Photo by Phyllis Askew
Kip
FMCH
May 12, 1988 - April 29, 2003
Kip was more like a very laid back golden retriever, who was stuck in a big, fluffy border collie body. He was very steady and consistent when he ran flyball. He just never understood the concept of “go as fast as you possibly can.”
In May 1989, Kip appeared on the David Letterman Show with the Front Runners (not Stupid Pet Tricks, we had a whole segment!). One month later he appeared on ESPN during a flyball tournament in Houston. They showed him running with his teammates Mac, Andy and Skye. We had a nice slow motion clip of him at the box-spit slowly flying as he caught the ball.
Kip spent most of his flyball career running with the Front Runners, but often found himself as the “back up dog,” and only ran if another, faster dog was injured. His slow but steady attitude was put to good use when he transferred to the Pedal Pushers team during a development period. Nothing seemed to phase him as rookie dogs and handlers honed their flyball skills under his tutelage. He did finally retire with from flyball with 15,573 points and the FMCh title to his name.
Kip also dabbled in agility and herding. But what he enjoyed most of all in life was a good cuddle. He would manage to get all 40+ pounds of himself onto my lap, and seemed convinced that that was where he belonged.
Kip managed to age fairly gracefully, and at 14+ years of age, he seemed to still be “a puppy in his mind.” Although his gait was uneven and shuffling, his eyes were still bright. Two weeks before his 15th birthday, a stroke took that away from him, and he passed over the Rainbow Bridge on April 29, 2003. No longer would his old dog body encumber him, his soul was free to run and play once more.
Kip was one of the kindest and most gentle dog souls that I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. He will always hold a special place in my heart.
Phyllis