ROLLING HILLS ESTATES : Dog’s Deed Would Make Bobby James Proud

Bobby James Ewing was the upstanding brother on the television show “Dallas.” Now, one of the character’s namesakes has made good--a local dog that has been honored for coming to the aid of a fallen horse rider.

The rescue occurred earlier this month, when the 4-year-old Australian shepherd and his owner, Linda Fitton, 34, were taking a walk near one of Rolling Hills Estates’ many horse trails at nightfall.

Fitton, who oversees the city’s horse stable, said she noticed a riderless horse and unsuccessfully tried for about 10 minutes to corral it.

Meanwhile, Bobby James had sniffed out the unconscious rider, Karina Zenke, who was lying in a patch of ice plant about five feet from the trail.

The horse had apparently been spooked, threw Zenke off and then dragged her along the trail and bushes, Fitton said. Zenke’s mouth and nostrils were so full of mud that “you could not tell who she was,” Fitton said.

Fitton cleared out Zenke’s breathing passages, and when another rider passed by, she told her to call for help.

Since the accident, Fitton has received chocolate truffles and porcelain rosebuds from Zenke. And on Tuesday, Fitton and Bobby James received a commendation from the city of Rolling Hills Estates.

“We named him after the good brother (on Dallas) because he was the good dog,” Fitton said.

Apparently so.