There is one Border Collie that is my all-time favourite Ob.Ch/Sh.Ch Whenway Mist Of Wizaland the breed's only dual Champion. A bitch of character, with a strong sense of right and wrong. She didn't suffer fools gladly. If she accepted you as a friend, it was for life.
There are many words that have been used to describe Mist, (most of which are unmentionable) such as the canine mugger or the concrete dog; an accomplished thief, Christmas was a nightmare in the Large household. Nothing was safe. She once chewed a hole in the pocket of a jacket left over the back of a chair at North West Border Collie Open Show (there were titbits in it). We quietly removed Mist from under the chair and pretended that we knew nothing about it!
My first memory of Mist was many years ago at Lichfield DTS Championship Obedience Show. I saw Mist and Sue and stopped to congrattulate them on winning their first Obedience "ticket" a few days earlier. Mist had not yet made her mark in the breed ring.
Her last ticket obedience show was at Welsh Kennel Club when she was coming up to 11 years of age. I was not sure who was working who, but Mist did her heelwork "singing" all the way round, getting louder and louder the further she went. She did sendaway to a picnic hamper; she did all six Distance Control positions and was halfway across the ring before Sue had turned to face her, her three heelwork paces were fast, faster and "keep up mother, please.". Sue's face was a study. Mist's last open "C" was worked at the tender age of 12 - she was STILL OTT!! 
Once at a breed show at Bingley Hall, Stafford, Sue had brought Mist along and left her in the van. I went out to see her and say hello. The van was parked by the main ring on the lane at the bottom. There were sheep in the ring, all huddled up together on the far side by the main stand. I went to the van. Mist was in the drivers seat, staring through the window. I spoke to her. She ignored me, which was strange because she knew I always carried food. I spoke again just a sideways glance and then back to the job in hand. It was then that I realised that she had actually herded the sheep across the field from the front seat of the van so strong was her eye.
My most lasting memory, however, happened just a few months before she died. It was again at Bingley Hall in Stafford at an Open Breed Show. Sue had brought Mist along for a "day out". After we had finished showing, we took all our dogs for a run across the fields. Mist managed to find a hole in a fence and disappeared through it, taking all the other dogs with her. I went through the hole (and barbed wire) to fetch them back. Not Mist!!! Straight past the hole she went with me following her. The grin on Sue's face grew wider and wider. Mist (who was deaf by now - conveniently I thought) turned and spotted me with lead in hand and - with a very wicked grin and an "up yours" look - turned and ran! By this time Sue was laughing her socks off. I managed to catch her and slip the lead around her neck and brought her back. That was Mist.
A dog with real character and a wicked sense of humour and I am proud to own grandchildren of hers.
