Ponderings From Fire Ridge

I really had a great time at Fire Ridge!  I was not in the money, nor in the points....but my girls are all working hard and running better and better with me.

Sally drew up second for the first round of open, and I did not handle her well.  Her outrun was nice but I mis-read the one ewe pushing back on her and tried to fix my line too quick on the fetch.  Sally did exactly what I asked....but that ewe took advantage of the release of pressure and rolled back to the set out pens.  My new glasses failed me at that distance and not sorting it timely, left me retiring with four ewes.  Sally's second go was nice, good outrun and a nearly flawless pen and single.  All year, I've worked hard on getting Sally to want to come through for the shed and that she did!  She even held the single with the enthusiasm I have not seen at a trial.  Atta girl, Sal!

Nell had a couple of nice runs.  Her first time out....we had a little discussion on her outrun...and after sorting that it was one of those magic moment runs for me.  Her second run was nice as well....but not as nice with some fighting me for flanks and a really hard pen.  The wind had picked up that third day and I needed to eat my Wheaties and maybe consider working out as I could not keep that darn pen gate from blowing out of my hand in the 35mph wind gusts!   I brought my video camera and Geri filmed my first run for me.  Lordy, lordy.....if I could get ahold of myself.....let's just say that Nell is a nice dog despite me.  I've got some serious work to do.

I moved Bella to open at Vashon so now she runs with the big girls.  She did not even bat and eye or miss a beat as she ran out both runs and worked the course.  The first run I did not mess with her much on her drive....they were long and I felt holding the line was more important for us in our relationship. She looked good so the second run I worked her a bit more and she ended up high score from my pack of three open dogs.  Not a lick of tension and very supple, oh and we got our shed the first go!  And timely.  Bella and I need to work on penning sheep that really don't want to go in the pen....she needed to push more and with the wind, I had to be responsible for the gate staying open and could not help much. 

Having three open dogs is amazing!  I know there will be trials where I will have to decide who runs, but when I can run all three......what a treat.  I learned so much running three times in one day.  Each go I tried to watch my sheep a little closer and see what I could sort out.  I also taped a few runs which makes me really pay attention to the handling, sheep  and dog. 

Patrick Shannahan just wrote a little article over on his RedTop Website about community.  We really do have an amazing community of sheepdog handlers.  Dawn Pucci took all the photos of my dogs from Fire Ridge...otherwise I would not have a single one to show you.  I did not even ask...she just did it.  And Ray Coapman gave me a little 'learning' at the trial.  He saw me sorting something I had never encountered at a trial before and came to give me the proper answer.  He said something along the lines of, "I would see that again someday when I ran at the finals and it might cost me a point or two without knowing".  Not only do I have more information...but somebody also believes I will run on a Saturday at the finals!  And of course I can never thank enough my close friends that support me, tape my runs, let me overthink and sort, and give sage, a little further down the road advice.

Seize the Day!