WHITE POST, Va. – Ethel Beck Conrad, 87, of White Post, died peacefully on Sunday, 22 March 2009 at Westminster-Canterbury in Winchester, Va. She was the daughter of Frances Ecob Beck and Carl Arthur Beck who was the co-author of the famous football fight song, “On, Wisconsin!”
 Mrs. Conrad was preceded in death by her husband, Brig Gen. G. Bryan Conrad, West Point Class of November 1918. He died in 1976. A daughter, Katherine Brooke Conrad died in 1962.  A brother, Gilbert Beck, died in 1937. She is survived by her son, Bryan H. Conrad and daughter-in-law Tamson W. Stone-Conrad of White Post, Va. and three grandsons; William Payne Conrad of Bettendorf, Iowa, Samuel Gilbert Conrad of Boyce, Va., and Maxwell Beck Conrad of White Post, Va.
 Animals were always a part of Mrs. Conrad’s life. From riding her pony, Nubbin, in Suffern, at a very young age, competing professionally at Madison Square Garden atop her beloved horse, Black Watch, to foxhunting in Virginia later in life, she enjoyed a long equestrian career. As a young woman, she was employed in New York City by the War Production Board during WW2, then as a publicity director, first for the National Horse Show and then G. P. Putnam’s Sons Publishers.
 Following her marriage to Gen. Conrad in 1953, the couple lived for several years at “The Squirrels” in Highland Falls, before moving to Sunnybrook Farm in White Post, Va., not far from his ancestral home of Winchester, Va. Here they enjoyed many years farming and foxhunting together until Gen Conrad’s death.
 When she could no longer comfortably enjoy riding horses, her interests turned toward breeding and training Border Collies. At first, she became interested in Obedience Training, achieving top honors with several dogs. She was instrumental in the formation of the Blue Ridge Dog Training Club.
 In time, she came to find more enjoyment from the challenging sport of sheep dog herding. For many years, she hosted sheep dog training clinics instructed by several nationally known sheep dog handlers. For over twenty years, Mrs. Conrad also hosted the Blue Ridge Open Sheep Dog Trial which was the first jewel in the Virginia Triple Crown series. She made many lasting friendships and won numerous awards including several first place finishes at major national events.
She was a founder and long time co-president of the United States Border Collie Club. She worked tirelessly to promote the Border Collie as a working dog when some wanted to breed for appearance rather than ability, often invoking the slogan “Brains before Beauty.”
 After directing a fundraising campaign that paid for a large portion of a new fire truck, she was made an honorary member of the Boyce Volunteer Fire Company in 1980.
She was a member of Cunningham Chapel Parish in Millwood, Va.
A memorial service will be held 11 a.m. Saturday, April 18, at the Cunningham Chapel Parish, Millwood, Va. with Rev. Anne Manson officiating.
 In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Boyce Vol. Fire Co., P. O. Box 285, Boyce Va. 22620 or the Mid-Atlantic Border Collie Rescue, 24420 Chestertown Rd., Chestertown, Md. 21620.