"That'll Do Ranch" in Want of Herding Dog 

In 1981 Elvin Kopp married his wife Jan and they settled at their newly purchased “That’ll Do Ranch” near Westerose Alberta.  Raising cattle was one of their ventures and after a time Elvin decided that he would like to have some help dealing with his cattle. Consequently, a year after he started his life as a rancher Elvin attended a dog training clinic (1982).  When he saw what a stockdog could do he was “hooked”.  He bought a Border Collie pup at the clinic and started training his protégé.  In 1984, two years later, Elvin entered his first competition and three years after that (1987) he was the World Sheepdog Champion, a meteoric rise to the top.  During his time competing, Elvin trained eleven different dogs to championships.  

 Super Dogs and Their Handler of the Year Elvin - Winner of 50+ Personal Championships and Awards

Competing against the top handlers from across North America in his first competition, the Alberta Open International Sheepdog Trials, Elvin’s results weren’t great but in the ensuing seven years (1985-1992) Elvin was Champion  at the Alberta Open International Trials five times.  He entered both sheepdog and cattle dog competitions and was named “Handler of the Year” for both divisions for five years (1986-1991).  Elvin also won Super Dog of the Year (best dog in both sheepdog and cattle dog categories)  for the five years (1986-1991) that this award was presented. 

Included in the other championships that Elvin has won are:  

• World Sheepdog Championships 1987; 
• Western Canadian Sheepdog Trials Champion 1988; 
• Red Bluff Cross Country Cowdog Championships 2006
• Reserve Champion four times at the Calgary Stampede (1998-2001)
  
• United States Border Collie Handlers Association, Nursery Cowdog Champion and Reserve Open Cowdog Champion 2007.
• Locally, Elvin has won the Lakedell Fair Stockdog Trials five times since 1995.