DOB: 1/10/06

OFA: Hips - Good, Elbows - Normal

Eyes: Clear 10/08

Full dentition/Level bite

MDR1: Normal/Mutant

HCT: Clear - AC1212

Height: 21 3/4"

Weight: 50 lbs.

As a puppy, Roper looked like a debonair little gentleman all decked out in his tuxedo. Then he went home with Karen, and it was a different story. I got a "call" from Jake and Jasper to ask me why I had sent the "pita" boy to their house!! It had been a nice orderly life until then. Now they had to put up with an over-zealous ear washer, and a kid that never wanted to just lie down and relax!

Still an avid ear washer, Roper is maturing into a very well mannered and well rounded dog. Training in agility, obedience, rally and the conformation ring, has kept Karen and Roper pretty busy these days. After learning some of the basics in obedience, and with just a few run throughs on a rally course, Roper and Karen entered their first AKC Rally trial at the 2007 Salt City Cluster. They received 3 qualifying scores that weekend to earn Roper's RN, and subsequently a ranking as the #10 Aussie in Rally Novice in the country for that month! That's not bad for a youngster just a little over a year, and just a tad of training!

The fall of 2007, Roper and Karen headed down to New Jersey for the 2007 ASCA Nationals. Handled by Marlene Slade, Roper placed an impressive 2nd out of 8 in American Bred at one of the pre-shows, and 3rd in American Bred at Nationals.

Not long after his 2nd birthday, he was back at the 2008 Salt City Cluster, where 3 high scoring Q's garnered him an NJP. This excellent performance culminated in a 2008 JWW Preferred 20" High Point Award, a national award given annually by USASA, an AKC affiliate. Roper's picture will be published in the Sept-Oct issue of The Australian Shepherd Journal.

Expertly presented in the conformation ring by Stephanie Winters, Roper went WD/BOW under Judge Clemente for a 5 pt. major in ASCA at the 2008 Heart of NY ASC Spring Has Sprung show. Then at a 2009 AKC show in Chesapeake, VA, under Judge Anitra Cuneo, he took WD/BOW for a 3 pt. major.

A busy, multi-tasking boy, Roper also helps Karen with her 4 H grooming and handling classes by working with some of the children that don't have dogs of their own. He has been a very biddable dog for even the pee wee handlers. He is certainly quite an amazing dog, whose days of competition are just beginning.