Ah Echo. My little lure coursing machine. I often tell Ken that she’s my once in a lifetime dog. I don’t know that I’ll ever have the good fortune to own a dog like her. Natural ability, sound build, nice feet and the heart of a champion. She has brought me to tears more than once when she runs…She’s just an amazing athlete who puts everything on the field each time she runs. She’s not a speed demon and she may not be the most agile, but her heart and drive is bigger than her little 50 lb frame.

Nearing the age of 6, it’s hard for an ‘older’ hound to be as competitive as the younger, fresher dogs. Someone forgot to tell Echo that though. She brought her A game last weekend and left the field with a 2d place finish on Saturday (forfeit in a three way tie for Field Champion) and a Best in Field win on Sunday. After taking about a year off from lure coursing and coming back at almost 6, I really thought this season would be fun runs. I would enjoy watching her run and she’d enjoy running. We certainly have had that! But she’s brought a level of competition that I didn’t know she still had in her. To say I’m proud and awed and humbled is an understatement.

Not only do I immensely enjoy watching her run, but she’s such a pleasure to spend the day with on the field. She can calmly watch a course in progress, having learned that her turn to run will come. She settles in the x-pen quickly and I can leave her without worrying she’ll try to escape or drive the neighboring cars nuts with a lot of barking.  She’s just a pleasure from beginning to end. My once in a lifetime girl.

All photos on this page are courtesy of Uma Rapiti Photography. Reprints are available from their site.

A nail biting moment as Echo (pink) and Cole (yellow) bunched up heading into the first turn. Wicked is in the background in blue

Her Best in Field final run with the very handsome Saluki, Pyr

Her Best in Field Trophy “stacked” photo…I imagine it’s a lot easier to get a stacked picture from a show dog!

Popularity: 89% [?]