Every once in a while, someone or something comes into our lives and changes us. We may not even notice what is happening or even recognize that we are changing.

That’s exactly what happened to Kim & Renee Myers. About this time last year Renee was coping with the recent loss of her father and her brother-in-law’s stroke when the sudden and tragic death of the family’s dog hit the family like a ton of bricks.

But then they met Bob and the healing began…

This time last year was an extremely sad period for longtime AQHA trainers Kim and Renee Myers of Felton, Pennsylvania. As if dealing with the recent loss of Renee’s father and coping with brother-in-law Carl Yamber’s stroke was not a full enough plate, one morning when Renee let their beloved Border Collie, Cody out to play and chase squirrels, he was hit by the farm help in a freak accident. He was only 4-years-old.

“It was a really terrible time,” Renee says. “Cody was so devoted to me. He was with me all the time. He died in my arms. His death seemed so senseless to me for so long. I just didn’t know why.”

But all too soon some answers would come to the devastated and heartbroken Myers Family with the meeting of “Bob.”

Now Bob, the Border Collie, was not a puppy nor a pet. Bob was Tim “Wild Thang” Lepard’s oldest dog who performed in the “Ghost Riders Act” in stadiums and venues across the country. Frankly, Bob is famous. He can even be seen in the popular movie, Gambit, along side Cameron Diaz and Colin Firth.

According to Renee, Tim who had been a bull rider and later a bullfighter for many years in rodeos throughout the country, was always infatuated with monkeys. After many injuries, Tim decided to start a comedy act where he had three dogs that herded sheep and performed with monkeys riding them.

Kim and Renee’s sons, JR and Kyle both rope on the rodeo circuit and had known Tim for quite a few years.

“The first time I saw the act was when JR and Kyle were in the Circuit Finals in Harrisburg,” she recalls. “I was just amazed.”

But it wasn’t until last Spring when Renee first officially met Tim at a rodeo in Cowtown.

“I told him if he ever needed a place to stay on the East Coast between acts we had room at our farm for his dogs, monkeys and livestock,” she explains. “A few weeks later I saw him again at a ball game in Harrisburg and extended my invitation. He soon stopped at the farm and spent a lot of time with us this summer.”

During this time Renee shared stories about Cody with Tim, and she and Kim began to develop a bond with Bob. As it turned out, Tim was getting ready to retire Bob from performances as he was 9-years-old.

Usually, Tim gives his dogs to good, loving homes after they are done performing but Tim’s daughter, Lakelynn, 11, was set on keeping Bob. Since Lakelynn travels with her dad in the summer, Bob would still be on the road with the act some months out of the year.

Then one day toward the end of the summer, Lakelynn came to a decision.

“She came up to me and said, ‘Miss Renee I made a decision. I’ve been watching Bob with you and you with Bob. I know your real sad about Cody so I think maybe Bob should stay here with you.’ “Well, I just started balling,” Renee says. “Then her dad told her, ‘Lakelynn you made a very grown up decision. It was something I had already thought about but you just came out and said it.'”

Since Tim needed some time to adapt another dog to the act, he kept Bob until the end of September.

“Tim came by a few times to just let Bob run loose on the farm and get used to being a farm dog,” Renee says. “I was worried about house breaking a 9-year-old dog but he had it all figured out in three days!”

Bob was officially given to Renee at the York Revolutions baseball game when Tim called her down on the field and announced that Bob was being retired right in York County and would be living with the Myers Family.

“So as Tim is making his announcement I reached down to pet Bob on the head and Sam, Bob’s longtime monkey partner, hits me in the hand! So I tried again. That monkey hit me three times!” Renee laughs. “Here I am in front of a stadium full of people getting hit by a monkey! That’s when Tim told me Sam really didn’t like anyone touching his dog!”

Shortly after Bob came to live on the farm, Kim and Renee were leaving for three weeks to attend the Quarter Horse Congress in Columbus, Ohio.

“JR told me people were going to recognize Bob. He told me, ‘Mom you don’t understand Bob is really famous there are a lot of people that follow the act. ‘I just didn’t believe anyone would recognize him without his whole getup on but he was recognized!” she says.

Little by little Bob is getting acclimated to his new life and Renee believes his very loving, kind personality has made it an easier adjustment than she initially anticipated.

“His whole life was planned. He was a performer, not a pet. He was trained since he was very young to do everything by command,” she says. “He is slowly turning into a pet and every day he gets more and more affectionate. I keep telling Kim we will get him spoiled!”

So with Cody’s memory forever in her heart, Renee says she can’t help but believe that Bob was sent to them.

“It was like Bob needed us and we needed Bob.”

About Kim and Renee Myers

Kim and Renee Myers of Felton, Pennsylvania have been training, showing and coaching winners at the country’s biggest shows for more than 30 years.Their daughter, Shayla, has had a very successful show career including a Reserve Youth World Championship in Hunter Under Saddle aboard CMT Braveheart and sons JR and Kyle have both had successful roping careers winning Honor Roll and World Show honors in AQHA competition as well as on the rodeo circuit.

An AQHA judge since 1989, Kim has judged all of the AQHA World Shows and the Quarter Horse Congress several times. He is also an APHA, NRHA and NSBA judge.