What The Heck?!!!!

I can't remember much of Heppner 2012.....I do know Nell gripped out close to the top with a "thank you" from my judge friend. And then the two of us, Nell and me....laid down the prettiest darn exhaust you ever saw!  I remember that!  But what did Bella do......and I can NOT believe I did not blog about it!  My blog is supposed to be my memories....so what I was not going to say about Heppner 2013 now becomes post number one from the trial.  I have to remember my runs!

Saturday morning dawned clear and crisp, high desert mountain air leaving conversations visibly hanging; greetings of the day.  One could almost feel the vitamin D absorbing into the skin and taking sunshine into the sorely needing muscles and blood.  Bella drew up to run past mid day, but I was not really worried. The field had a hill to it and though the course felt nice and "normal" the whole field was very very huge.  Its funny, my conversations with friends about trust....I trust my Bella to spot sheep and this helps me trust her to be a good out runner.

My good friend was filming, helping me to achieve one of my goals for this year: to film all my runs.  He who allows for over thinking without judgement was scribing.....teasing me about running Bella-Nell and checking to make sure I did indeed have the correct dog.  The walk from the judge's car to the handler's post was the exact length of the tunnel from the locker room to the football field...and as I broke out onto my playing field...the wind had whisked away the spectator; their voices not even an echo.  It was just Bella, which means beautiful in Italian, and me; she spotting the sheep and me listening to the voices that remind me "if she lands at 12 be sure to spend the point to get her over to where she needs to be" and "stick to your plan, it is a good one".

I always wonder what makes a dog land correct on a dog-legged fetch?  I've seen it, and experienced it with Nell who enjoys a good over-run.  And yet Bella landed just right, more towards the 1 o'clock spot, pushing out of the pressure caused by the set out pens.  One tiny move in the mix of one billion moves per run, but I paused right there to reflect on the amazement of this dog. 

Now the sheep were yearling lambs of the fine wool sort; possibly Targhees and definitely a mix of challenges. I could review my run, point to moments that stand out in vivid technicolor, me tasting dust and feeling the pulse of Bella's work in my veins. The thrill of the shed and the wholeheartedness of giving her all to me, allowing me to close the pen, four lambs inside, one of just a few for the day. Indeed, Bella, Bella Mia....My Beautiful....won the day for Saturday, Heppner 2013.  But I don't want to do a play-by-play, I've got some footage for that. 

What I can't stop thinking about......is not her first ever open win, but instead how she has given me her heart.  One person said she did not see a lick of tension in Bella...where a few times there really could have been.  Me remembering the trials where Bella had ham-strung a sheep and had killing on her mind......that Bella has become.  She has become all her ancestors laid into her genetic map and more.  I can't stop thinking about how the sheep tried to roll over on her during the fetch, and Bella loved pushing them back and getting ahold of them.  Me, arguing with myself to get involved and hit that darn fetch panel.....mentor's voices whispering to me to give her the sheep/don't be a tease/let her work/hold her accountable/TRUST HER! I can't stop thinking about her Sunday run, she was so supple and open and allowing.  . 

I've got work to do.....I think I might have over-corrected a bit on her course for Sunday.  I need to work on penning sheep that don't want to pen; letting her push and sort and figure this out together.  I've got some more work to do on my finger whistles.....though they are coming along I can fine tune them more.  I need to watch my runs and see if they are what I remember.  It is good to have things to work on!

Heppner 2013.......thank you for letting me introduce you to L&M Belle.....Bella......Bella Mia.....My Beautiful.  I feel so blessed to be the one to sort this journey with her....and ever thankful she lets me come along for the ride!

Seize the Day!