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Presented by Tom Coen
October 6 and 7, 2007
Article by Sue Atwood
Pictured above: A great turnout for The Quest For Quality Seminar in Auburn, WA, Oct. 6 and 7.
 Forty-three eager souls converged on Argus Ranch in Western Washington last weekend in the hopes of gleaning some small bit of wisdom and direction from TomCoen’s program The Quest for Quality. Students of both Shelties and Collies came from as far away as Alaska, Illinois and Florida to witness what may well be the most comprehensive compilation of Sheltie history and ancestry available today. To those of you unable to attend, I am so sorry you missed it! Watch for the next opportunity.
Hosted by the Evergreen State Shetland Sheepdog Club, and spearheaded by its members Nancy Bullat and Cindy Wilson, the event went off without a hitch. The grounds were well laid out,with overnight accommodations on site – both dormitory style rooms and RV spaces, the food spectacular and acoustics great without the need for microphones. We even had some sun – and in the Northwest, that’s a bonus this time of year!
Pictured above right: Two Contenders in the Virtue Match -- Below right: The conversation continues even during a break for refreshments
 Over the course of the two days Tom took his audience on a journey from the breed’s beginnings on the rugged and unforgiving Shetland Islands to modern times. Throughout the first day’s slide presentation, we were reminded of the qualities brought to modern-day Shelties by their ancestors, and how they came together to make the breed what it is today. (The Collie people, of course, delighted with every mention of “Teena”!) With every step, Tom challenged attendees to judge on virtues – not faults, to study and analyze where they were going with the breed, and even more so – to understand where they had been.
A selected panel was made up of successful Sheltie breeder/enthusiasts with a combined experience of nearly 125 years. They shared their thoughts by answering probing questions posed by Tom. The depth and breadth of Tom’s knowledge of the breed amazed the audience at every turn, as he encouraged them to re-examine their knowledge of the breed and to continue learning with every step of the journey. Over the course of the day this attendee, at least, found greater understanding of the ideal Sheltie that inhabits my mind’s eye.
Pictured above: The panel discussion . . . Barb Aubach, Judy Decker, Karen Parker and Judy Lowe --
Below right: Seminar participants celebrated with cake
Day two was our chance to bring the words of the standard to life with the Virtue Match. With classes for head profile, skull, muzzle, expression, outline, front, rear and sidegait, the Standard was broken down piece by piece and discussed in detail. Two experienced breeders were chosen as the primary judges, with a different guest judge being included for each class. Judges were asked to explain what they were looking for and the reason for their method of examination.  Participants were able to get hands-on when a virtue of particular note was presented. The specimens possessing the greatest virtue were singled out and each class had an eventual winner who best demonstrated that particular section of the Standard. This virtue approach reinforced Mr. Coen’s lesson of recognizing and appreciating the strengths of your own dogs AND those of others as well, rather than dwelling on faults.
In wrapping up the seminar, Tom asked each attendee what they were taking away from the seminar. In various ways, some with a deep sense of emotion, everyone seemed to have a greater respect for how the breed came to be – and for the tremendous journey it has made in such a short time. As Karen Parker, of Trilight Shelties, so aptly pointed out, “a truly spectacular specimen is a gift to the breed, and when you find it – it’s breathtaking, simply breathtaking.” From the comments heard after the seminar’s conclusion, there are forty-three souls who can still have their breath taken away by this breed – and they are all out there onThe Quest for Quality.
Thank you, Tom, for seeing us off on this journey.
Pictured below: The Judges and the day's class winners
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