The Dirt Blowing Trial...with a little mud

I just got home from the Dirt Blowing Trial. The 2010 version of the trial where, last year, Nell sliced an inside away flank to make Art for Vickie Close (check out Handhills Border Collie News). This is one trial I make sure to pack my big girl panties for......it certainly sorts the neonatal infant baby girls from the women!

The sheep were range Targhees......long legged, big bodied young ewes that could be described as "twitchy". I overheard many a top hand say...."man it is hard to get a feel on these sheep!". The open day started out slow as the girls were nearly impossible to set! A mix of already-run sheep and moving to setting from trailers saved the day....which ended around 7 from a 6:15 start time. It was one loooonnnnnnggggg day!

The judge was from Idaho.....a fellow very familiar with running on this type of sheep.....and spoiled by the luxurious judge's tent.

Sally ran second the first go....something new to me. With only one run ahead of us to spot the sheep and no scent path laid down for the sheep to settle into.....I was anxious to see how this all played out for us. How exciting to see our time together this past year paid off with a very nice outrun and lift! We ended up stalled out...and I immediately left the post...not wasting a second to go help her sort them...and was very glad I did. All the way back to exhaust, I celebrated how far we have come......brown field....dirty sheep....and certainly a good sized outrun....and Sally nailed it! What could I have done different? "A control style of handling hinders feel".....my new Jack Kn*x mantra.......did I stop her too much having her lean back wanting me to direct her every move? Should I have used my "there" instead of my stop....too worried that she would over flank on these fine wool sheep that she loves to catch their eye on...the ending kiss of death to a run. I watched a few runs with some of my favorite peeps....and then went off to set nursery runs on the other field.13 nursery runs......not too bad of a set out assignment.....Right! 3 1/2 hours later.......I was one beat pup......learned a ton and Sally had a good lesson on these sheep.....but it was a near impossibly difficult task. There were three of us.....two top open handlers and their dogs plus me and Sally. The sheep were.....well ,twitchy! And certainly made mincemeat out of a few nursery dogs!

My second open go was much better. I tried to keep my commands to a minimum with limited stops only when I needed them. It is such a dance......too much command.....not enough dog.....to little command.....sheep pushed dog around. Sally gave me her all....never quit me once....we got the sheep around the course.....and they were pushing on Sally so very hard from a lack of team work on the beginning of the fetch. But again, I am proud of my dog. We are getting to be a team......what more could I ask for? We finished mid-pack.....better than the two RTs of last year. I pulled Nell from pro novice. She is close to being in standing heat....plus we have been working on our "relationship" and I was not sure these sheep would do anything for improvement on that journey at this point. I do believe I made a good decision. I did stick around and exhausted a few runs on the hill field with Sally.....and what a blessing that was. Sally was amazing.....even running out to pull the sheep off the set-out trailer and bring them down the field at a nice pace. A very good friend pointed out how really nice Sally can be when we work together with trust and I am not nervous and over-handling....note to good friend: I love you....and I heard you! Now how to keep that in my heart as I walk to the post on my next run.

With support from friends and mentors, books and tapes....this journey is becoming one of steps in improving relationship and understanding and less about winning. It feels good to settle into the comfort of that mission. Sounds like life to me.......

Seize the day!