I am honored to share in "priceless"

A friend of mine has a retired open trial dog named Kris. Kris was injured working cows at the age of 2 1/2...that injury resulted in the loss of one of her back legs. Kris ran open...three legged! until the age of 8 when she went to retire into her current home. My friend continued to trial Kris at smaller field trials running pro novice. Kris LOVED it. But now Kris is 13+.......and time has taken its toll on her physical and mental health. This spring found Kris unable to get out of bed.....and my friend...being the person she is.....bought this dog one of those "chariots". Diligently, the summer has been spent getting Kris back in shape......and Friday......Kris came out to work sheep for the first time in years! This feels like a MasterCard commercial....the end result being PRICELESS!

Seize the day, Kris!!!!!

Read it and weep!!!!

Let me tell you all about Cedarville! First...it is a LONG drive to get there! I swung by Tulelake to pick up Geri...and we were off and running.

The fair that hosts the Cedarville Sheepdog Trial is about the size of a pebble......
Justin agreed to show me the squeeze chute and how to use it, amazingly one handed...as he is protecting his fresh kettle corn in the other hand!I found some of the pistol packing outlaws that have been allowed to run in the Cedarville Sheepdog Trail. They were trying out the Basque BBQ, telling lies, and trying to intimidate the new blood!

More outlaws with their dogs.....although the gal in the pink is just an apprentice outlaw....she might be too nice to run with this renegade crowd. Note the gal in the red is hiding her secret weapon....with good reason!

You have to stand in this circle and run the sheep around the course. It was time and points...meaning points for each sheep going through an obstacle and the fastest team wins....not a whole lot of "finesse" going on!

Then there were heckling blokes like this fellow....who removed his old buckle preparing for his new buckle before he even ran! And then...there was this.........the coveted buckle!
My girls ran good......Nell got some very uncooperative sheep that were the same way their run before. She was a good girl....not biting although she really really really wanted to! I wanted to as well! Snook did a nice job too....I just could not get the sheep to run where they were supposed to.....and well, what can I say. Geri won the goods above....the buckle she won in the ranch class (the one I competed in) with her secret weapon.....Meg...whom she has had a whoppin month.....go figure. And then she won the trailer loading contest which payed out cold hard cash......and a new collar for Jim to sport. I tried to make her walk home but she soothed my wounds by letting me hold her buckle! Oh and also.....she gave me unlimited time with these new friends.....

I think I am in love. Sweet puppy breath! I do believe I could have one of these pups ready for the never competed before class in 2010.....hmmmmm.....

I am now off to buy me some fine wooled ewes......I am going to practice for next year........

Seize the day!

Sheepdoggin' Lesson Number 5,689....or so

I probably spend too much time thinking up the title to each of my blog entries. This time titles came to mind such as....When to use Micromanagement: NEVER; or When Excuses Abound.....RUN!; or Vanity Cometh Before a Fall...but then I do believe it was Pride so that one did not work at all! This past weekend was the Northwest's famous LaCamas trial...hosted by the Johnston family at their dairy on the outskirts of Camas, Washington...somebody said it was "the little Bluegrass". Not only is it beautiful, but every small detail has been addressed.....a set out crew, two fields running open and the novice classes simultaneously, fresh sheep, even the weather was taken care of this year!Nell did not run at this trial....back to the "I thought she would be pregnant" idea....so instead she got to exhaust a nursery class. That was such a gift! One I do not take lightly, nor for granted. Anyway, she did some nice natural stuff.....and I enjoyed my job!

Sally ran open....and my first run was not what I had visualized on the road trip to the trial! She crossed on her outrun (note to self...stopping her on the outrun draws her in....I need to get creative), her fetch was lighting fast, and her drive.....well, I could not get it going...try as I might. I walked...I was not running her the way I want to...so I walked. A little voice inside my head kept saying....stop micromanaging....or was that the person walking next to me? How to not micromanage? What does that mean?

We ran late the last day of open....and I had a new game face on as I walked to the post. Sally left me running out and looking for sheep....had a lovely 525 yard outrun. Got to the sheep...and those cute little lambs were hungry so they did not want to lift.....an area Miss Sal and I have been working on. But she kept walking in and she lifted! I hit my fetch panels.....and as I turned around the post...I gave Sally her line and told her to keep it! Small verbal corrections for not....but no micromanagement came out of this mouth...well maybe a small amount..... baby steps! Thanks to Scott Glen's shedding clinic the weekend before....we nailed our shed. And on to the pen. So here is where my vanity got in my eyes.....I wore my hair down. I never ware my hair down but hey, it was a new day and a new me. So....after a lot of work to do so....Sally and I got those evil lambs all heading into the pen with good commitment...and my hair blew into my face. Instead of just keeping to my task....I used my crook hand to clear my eyes...and by golly...I kicked that one nasty lamb out of the pen! Sally wants to know if she can sell me on because I do not suite her.....and well, I am just not sure she will get any offers. So what did I learn....ponytails!

But what I really learned was....Sally is a nice dog....she works very hard for me....I need to continue to figure out how to run her. It is more about me then it is about my dog. And so....sheepdoggin' lessons continue. BTW Sally wanted me to post: One Handler for Sale...Make Offer! No Guarantees: Health or Otherwise....Sold As Is.

LaCamas ends with a double lift trial the last day. I went and watched some top hands put down some amazing dog work to make their run happen on 20 very hungry lambs. It was truly an amazing trial and I am very thankful to have been able to run in it.

I am now off to Cerdarville to run in a small trial. Lured by beltbuckles......and assured that this is one FUN arena time and points sort of trial.....I am running with a renegade crowd!

Seize the day!!!!

The Fine Art of Shedding

I've been sitting around feeling just a little sorry for myself. First, it was the first time in my life lessons with sheepdogs that I missed time with Patrick Shannahan. Second, my whole summer has been spent WAITING to drive to Missouri to breed Nell....leaving me to not sign up for clinics and lessons, pulling out of trials, and the likes for fear I would be driving to Missouri. And then....low and behold.....a slot opened up in a shedding clinic with Scott Glen! I took it last year before I moved to open with Sally, yet I was very excited because I have been introducing shedding to Nell...and wanted to make sure I was putting a nice foundation into my sheds with her. So...off to Fido's Farm....and shedding! BTW Big thank you to Jeanne Boudrieau for taking pictures and sending them to me!!!

The first time out....Scott asked me to shed...and then came out to give specifics: pointing out lack of consistency or poor technique on my part.....creating confusion in my dog.

And then I got to use what I learned...........

Nell sheds so much different then Sally..... I had to adjust my mind! Go figure! But I learned/relearned...the dog needs to be placed across plus a little.....for goodness sakes face the sheep you want.......call the dog through......give a flank (that was an ah ha moment for me...where was I last year when he told us that)....and then Nell MUST STOP! She is a pushy little thing...always thinking forward....and she needs to just stop and hold. Gosh so much to think about!!!!

The last day of the clinic was all about the International Shed....and since I had cooked poor Nell's brain the previous two days....I used Sally. Once I realized I needed to give a flank command after I called her through.......her "regular" sheds were starting to come together much better. And we had a very nice international shed on some yearling ewes. As I reflect back over the past year....since it has been just one since my very first shedding clinic...........we've come a long way baby! I forget that sometimes as I free fall off the cliff of Open!

This weekend is LaCamas! I am very much looking forward to it.....unless of course I am off to Missouri!!!!!

Seize the day!!!!!!

Confessions of an addict......

It is time for my confession....to bare all.....tell all. I am an addict regarding all things working stock dogs. I know that might not come as a surprise to most of my friends...but there you have it.... now it is in print. And...gasp....because I am an addict....I participate in arena trials! Swoosh....I feel better. So here is what I did this past weekend.

Every year for the past four years, I have participated in a really fabulous ASCA trial in Sweet home, Oregon. This is the "other" half of the trial hosts.....very friendly and supportive and loves to have his picture taken.....ornery might better describe him!

It was very amazing for me to look over the past four years at this ASCA trial and think of how far I have come......my first time there, Snook, my rescue border collie ran started sheep and then started ducks after my friend Ken introduced us to ducks. I remember watching everybody get their ribbons and prizes and thinking...someday! Each year, Snook would work her way through the ASCA ranks...and last year she ran post advanced GOATS. The thing about ASCA is that your dog has to start in the started class...regardless of how trained they are.

At ASCA trials...Australian Shepherd Club of America.....there are ducks to work.
Snook, Sally and Nell worked ducks. Nell was not sure she wanted to work ducks the first day and it was so mechanical...she did everything I said.....but talk about lack of intensity! Next day was much better.....Snook was 1st advanced duck run both days.....Sally 1st in started ducks the first day and 3rd the second.....gave me opportunity to work on some things....and Nell was 2nd and 1st in started ducks.

There are also sheep runs at ASCA trials. I thought the sheep were very nice this year! I did not run Snook the first day on sheep...she has her advanced title...but the second day I could not resist! She took first place and went high in trial with her sheep run! My little rescue red girl.....rocks at arena trials! This is where I felt bad running my open and nursery dogs in a started class. Instead of walking with the sheep like a started run....I chose to run the girls as advanced dogs...hoping to do some work on things I see at USBCHA big field trials.....I feel like I got to see some of those areas that Sally and I need to work on.....and then try a few ideas on how to work it out .....both dogs were still really nice and took their whistles and worked hard. Nell was 1st both days and Sally a very close 2nd.

AND THEN THERE WAS THIS!
Nell ran in started cows! I swear I almost wet my pants the first time "this" happened on her first day! OMHeck!!!!!!!!!!!!! My friends and cow mentors....told me to shut up and let her work...so the next day...I did. She got in over her head a few times but she put in some good work and tried so hard. Cowgirl Up little Nellie Bellie!

One goal that I have had for four years....when attending this ASCA trial....is to be high combined. Due to the fact I have never run cows (combined being scores from sheep/ducks/cows in same division in one day)...it was near to impossible. This year, Nell did me proud and brought home Most Promising Started Dog...which really is high combined for started. I knew she had promise.....Now it is time to seize the day....one day at a time!

cow photos courtesy of That'll Do Photography......THANKS SHANNON! You ROCK!

All that and a bag of chips....

I am on a blog updating mission tonight! Gosh....life sort of got in the way of writing about it! What has happened since Scio.....okay.....you asked.......

First off, I went to Dry Lake....a really fab trial put on by Geri Byrne and friends. The good from the trial for me was meeting Herbert Holmes....and hanging out with great people.

What I learned....well, Sally and I have some outrun work to do. The trial field was REALLLY HUGE and the course was HUGE but felt like a postage stamp on an envelope....the sheep were set at REALLY FAR BACK....and well, let's just leave it at that! See how HUGE it all is???

After Dry Lake.....I graduated my son from high school.....

He is the one in the middle....first born, funny, bright, and loves to play baseball! Gosh who knew I had a life outside of sheepdogs?

Then it was on to a Jack Knox clinic! My biggest brain freeze at the clinic came when Jack told me, "when you get Sally to stop for you because she wants to and not because you forced her to, you will have succeeded" or something like that! Hmmmm

My next trial was Sue Wessel's Dirt Blowing Trial. Dirt Blowing.....really? How is there any dirt left when year after year, people take all that blowing dirt away from the trial site in their rigs?? Sally's outrun was spot on.....brought tears to my eyes....and then......as she brought them on the fetch....the sheep and dog went into this gully ravine affair.....and I had no idea what to do! So it was part of the course to loose site of your sheep and dog on the run....but gosh.....I had no idea what to say/whistle/pray.....especially when it was sort of a mess when I lost sight of them all! Will the lessons ever end???? I think not....

I should have known I was in trouble when this was the judge and the judges tent! I wonder if he could see what my dog was doing when I couldn't.....cheater!After all that Blowing Dirt....I took a field trip to the Idaho desert....meeting Diane Deal for some personal counseling sessions! 15 hours of driving for two hours in the desert with Diane, sheep, and my dogs....priceless!The MacDonald's famous end of June trial was yet another opportunity to put Sally in a different situation. Her run on Sunday on the coop/scottish black face mix gave me hope of runs to come!
My latest adventure in my journey of working sheep dogs included a "handlers clinic" with Bev Lambert. My head is spinning....full of thoughts, ideas, and the precision she demands in her training and trialing!The Sheepthillz Sheepdog trial ended my time with Bev Lambert. The trial was hot, the sheep were complicated, but what lessons presented themselves! My Nell had a nice go in Pro Novice showing me that time and miles will soften her into the teammate that works well with me. And well, using excuse #6 out of my "book of excuses"....Sally was in standing heat!

I am now busily packing the car for my journey east.....off to Missouri for some face time with the Knox family.....and the end goal of having Nell meet her husband!

I am so excited for the adventure that lies ahead......

Seize the day!

The Scio Trial

Welcome to my neck of the woods......
Beautiful lush green...and WET! The Scio trial is held just a blink of the eye from my place.....and I don't know that I could have gone to a more radically different trial compared to Big Willow! Fine by me...my dogs are used to hunting clean white sheep on flat green pastures! The field was on the small side.....but made complicated by little streams and creeks running through it. Judge Bill Berhow took advantage of those challenges by incorporating them into the drive work.
It was sunny and hot by the end of the weekend. The dogs and sheep seemed to hold up alright and the handlers and spectators enjoyed soaking up a few rays!
The sheep came from a local grazer here in the Willamette Valley. They were a combination of Dorset, Suffolk and crosses. The combination in each set of four.....really made dogs and handlers step up to run them! The sheep certainly did not want to be pushed anywhere.....not around the course and definitely not into the pen. This poor ewe got separated from her friends and ended up taking a truck ride to the exhaust.....too much pressure and they would either run wild, split, or refuse to move!

Nell had her coming out party into nursery. Her first run was...well...wild! Her eyes were popping out of her head....she over ran every flank...every whistle...and as I left the field after timing out at the pen...I could tell she was in just a little over her head. Second run, I got a lie down at the top....and she started settling and feeling her sheep. First go, 7th place...second go, 9th. Not too bad for my baby dog.

Open started Saturday morning with Sally and I running 3rd, following Anne Mock and John Fontaine who were standing in second and first, respectively, right to the end of the day. It was good to see beautifully handled runs before I sent my dog. I wanted to send Sally right...but she fought me a few times...and finally, I remembered my promise to myself and let her go left. Her outrun was very nice. I stopped her short setting the tone for the rest of the run......we got our shed, pen and single......but the run just missed the magic of feeling like I "had" the sheep. Times like this...I am so very thankful to those who mentor me. I got some priceless input into what was going on. At Big Willow the over-flanks came from my admiration of my dogs work.....this time...I was watching the sheep but Sally was still over-flanking...and also not feeling her sheep until the third leg of the drive. I had a lot to think about for the next day's run.

Sunday.....I ran 24th.....which had me walking to the post at 11:00. I was curious to see how Sally would hold up under the radical temperature change.....she ran very well. This run, I did not stop her short...our fetch was nice and controlled but I started to loose the sheep to the exhaust as the sheep were pulling hard after three days of running. Sally held her own, worked very hard to bring the sheep out of the pressure, took her stops and flanked well, and the run had the more "magical" feel. I beat myself by 10 points from the previous day.....and it felt like a whole different run.

I think back over the past 6 months.....all the little details that come together for a run. Jack Knox says to "let the dog be right, correct it when it is wrong...but don't "make" the dog be right." That is me and Sally..I need to not worry about making her be right. Also, when I get frustrated with Sally, she gets a little frantic...and for that, I am working on me. It is about watching the sheep...but still knowing what the dog is doing. And letting go of mistakes as they happen. My main goal of consistency continues to be my focus. And each time out....we become more of a team. I am right where I need to be.....!

This weekend I am off to one of my fondest trials.....Dry Lake! A meager 550 yard outrun awaits me and Sally......maybe Geri could water the field so the grass is green....Sally likes green pastures!!

Seize the day!!