When Easy and I first began trialing, it was very common to hear the handlers screaming commands out at their dogs. People use to guess if I somehow was giving commands to Easy secretly during his runs. I never was asked directly, so I never answer the comments.

The people that though Easy was mechanically taking commands were hard pressed to answer the question: "What command? ". So the formation of the Magic handler theory was put into place. It went something like: they didnot know how but I was controlling the dog and the dog the stock and that's why the smooth runs. So... it must be magic.

Another group, understanding what Easy was doing, nicknamed him "Mr. Easy". The groupies that literally followed us from trial to trial had during that time, appreciated the way he dominated tough stock quickly without scattering them and usually without help from me.

Later a student away at a training camp was in a discussion with the confused group. Having attended my classes for a couple of years, he was entertained as they groped around for answers as to how we did it. Not willing to believe my student that Easy had an innate reading ability of livestock and a preference for perfection in his work. They decided on the Magic Handler Theory.

I was not there; this is what I was told went on at that campfire. Later it grew to..." you somehow got the only trained sheep in the trial". They never could tell me where the trained sheep were kept or why they never showed in rotation for the other runs. SO, it, the "Magic Handler Theory" in fact is folklore not fact, a figment of people's minds in an attempt at understanding something that they themselves do not.

Other comments over the years have been that I never let Easy get into trouble. My answer " He never got himself into anything that was trouble that he could not handle".

As is the case of folklore, you may choose to believe this story or not. I enjoy it because it does say so much about alot of things. For the answer is; there was truely magic between Easy and I. It showed in our work.

Jerry