It is with heavy hearts that we tell you of the passing of "Banjo".

Banjo was kind of a surprise; his mother had finished whelping (or so we thought) and I left for work. Joan came out to stay with Daiquiri and her new babies, as she was a first time mom. All of a sudden Joan was helping with a puppy being born. She worked on Banjo for a long time to get him breathing on his own. A beautiful blue color, my son said, "that's my puppy" (he had been telling me that he wanted a puppy). When JC played "Led Zepplin" and Banjo curled up by the speaker and could have cared less, JC said, "he is definitely my dog"!

Banjo stayed.

He did not like the show ring, so never became a champion, but I trained him, and he earned his CD (1996) & HS (1997). Even though I trained him for agility, Tanya decided that she wanted to run him and they earned his NA (1998) and NAJ (1999). The double jump was his nemesis; he often dropped that back top bar to NQ on an otherwise perfect run. He taught her a lot as he was the first collie she ever ran.

His picture is on the cover of "A Celebration of The American Working Collie" by Cindy M. Dorsten. We did not know that his picture was there until I received a flyer advertising the book! I almost screamed, "it's Banjo, he is on the cover of the book" in surprise and excitement! The cover is a picture of him "smiling" going over an agility jump.

Banjo had a gentle spirit, kind and loving heart, a true Gentleman. He was a "puppy magnet" as all puppies loved to run and tug on him and he was very patient with them. He is greatly missed by us, but now is running with his mother and friends. Rest well dear friend you deserve the best.

Linda, Tanya & JC