Our Sunnybank Weekend

This year we once again attended The Gathering at Sunnybank.  But this year we proudly came home with exciting news!

Phoebe (left) and Maizie (right)

By the graves of some of the Sunnybank collies

My daughter and Grandson

On Saturday, both Maizie and Phoebe passed the Therapy Dog test!  They can both help fill all the requests we get for visits!  The ladies doing the testing gave me so many compliments on their wonderful temperaments.

Photo courtesy of Roseann Cyngier

On Sunday the Collie Health Foundation held their puppy match.  A match is different from a show, as it’s held just for fun and to help puppies learn how to compost future shows.  We brought both Rory and Morgan, and they did amazing on the long drive to Sunnybank.

Rory 

At the match, the girls made us so proud!  Before the official puppy match began, they hold a “Virtues Match.”  You can choose from Best Front, Best Rear, Best Gait, Best Expression, and a few others.  As collies are judged mainly on their beautiful expressions, a win under the  Best Expression judging is coveted.  And this year our beautiful Rory was awarded Best Expression by the respected panel of judges!

Morgan

Then during the official puppy match that followed the virtues match, our Morgan won 1st place in her age group by Judge Gerry Oliver! (And Rory came in 2nd, showing how similar and consistent these puppies are!) We were so excited and honored by these wins, and can’t wait to see what the future holds for these two beautiful puppies!

It was an unforgettable weekend for us, and one we will never forget!

Albert Payson Terhune and the Legacy of the Sunnybank Collies

Every year, during the 3rd weekend in August, collie lovers from near and far make the journey to Sunnybank.  They come to attend “The Gathering of Collies.”  Sunnybank was the home of famous author, Albert Payson Terhune, his wife, and their beloved collies.  Many collie lovers have spent countless hours enjoying the books written by Terhune about the adventures of his collies.  Of course some of the stories are fictional and some are true, but they were all based on the real collies of Sunnybank.  Lad, Bruce, Wolf, Grey Dawn, Jean and Treve, and many others, all romped and played on the banks of Sunnybank.  They swam in the waters of the “fire blue lake,” walked the grounds and snoozed on the veranda while the sun warmed their beautiful collie fur.

Photo courtesy of TSM

The Master and the Mistress are long gone, as are those legendary collies, but the grounds of Sunnybank remain. The property has been turned into a park, and collie lovers can walk the pathways, visit the graves of the famous Sunnybank collies, and get lost in the beauty of the past.  And during “The Gathering,” Sunnybank is once again filled with a multitude of beautiful collies, and a chorus of their joyful voices fills the air.  While the original Sunnybank collies are no longer with us, they are not completely lost to us.

The Sunnybank collies not only graced the pages of Terhune’s books, they became an important part of the history of the American collie.  All American bred collies are related to the Sunnybank collies if you look back far enough in their pedigrees.  I have traced my own collies pedigrees back to the Sunnybank Collies, but this year Krissy Marshall, of the Terhune Sunnybank Memorial, was offering to create a keepsake.  She traced our collies’ pedigrees back to the Sunnybank collies as a fundraiser for TSM.  I decided it would be a wonderful way to not only support TSM, but a great way to honor the collies I loved so much.

Peyton (and her puppies) & Addison

Rosie

Nolan

ZuZu

Fortunately we live close to Sunnybank, and this weekend we will be making the trek to Sunnybank.  On Saturday we will have two of our older collies with us, and on Sunday we will be bringing our puppies.  We will take lots of pictures, and write a post about our time there.  For those who want to learn more about Terhune, Sunnybank and the collies, I’ll link my previous posts below.  I also wanted to share our newest picture of the puppies, as they will be turning 7 weeks old tomorrow!

Morgan on the left, Rory is on the right

Sunnybank posts:

Our Visit to Sunnybank

The Gathering of Collies

Sunnybank Remembered

It All Started with a Book

The Gathering at Sunnybank

A Collie named Lassie, a Place called Sunnybank

Sunnybank Then and Niw, Always Beloved

It’s That Time of Year

Our visit to Sunnybank

We made the trek to Sunnybank, and it was just as special as all the past visits to the “collie Mecca.”  There were friends, laughter, the beautiful grounds, the fire blue lake…and the collies.  The excitement we feel as we turn onto the long driveway of Sunnybank never lessens, no matter how many times we visit.

The town, who maintains Sunnybank, made some big changes to the property.  They cleared many trees and growth from the edge of the property, which opened up the beautiful view of the lake.  Looking back at pictures of Sunnybank during Terhune’s time, I think this was what the property looked like in the 1920s and 30s.  But the border along the lake was never cleared in any of my visits, so it was a bit of an adjustment.  It did look beautiful, just not what any of us were used to seeing.

With the lake now clearly visible, ducks are now visiting Sunnybank, which greatly amused my grandsons

I was originally planning to have Rosie take the therapy dog test and the canine good citizen test, but while I was running her through the different test exercises for practice, I realized she just isn’t quite ready.  Sits and downs aren’t something we focus on when training a dog for the show ring, as you don’t want the dog to do either while the judge is examining them.  But every time I asked Rosie do something, smart little Sorsha was right behind her, showing me that she knew how to do it!  Since she was so well trained by my daughter, and since Sorsha was so eager to show what she could do, my daughter took her in for the two tests.  Sorsha passed them both!  What a good girl!  Now my daughter has her own therapy collie, so she can go on visits with me.

Rosie will take the therapy test eventually, she has the perfect temperament for it.  But she needs some more practice on sits and downs.  For now, we will concentrate on her show career. (Once her coat comes back in, she’s naked right now.) And Rosie is still very young, she won’t even be 2 years old until New Year’s Eve, so there is plenty of time.

Sunnybank is such a treasure for collie lovers, as well as the fans of Albert Payson Terhune’s books.  I am so grateful it was saved, and that we can visit it whenever we choose.  The graves of all the past Sunnybank collies are still there, and we always visit them.

Sorsha by Lad’s grave

To get to experience The Gathering in person, while so many can’t, is something I never take for granted.  

As we lost our beautiful Kori this past May, we included her in the memorial.  It’s always so sad, hearing all the names of the collies lost over the last year while the bagpiper plays in the background.  And this year was especially heartbreaking, as our Kori was included in that list.

So another Gathering at Sunnybank has ended, but next August, we will return, and once again join in the celebration of the collie and Terhune.  If you love collies, and are able to make it to Sunnybank, I hope you seize the opportunity.

The Gathering of Collies…

It’s that time of year, the time when collie lovers gather from near and far, to celebrate their love of the collie.  Each year, on the third weekend in August, the Collie Health Foundation hosts The Gathering at Sunnybank.  What and where is Sunnybank?  Back in the 1920s and 1930s the famous author, Albert Payson Terhune, wrote many books about his beloved collies.  His home was called Sunnybank, and it was located in Wayne, New Jersey.  His collies, called the Sunnybank Collies, lived on the estate and their many adventures, both real and fictitious, were the subject of Terhune’s beloved stories.   

Terhune and three of his collies, Bruce, Wolf and Lad

The Sunnybank collies were real, and their graves can still be found at Sunnybank today.  The home and barn are gone now, but the property remains and has been turned into a park.  It’s there, at the Sunnybank park, that the Gathering is held.  During the weekend there are guest speakers, covering a wide range of topics, from collie history to collie health issues.  There is also an auction held with collie books, memorabilia, paintings, and so much more.  On Saturday they hold a memorial, with a bagpiper playing a lonesome tune, to remember the collies that have passed away.  They also offer a walking tour of the grounds, as well as therapy dog and CGC tests.  On Sunday they hold a puppy match, where breeders can show their new collie puppies, gently teaching them how to be show dogs one day.

Items from a past auction

For collie lovers, The Gathering brings everyone together to socialize, search for items to add to their collie collections, add a new title, and maybe learn something new from the guest speakers.  But it also gives us the chance to remember the collies of the past, both the Sunnybank collies and our own.  To walk the grounds of Sunnybank, surrounded by hundreds of beautiful collies, while hearing their joyous barks fill the air, can be a magical experience.  It is something every collie lover should get to experience at least once in their lifetime.

This Saturday we will be heading to The Gathering, and we can’t wait to walk the grounds that the Sunnybank collies and Terhune once called home.  We will be sitting by the “fire-blue lake,” as described by Terhune.  We will be petting all the collies, visiting with friends, and maybe trying to find something to add to our own collie collection.  I’ve written numerous posts about Sunnybank over the years, so I’m including links below.  And hopefully next week I will have a new post with new pictures from Sunnybank to share, so make sure you check back with us!

To learn more about Sunnybank, check out these posts:

Sunnybank Remembered

It All Started with a Book

The Gathering at Sunnybank

Sunnybank, then and now, always beloved

Sunnybank (2016)

Sunnybank Revisted

Sunnybank (2012)

Before you can swim, you have to get your paws wet!

 (Sharing one of our most popular posts from 2012 because….baby Scarlett!)

If you have ever read Albert Payson Terhune's books, about his Sunnybank collies, you know that HIS collies seemed to enjoy swimming. The Place was comprised of 40 acres, and located on a fire-blue lake. The house was Victorian, with wide porches, covered with Wisteria. The collies would romp and play across the lawns, through the woods, and they would swim in the lake. Now I believed this meant collies enjoyed swimming. But I have discovered that this isn't actually true. Some collies may enjoy plunging into a lake or ocean, they may enjoy the feel of the water as they paddle with all four paws through the cool depths. But most do not like swimming at all. I had a golden retriever, Chloe, who loved the water. She would never turn down an opportunity to jump in for a swim...collies, not so much. 

Maybe Terhune's collies enjoyed swimming because back in the 1920's and 30's they didn't have a little something called air conditioning. So the only way for a collie to cool off during the hot summer months was to jump in a lake. But collies have now become spoiled...

 Me: "Hey Abby, want to go down to the beach and go for a swim?" 
Abby: "No thanks, I'm just going to lay here on the couch, in front of this air conditioner, and nap. Can you put a Lassie movie on for me? Oh, and could you get me a Frosty Paws while you are up? Thanks-bye" 

Still, I think all dogs should be introduced to the concept of swimming. (Who knows, I might yet discover a collie who actually loves to swim!) Since we are working on socializing Scarlett, by introducing her to new people, places and things, it seemed like as good a time as any to take her to the beach. We invited Holly along, but not because we thought Holly might encourage Scarlett to swim, Holly has no interest in swimming. It was just her turn to go for a ride in the car. 

My daughter, Scarlett and Holly had fun, running and playing in the sand. 

And Scarlett graciously agreed to pose for some pictures. 

But then it was time for swimming. And her natural instincts had her paddling immediately…straight for shore. She proved she can swim, but will she every view it as something enjoyable? I don't think so...I think she'd rather chase sheep - on nice solid ground! Guess we can't all be swimmers! 

Sunnybank Remembered

This past weekend we had perfect Summer weather! The sun was shining, with low humidity and a nice gentle breeze, it was a wonderful weekend to be outside with your dog.  And this weekend, in New Jersey on the historic grounds of Sunnybank, the collies and their people gathered together to celebrate both Albert Payson Terhune and this breed we all love so much!  There was the sound of laughter, and collies joyously barking, echoing across the hills of Sunnybank and the fire blue lake once more.  The collie folk call it “The Gathering,” and it is hosted by the Collie Health Foundation on the 3rd weekend of August every year.

Terhune and his Sunnybank Collies

Albert Payson Terhune and Anice Terhune

I’ve written about Sunnybank, Terhune, and his books numerous times over the years.  And I doubt I could improve on my previous posts on the subject, so I will link them down below.  But to briefly explain, Sunnybank is a magical place for most collie lovers.  It was the home of Albert Payton Terhune and his wife Anice, and it was where their beloved Sunnybank collies lived.  Terhune wrote numerous books and magazine articles about his collies, and is thought to be the main reason collies were so popular in the past. (No disrespect to Lassie) Children and adults couldn’t help but fall in love with the collie after reading one of Terhune’s stories.  Most of the grounds of Sunnybank have been sold off, the house and barn torn down, but the main ten acres are still there, along with the root cellar and the graves of the Sunnybank collies.

Living within a two hour drive of Sunnybank, we have been fortunate to be able to attend The Gathering many times.  For me, no matter how many times I attend with my collies, the excitement never dissipates. When I first turn down the long, winding drive and spot the sparkle of the “fire blue lake” through the trees, I am transported back in time.  I can almost see the Terhunes strolling across their expansive lawn, the Sunnybank collies gaily romping by their sides.  Visiting Sunnybank is something every collie enthusiast should get to experience at least once.  And The Gathering isn’t just about Sunnybank or the Terhunes, there are guest speakers, a celebration of rescue collies, a puppy match and silent auctions of collie and Sunnybank memorabilia.  On Saturday they have walking tours, and they offer both the Therapy Dog and Canine Good Citizen tests.

I have had three of my collies take the Therapy Dog test at Sunnybank, and all three have passed it and gone on to earn AKC therapy dog titles.  Ryder was my first Therapy dog, followed by Scarlett and Sophie, and all three still do visits.  I decided somewhat last minute to have Addison take the test.  So we spent a little over a week preparing for the exam, and she passed with flying colors.  The evaluator loved her, and was very impressed with her happy, gentle nature and her beautiful face.  We didn’t plan on taking it, but my friend Diane suggested I go ahead and have her take the CGC test too. I was hesitant, as there are some portions of that test I hadn’t practiced with Addi, but I decided to give it a try.  She easily passed that test as well, earning two titles in less than hour! You just can’t beat a collie with the correct temperament, they have such an innate sweetness and eagerness to please that it makes them very adaptable.

It was such a fun weekend, visiting with friends, surrounded by collies, and earning new titles.  We even got to visit with Handsome Finn, who is Addison’s uncle, and belongs to our friends, Steve and Diane.  (He is one of Maizie and Sophie’s littermates, and earned his Therapy Dog and CGCA titles at Sunnybank a few years ago!)

Our little Rosie visited Sunnybank too, to get in a little practice at the puppy match, before we enter her in a real show.  I think she enjoyed being at Sunnybank, even if she wasn’t aware of the history beneath her paws…

Here are the links for more information and pictures:

Sunnybank (2012)

Sunnybank revisited (2015)

Sunnybank (2016)

Sunnybank-then-and-now-always-beloved.html

A Collie named Lassie, a Place Called Sunnybank

The Gathering at Sunnybank

Summer Days, Sunnybank 2018

It All Started with a Book!