Welcome to Open, Bella Baby!

I just returned from my first Vashon Sheepdog Trial and all I can say is WOW!  This was one very challenging trial to say the least.  BCxfour shows some pretty nice pictures but still did not capture the huge moundy hills that covered the field and deleted the dog's view of the sheep for massive parts of the outrun either way. And also, frighteningly enough for a control freak.....both dog and sheep were invisible on segments of any of the three drives....unless you were Patrick Shannahan who can obviously see through mountains!  Either that or his dogs can hold lines without his input...hmmm, makes a girl over-think a little.

In the past weeks, we have had some issues with our community well...leaving me with a pack of sick dogs.  At the trail, Sally was, I am hoping, the last victim of this bacterial infestation and ended up too sick to run her open go's.  With the day too full to accommodate all runs that were to happen, Miss Bella's N/C open run was being removed from the schedule.  So I did it....I plugged my nose, closed my eyes and jumped off that very safe pro novice cliff into the wide, crazy, inconsistent world of open with my Bella.  Maybe not the best trial to do it with her....but I have no regrets!  When she needed my help and I could not see her, or she got too far beyond her P/N comfort zone...I walked.  When she fell apart, we were able to get it back together.  She definately got a little rattled but I love the partnership that allowed her to look to me to help. Now to dream of the possibilities.....

I love my Nellie!  The first day, she thought we were in Vegas and was dead sure that the more sheep she could find...the more points.  She finally found a way to weasel herself into the set-out pens and my run ended with a big "that'll do"  Which she took so that was the good of my non-run!  I spent a bunch of time setting sheep, watching lifts from the left of the field, and then walking up to set sheep, yet again, the next morning on the left of the field.  I was talking to a friend last night on the long, dark, rainy drive home and we chewed on the idea if this sort of "stuff" worked.  At the end of the day, I am not sure it could hurt and I was slated to set so why not give it a try.  I am really glad I did.

Nell's second run drew up at a time of day that the sheep were at their worst:  hungry, not wanting to do anything anymore, hard draw back to the set pens. My goal, to get Nell up to the sheep on the side I sent her, which took a few blow-outs but she got it.  Once she actually saw the sheep, she took care of business in the awesome Owen Welsh bred way......did I mention I just love this dog?  I have to confess, this was the most challenging run I have done in my life of working dogs so far.  My Nell gave me everything I asked for and more.  She never once slipped off to catch an eye, she took to a very radical change in handling as I never once asked for a lie down or stop or "pace"...it was all push, baby!  I am so proud of this girl....and want to thank Geri and Lana for all the fine wool sheep work and advice they have given me since that winter trial where we utter failed on Lana's fine wool lambs!  No we did not win the trial...we timed out on the drive, but we were definately big double party winners in my mind. 

Now, of course, I am dreaming of trials to come.  Better than a chocolate shop, winter is filled to the brim with close, easy to drive to, one day trials.  Trails and a shedding clinic......it just keeps getting better and better.

Time to

Seize the Day!