Meet the author 11 a.m. on July 14 Tina Barber, author and breeder of Shiloh Shepherds, will be in Brockport during the Sidewalk Sale with her dogs and to sign copies of her new book. Barber, a native of Rochester, was born in Germany. She settled in America with her family when she was 11 years old. She began developing the Shiloh Shepherd breed in Hilton before moving her kennel to Filmore, NY in 2000. Barber won the ARBA Breeder of the Year Award in 1993 for her shepards. Barber selected four lines as the foundation stock for the Shiloh Shepherds using strict LMI program (Little Mate Information) to track all the dogs in each litter, not just the ones that were eventually used as breeding stock. "This helped to weed out genetic faults and lock in virtues to set the desired foundation for the breed," she said. "The specially-selected stock produced a breed of giant size, high intelligence and easy trainability, with a sound body, good hips without the extreme angulations seen in most German Shepherds today. Through careful line breeding, the Shiloh Shepherd emerged." The Shiloh Shepherd Story: Against the Wind - A Breed Is Born! is a book written and newly released by Barber which will be available for sale at Lift Bridge Book Shop during the sidewalk sale. "There will also be several Shiloh Shepherds at the signing to greet visitors," Barber said. Barber, known as "Ma Shiloh," met - and overcame - many disappointments, disasters and betrayals on the way to becoming a premiere breeder. She had a vision of a specific breed of dog and pursued it until she was successful. "They are dogs straight from the heart of God," she said. The Shiloh Shepherd Story narrates the story of how the Shiloh Shepherd dog came to be a living reality. "Few of us have any real conception of what is involved in the birth of a new dog breed, or the difficulties and setbacks that seem necessarily to go along with the process," her publicist Willie Lass said. "Tina's tenacity in pursuit of her vision, her refusal to give up in the face of adversity, make up the elements of an inspiring real-life drama of triumph through faith - in her God, in herself, in her dream, in her dogs. This book is probably unlike any dog book you have ever read: rip-roaring, gripping, exciting - a spiritual and canine thriller." The Village of Brockport merchants will be throwing open their doors on July 13-15 for the annual Sidewalk Sale and Street Fair. Merchants will be open longer hours - from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. The Brockport High School band will open the musical entertainment on Friday at 6:30 p.m. followed by the Gateswingers. There will also be a wine tasting at the Red Bird from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday. Tickets are necessary for the wine tasting and are available at the Red Bird Tea Shop. On Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. children's events and entertainment and a chocolate chip cookie judging contest will take place on Market Street. On Sunday, the Farmer's Market sets up shop on Market Street. © July 8, 2007 - Westside News Inc. |
