The Unfolding Story of a Crook

I remember vividly my first USBCHA trial...and that one amazing crook hanging from the rafters of the handler's tent.  The handle of the crook was smooth and shiny and I could hardly tell where the horn ended and the wood of the staff began.  That crook belonged to Diane Pagel, and she introduced me to its maker....George MacDonald.  Starry-eyed I went to see the special ordered crooks he was making...amazed at the masterful artwork but not ready to pay my dues to own one.  Elissa Thau has a George MacDonald crook, that a year later fueled my crook lust.  And then I saw the crook George made for Derek Fisher!  It is so Derek, with a personality all its own and unique to the hand whose work it adds finesse. Right then and there I told myself...when I won my first open trial...I would take the winnings and get a George MacDonald crook for myself. Year after year, I made little mental notes as I meticulously viewed all the many crooks handlers called their own.  I almost gave in and bought a George MacDonald crook at the 2009 finals in Klamath Falls.  However, I stuck to the deal I had made with myself..and thankfully the crook of temptation sold!

I wonder if J.K. Rowling might have used the modern day crook maker as her pattern for the wand makers of the Harry Potter series.  In the stories, each wand has unique characteristics...the type of wood the wand is made from... the unique core each wand possesses....the special qualities instilled by each wand maker.  So it is with a MacDonald crook...each has a different type of horn formed into designs making up the head. The head is then married with a unique wood shank. Additionally some crooks have embellishments at this seam. The finished product is a work of art; a crook having a personality of its very own. 

Then it happened....I won my first open trial!  I knew exactly what I needed to do....I found George and ordered my crook.  George was so amazingly gracious to me, listening as I talked through my ideas and what was important for my crook.  We parted ways that October day....George taking with him my bare outlines of ideas....putting wood and horn and silver together making my dream become reality.

The head is a Scottish Blackface ram horn. The shank a beautiful golden hazelnut.

The tip of the shank is again Scottie horn.

It was exactly as beautiful as I had ever hoped for...the tiniest detail making it uniquely mine.  I can hardly wait to use it at my next trial....I wonder if George might have lined it with dragon's heartstring...or maybe the feather of a phoenix. 

George MacDonald's crooks can be found at The Shepherd's Crook. 

Thank you, Sally for helping make my dreams come true!  And of course, thank you George for sharing your amazing gift of crook making.

Seize the Day!