Every year, from what feels like the beginning of time, I attend one ASCA trial. I started my journey into sheepdogs with an all-breed trainer and competing in arena trials. True confessions, I really enjoyed "them".....the people I met, the trials I attended, and the relationship I developed with my redheaded rescue border collie. Where distance created much insecurity, the arena trials allowed me to give her great confidence; I was right there for Miss Snook and she liked it. At one of my first ever AHBA trials, I met the folks from
Vaquero Australian Shepherds; finding they were "local", had lots of property and sheep, were pretty darn knowledgeable about stock and handling, and were willing to share all the above plus their friendship. They host an annual ASCA trial and every year I attend.
I took a quick trip down memory lane as I packed up panels and a few other odds and ends to take out in preparation for their trial this year. Gosh could it have been so long ago when Snook and I were new to "herding" and together we gave the started course a try some seven years back. That year, the sheep were brought in and I remember they were quite the challenge in the arena, as they were not used to being worked in groups of five nor confined in a field of that size. I was so scared, I think I laid Snook down most of her run but we got it done and all the sheep were taken off the field ; twenty legs moving through the gate opening. That evening, Ken asked if I wanted to give Snook a look at ducks as two runs the next day would be more fun. And so the entire duck flock was turned out and Snook was hooked on; the beginning of a long love affair with ducks for Snook. I remember watching people get their awards at the end of the trial and thinking, "Someday, I want to put a WTCH on a dog" (Working Trial Champion)
Time ticks on, Snook got older, new dogs arrived and buckles became the prize for high combined. Yes, BUCKLES! Buckles required a dog to be able to work all three stock because, regardless of the scores, a dog had to be entered in sheep, ducks and cows to be qualified for high combined. So I took a quick lesson on cows with Nell and Bella thinking they would be a lot like ducks and all it would take is "hooking on" or at least the knowledge that it was okay to work the cows.
That year, Bella became the "Most Promising Started" Dog and I received my first buckle.
The next year, I decided to lay off the cows for Nell while Bella seemed to enjoy working them...so Bella continued on. Maybe Bella, with her cow roots from her L&M breeding, would help me attain my WTCH goal. The stakes were raised as moving to open required penning cows which, after the fact, I realized was a little more difficult than what I had anticipated.
For 2013, I needed all my advanced runs to WTCH Bella. Sheep are familiar both of us, ducks are funny and Bella takes them very serious, and then there are cows. I knew I needed some counseling on my half of the cow run.....little known to most is the fact that I raised registered horned Herefords while growing up and so I have a deep respect for what a cow can do. I did not want to just get around, I wanted to gain understanding and have a good and decent relationship for my run. So I packed up Bella and Gyp (who was debuting in started) and headed down to Shane Harley's for a couple of cow lessons.
Funny how life unfolds. Gyp seemed to enjoy the cows at Shane's once she gained some confidence and started fetching them. The cows brought out some tendencies in Gyp that I was not consciously seeing on sheep......they are a little more subtle while she works sheep and I manage them. As I left the cow lesson with Gyp, I had a list going of things we needed to look at and work on with the sheep.... developing confidence while driving distances, holding pressure longer, sticking the pressure if need be, and biting a head when called for. Gyps' cow runs at the trial were very hard on her and as I left, I wondered if I might have damaged some of her confidence and trust in me. Time will tell and I do plan on taking her back for some more cow time with Shane....not to make her a cow dog but to further develop her confidence on cows that are honest and not sour.
Then there is Bella....Bella, Bella Mozzarella....Bella Mia....Beautiful Bella. Her cow runs this year at my one ASCA trial were a thing of beauty. She was the only dog to get any cows in the pen one day, and the only dog to get her Y chute the next. And while the last year she was on cows, the judge told me I held her back and it was like watching paint dry....this year, Bella worked the cows with the quiet authority that I know would make her cow heritage proud.
It's funny, after her Saturday cow run, her Sunday sheep run was crazy! All day I fretted and laughed....would it not be an irony if it was her one sheep run that kept her from her WTCH! Oh but it all worked out in the end and Miss Bella is now L&M Belle WTCH. That plus High Combined "other" breed which indeed earned a buckle.
So what did I learn from all this? As I continue to read and learn from the horse masters of years gone by, I learned a lot from running my dogs at an ASCA trial. I learned that both my open dogs have square flanks verbally but not as open on whistles. I learned that any day working dogs with friends is a good day...although I already knew that one. I also learned that striving for knowledge and understanding with my partners brings amazing results. My lessons with Bella on cows allowed her to really work, me to trust her, and her to trust me...which at the end of the day, is what I am striving for with each of my dogs.
The journey continues and now I watch the Finals list, obsessing, hoping, praying Nell has enough to get through to Virginia. After the months of trialing and working to keep my head "right", the ASCA trial was a fabulous way to end the year. Now it is time to get serious........there is work to be done.
Seize the Day!
