 16th & 17th, 2010.  Contact John Holman with any questions:   john.dog4ewe@windstream.net.  We had a great time at this past years trial, the arena is awesome and easy to get to, highway the entire way from Des Moines right to to gates of the facility.  Now we just keep our fingers crossed for good weather.  This trial with be the first qualifying trial for the 2010 Open Finals that Bob Johnson is coordinating, more details on the finals are forthcoming.

  I wanted to make everyone aware of a really good book that we had been referred to by Nichole Rhodes editor of the Working Stockdog Journal, it is "Working Sheep Dogs - A Practical Guide to Breeding, Training and Handling by Tully Williams.  Tully is a breeder and stockmen from Australia.  At first glance the book appears to be focused on Border Collies, but upon reading the book you discover that his insights pertains to any breed of working stock dog and he applies a Low Stress Livestock Handling approach.  We ordered the book from Amazon, a companion DVD is also available, it can be ordered directly from Tully at www.campaspeworkingdogs.com 

  On a different note, if anyone is feeding Kent Native Dog Food or is interested in feeding Kent Native, Theisen's offers a discount when purchasing 10 bags.  Normal price is $39.95 for the 40 lb bag, the discount price is $32.00, a great savings.  It is well worth getting together with other people that feed Native to take advantage of this savings.

  We have also noticed that Theisen's offers special pricing approx. twice a year, just a few weeks ago Native was available for $29.95 per bag, watch the Theisen's Sale Flyers for this special.

  Also, anyone that is breeding working dogs and produces 3 litters a year may qualify for the Native Performance Breeders Program, benefits include Native supplying breeders with Puppy Start-up Kits including a sample to send home with your pups, they also offer a "Buy 10 get one Free" program by sending in proof of purchase symbols.  The Puppy Start -up Kits are a great value, it consists of a Pocket Folder with $10.00 coupon for Native Dog Food, Product Information, Care Guide and Immunization Chart.  Dividers are also provided to easily file nutrition, breed and lineage information.

  To find out more about Native Dog Food and Performance Breeders Program go to www.Nativedogfood.com

   Hope to see everyone in Elkhorn, Nebraska next month!!!

   Deb

• 9-3-09 - Club Newsletter and Website updates

The current point standings have been posted over the IHDA website, please review your points and let me know if I have made any errors.

Also, we are in the process of organizing the next newsletter, if you have any articles or photos that you would be willing to share please forward them on to me before September 10th.  All club members are also welcome to submit classified ads which can also be posted on the website.

Just a reminder to begin thinking about renewing your memberships, any memberships received after September 1st, 2009 will also be for the 2010 season, the current list of paid members along with a link to the membership form can be found on the forms page of the IHDA.net website.  I am going to be going through the membership list and will be purging e-mail addresses from this mailing list that are not current members.  If you are not a current member and would like to continue to receive updates please consider renewing your membership. 

We have some new and exciting things that are in the works for the 2010 season, there has been discussion in regards to producing a Cattle and Sheep Finals for the top Open dogs for 2010.  If anyone is interested in producing a sanctioned trial or know of an event that would like a trial produced please contact myself or Bob Johnson 641-340-5409

I would like to welcome our new members:

Tom & Shirley Damewood from Milan, Missouri (6-29-09)

Murray Ketteler from Blunt, South Dakota (9-1-09)

On a final note, we have two terms that are expiring this year on the IHDA Board of Directions, myself and Heidi Frazer.  If anyone would like to serve a term or know of someone that would be willing to serve please submit a nomination along with a note of acceptance and a biography from the person you are nominating.

Deb Meier

President

• 7-8-09 - New Cattle Trial, IHDA/ISDA Sanctioning Pending!!!

Here is a link to the flyer for the Keith County Fair Cattle Dog Trial which will be held Thursday Evening August 13th in Ogallala, Nebraska.  John Holman will be producing this trial, it is also sanctioned with USBCHA and NSDA.  

http://waynescustomleather.com/2009TrialFlyers/keith%20county%20fair.htm

The flyer should also be available at IHDA.net on the Events Page.

• 6-25-09 - North Iowa Fair Entry - Call for Volunteers

• 6-17-09 - Adel Thank You and Update -

The Iowa Sheep and Wool Festival trial was great fun! Wayne and Deb worked their hearts out to put it all together. Bob supplied the sheep and made up fun/challenging courses for all three levels. A HUGE thanks to all that helped work the trial to keep it running, especially the stock handlers!
 

It was nice to see Joanna and Julia from MN and Nyle from MO round out the entries for a total of 29 runs, including a junior handler that did a super job. Watch out for Andrew Davis, Mike's son, as he handles Sugar in future trials; it's a treat!
 

Jeta and I made a mess of our first P/N run, struggling to drive and steer at the same time without flipping the sheep back. Ecko, my dog with the world's weakest outrun, managed to get around her sheep sent from my feet(...the part I fretted most about) Together we put her sheep thru the three obstacles in under the five minute course time. Even with our messy pen work we eked out a win in the novice class.
 

Wayne debuted with Jake (the same dog that Deb trained and ran in Novice last year) in Open and laid down a beautiful, calm, smooth run that might have won the class if they had only managed to complete the shed on the first try! Deb also had a very nice run with Vicki her newly acquired, old veteran dog in P/N. Bob won the lion's share of the awards in Open with Tip and Paws taking first and second place. Deb will have to post the actual results...that's as far as my memory stretches. Congrats to ALL!!!   
Mary
P.S. Thanks to Deb for sharing her dog's food with mine. I had drove off without any!
 

Thank you,  Mary for giving everyone a great update!!!  Wayne's got his work cut out for him trying to figure out how to operate Jake's shed buttons, it will be interesting to see how long it takes for him to get the hang of it.
 
I wanted to take the time to thank everyone that came out to help out and support the club, especially those that were not running a dog, we couldn't have done it without you.  Also, a huge thank you to everyone that entered with their dogs and Bob for bringing sheep, no dogs, no sheep, no trial..  The demonstrations on Saturday afternoon and Sunday were a big hit, we already have been contacted to produce demonstrations at another Iowa festival, these demonstration help to bring in new members and may over time develop into another location and time to produce a trial.
 
I won't be seeing everyone this weekend, I need to man the farm while Wayne is at the cattle trial (s), but hopefully look forward to Tingley, if I can find a ride... anyone heading South to Tingley on Sunday morning, Wayne is planning on leaving Saturday with the dogs, I need to stay here to do chores.  This kinda stinks when both of us are wanting to trial over the weekend, oh well, last year I got to go, this year he does.
 
Deb
 

• 6-9-09 Website Updates and Newsletter -

  First off I want to apologize to anyone that has not been getting updated information about club events, if anyone has heard of a member that is not in the loop please have them contact me.

  Also, I am trying something new on the IHDA.net website, there is an "Announcement" area on the home page, I will be placing e-mails  that I send out to the membership in case there in the instance that someone is getting missed.  My list of "rejected" e-mails keeps getting longer and longer as members change their accounts, at this time I have been unable to keep up with all the changes.  I am hoping that utilizing the Announcement section of the website will take care of this issue.  I don't want anyone to feel like they are being excluded from club functions, everyone is welcome, if you have been missed correspondence wise it was due to oversight alone.

  Now, the newsletter, Steve just contacted me today, the printer is assuring us that it was sent yesterday, June 8th.  The delay was due to scheduling conflicts at the printers.  We will be looking for a new place to have the future newsletters printed, if anyone has any suggestions please let me know.  I will also have extra newsletters at Adel if anyone has not received theirs by that time.  Email:  Waynescustomleather@yahoo.com

• 6-8-09 Call for Volunteers!!! -

  Please be at the fairground horse arena at 8am, we will need to get the course set up and go over the scoring, point system and set out requirements with volunteers.  We also need help with the office work (announcing, taking entries, posting scores, timing and keeping tract of points)
   
  Also, if anyone is available Friday afternoon/evening to help set up the demonstration area let me know, if I have help I am considering hauling the demonstration sheep in on Friday, bring a dog and we can do a little practicing.  E-mail waynescustomleather@yahoo.com

   

   

• 6-8-09 We need you!!! Trial Entries North Iowa Fair - Saturday July 25th -

  ISDA will be hosting a point/time sheep trial at the North Iowa Fair in Mason City, Iowa on Saturday July 25th, start time will be 11:00 am.  I am hoping the later start time will give people the opportunity to start their travels a little later in the morning.  From Mason City we will move on to the Adair County Fair in Greenfield, Iowa for the Sunday trial hosted by Curtis Dukes.
   
  I will be getting the entry forms posted to the IHDA.net website within the week.  Please drop me a note if you plan on attending so that I can get an idea of numbers and the number of sheep we will need to secure.  Also, if there is enough interest we could run the annual duck trial after the sheep trial at Mason City.  We will need a minimum of 3 entries/class in order to offer any 1 of the three classes (Open, Pro-Novice or Novice).  Questions:  E-mail waynescustomleather@yahoo.com

   

• Notice to all Handlers and Event Holders, as of January 1, 2009 IHDA has implemented a new Trial and Event Guideline.

  We will have a new system for calculating year end points among other changes.

  Link to Guideline:  Guidelines for IHDA Trials and Events

Next Meeting:
TBA