Maltese-r

After cheering, screaming, and yelling my brains out at my son's playoff football game Friday night.....I got up early Saturday morning and headed down to Roseburg's own Magnolia Farm for a sheepdog trial.  Perhaps I had too much cheer the night before....I certainly felt a little hungover.  I really love it down at Magnolia Farm....the sheep are lively and pretty darn honest, we ran on a ewe and two nice big lambs...the course has it complications...and the open runs end with one of these......

that would be a Maltese Cross.  This particular obstacle is challenging for a number of reasons....first, the opening to each aisle is not very big nor inviting....second, once in the cross the sheep are supposed to flow through the alley...but can slip at the 90 degree turns in the middle and come out wrong....third, the handler has to stay in a particular corner of the cross and can't break the panel plane to assist the dog.  Very challenging to say the least.

However, the whole run has its challenges.  To get a bigger outrun, a gate, located on the far right,  is opened between the two fields.  This makes a dog-legged fetch to the gate and then quickly back to the middle of the first field to hit the fetch panels.  First timers on this trial field definitely had a slight disadvantage...as dogs who had been there years gone by seemed to remember where the field gate was located.

After the completion of the fetch, the rest of the course was set in the first field with a shed and the Maltese Cross.  Nell got a little confused on her outrun.....but did find the gate.  She got sucked in on the course by the fence corner...and would not take her blow out.....so she crossed.  My journey with Nell right now has a lot to do with listening to me...and a lot less to do with putting one down....so I stopped her and crossed her back over.  The rest of the run she worked very hard for me.  She gave me so much that I left the post feeling like a double party winner!  She had a ewe that was pushing on her and I did not help her as I should have so I learned just as much as she did by that run. 

Sally continues to work nice for me.  Our relationship of teamwork and trust continues to deepen.  I'm still on a shedding quest....and as I worked to get my shed called I kept thinking...I want a go at the Cross!  Boy was I glad I got one.  Miss Sally had the sheep very settled with good control.  What I liked best about my Cross attempt was that I did not worry about my dog doing what I said...instead I was able to really watch the sheep and read their commitment to accomplishing the task at hand.  And here is what Miss Sally gave me for her hard work and patience....

Elissa called it the Malteaser....for the nicest Maltese Cross.  Atta girl, Sally!  And thank you Magnolia Farms!  Jo F was hot on my heals with a really nice Cross too....I was worried she would have to arm wrestle me for a tie-breaker and my Friday night antics would be the end of me. 

Pronovice was moved to the top field....with sheep set in the same spot as open.  It was fun to get a closer look at what the dogs had to deal with at the top end.  Bella had her re-coming out party....her first trial since the August Arlington disaster!  I knew the best way to send Bella would be right....but also knew I might need to blow her out as she passed the corner fence that caused Nell to cross.  Amazing to see my Bella blow herself out...and have a nice outrun coming in deep on the sheep.  We had a little breakdown in trust...but I am so very proud of her.  She took my correction, settled her head, and actually put down a really nice, feely run with a pen. 

At the end of the day, as I drove home....I reflected on my dogs.  What they gave me, how I felt like I left with a little bit better relationship of understanding with each of them.  And then, of course, I made my list of what I need to work on with each of them...and myself! 

I'm now off to the grocery store...then on to the ranch to tuck the sheep in for this very cold wintry day.  As I do so, I will continue to be thankful....because there is so very much to be thankful for!

Seize the Day!