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V • --T I<br />
Stockdog Cdrnef<br />
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Terry Martin • Rt.'2,-Box 66, Hico, TX76457 • ph. (254)785-2047 • SIashv@htcorhp.net<br />
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7 am typing this with one finger and Just<br />
don't have the energy to write very much<br />
afier breaking my collarbone night before<br />
last. I asked my friend Norm Andrews to<br />
write a little somethingfor this column as I<br />
didn7 want it left outofthe Times. I enjoyed<br />
his thoughts and think you will, too. Hope<br />
to be two-handed and offpain pills before<br />
the next deadline!<br />
-Terry<br />
Hello<br />
By<br />
to Everyone!<br />
way of introduction,Iam<br />
a fifth-generation Nebraska<br />
cattleman and farmer. I never<br />
miss a chance to tell people that<br />
my family may never have gotten rich, but<br />
we have gotten by, and made a livin' at it<br />
for a long time now. My wife, Bonnie, and<br />
I run about 150 cow calfpairs, background<br />
the calves, and raise com, soybeans, and<br />
alfalfa. We've been married for almost 33<br />
years, raised three kids, have six-and-ahalf<br />
grandkids—and all of that wouldn't<br />
be possibleif we didn't useAussiesto work<br />
the cattle. Somebody would have left by<br />
now or been shot trying to sort cattle if we<br />
didn't use the dogs. There are just some<br />
things you can yell at your dog that you<br />
can't say to your wife!<br />
In 33 years of marriage our family<br />
has taken three vacations. That is, if you<br />
count the bus trip from Omaha to Baton<br />
Rougewith 18peopleand 17dogsback in<br />
1998 to the GulfCoast Stock Dog Futurity.<br />
That was a great time, but my wife doesn't<br />
always count it as a vacation.<br />
On one of our other "two-day"<br />
vacations when the kids were small, we<br />
stayed overnight with my sister's family<br />
wheremy brother-in-law reservedus meal<br />
94 AUSSIE TIMES I <strong>July</strong>-<strong>Aug</strong>ust <strong>2005</strong><br />
tickets and covered wagon rides around<br />
Chimney Rock at Bayard, Nebraska. I<br />
complained privately about spending so<br />
much money for the campfire steak dinners<br />
and the sing-along for the kids, but it was<br />
great.<br />
a<br />
If you will take<br />
few minutes to<br />
write your story<br />
down and send it to<br />
Terry Martin at the<br />
"Stock Dog Corner",<br />
i'm betting that you<br />
are authentic.<br />
The best part of it all was after we<br />
watched the host and owner hitch his<br />
mules and load all of the guests into the<br />
covered wagons, he pulled out ofthe yard,<br />
stopped the wagons at the gate and asked<br />
the passengers if they wanted the threemile<br />
authentictrip, or the three-mile tourist<br />
version. To a person, everyone voted for<br />
the authentic trip! With a hearty chuckle,<br />
the wagon master ordered everyone "Out<br />
of the Wagons". "On the real Oregon<br />
Trail you walked! All of your worldly<br />
possessions were loaded in this wagon,<br />
and there was no room for riders!" We all<br />
walked about a quarter- mile to the sign<br />
warning ofrattlesnakes, andrecommending<br />
hiking boots and long jeans, when there<br />
was enoughbeggingfrom the peoplewith<br />
shorts and sandals that we all were allowed<br />
back into the wagons for the rest ofthe trip<br />
with a new appreciation for the pioneers<br />
who came before us risking so much to<br />
make our lives better.<br />
So, where are you with your stock dog?<br />
Are you on the authentic trip following in<br />
the path of the pioneers before you, or are<br />
you on the tourist trip enjoying the view,<br />
and living in the luxury that others before<br />
you made possible, just waiting for that<br />
steak dinner?<br />
Just who were these stockmen and<br />
women who developed these wonderful<br />
working dogs and when did they evolve<br />
into the helpmates and companions that we<br />
have today? Are the dogs of today as good<br />
as those ofold, or is it just that all dogs are<br />
better after they're dead? Following are<br />
some situations that may help you decide<br />
where you fit in.<br />
If:<br />
You have one great dog that you love<br />
and who loves you back, you're probably<br />
authentic.<br />
You have six great dogs, and own four<br />
ewes and six ducks to play with on<br />
Sunday, you 're probably a tourist<br />
Youhave everjumped overthe fenceand<br />
used your hat to beat back a bull that has<br />
yourdogpinnedagainstthefence, you're<br />
probably authentic.<br />
You have left the gate to save your dog<br />
and let 100 calves get away on working<br />
day, you 're probably a tourist.<br />
Your dog has come under the fence to<br />
save you from that mother cow as you<br />
carryher calf to the shed, he's probably<br />
authentic.
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