Last Sunday was forecast for sunshine so a group of us headed out to the Handy Dog Winter series trial.
Here is Donna & Foxy in P/N. The day started out chilly with frost on the ground but you can see the sun starting to come up & over the mountain behind us. The trial was held at Lynn & Jim Leach's Downriver Farm in Laidlaw; my old stomping grounds with ACD, Wyatt. This arena was where I took my first steps in this journey of stockdogs and sheep.
John Carter designed a tricky course which had handler stand INSIDE a barrel whilst trying to pen sheep in an open free standing pen. The trial was BCSDA sanctioned time/points style arena which is very much like AHBA ranch courses; taking sheep out of pens, through gates, driving thru obstacles etc.
Blair's first up run in Open showed how the pen could be done. I am in a barrel directly behind Blair to the left of picture.
This was actually the start of our course; Blair has just come out of the pens and is covering the sheep as we entered the arena.
Here is Lynda in the 'barrel' at the pen.
After penning, Try drives the sheep up the fenceline and through a gate into the field next door where we had more 'panels' to negotiate. Lynda had the bad luck to draw this same group with young Lark. The big white sheep on the right is a ram who worked fine but the little old horned ewe on the left proved to be very wily; she had no respect or fear of dogs and would stop and graze anywhere she wanted. Costing Lynda's dogs time & inability to finish the course. They were the only 'tricky' group.
Kristi & Lou start the course with a counterclock turn around the barrel acting as handler's post for first part of course. This team had a very solid steady run for 3rd. place.
Tim Ballard's Nell fetching.
Tim & Jim watching runs in the morning. Still cold enough to see his breath. Tim is a local legend; where there is a trial, one can always find Tim working behind the scenes helping stock handle, set out or whatever needs doing. He has also been seen each Sept. at the Nationals working as Course Director for the finals.
Sun has come over the mountain by mid-morning for Kristi's run with Rex.
Jana & Rose at the pen which is just out of sight to the right.
Here is Owen & myself at the turn of the post. I've shed my coat and gloves by this time as it is lovely out now.
Owen getting set up to pen.
owen not thrilled with getting puppy kisses after his run. Owen places first just ahead of his daddy, Blair. We were lucky to draw nice groups which made for good runs.
All photos by Rose.
Our Canadian Thanksgiving was a couple weeks ago. I made a trip to the Island to spend some time with my Mom for her 95th birthday then went to Metchosin for the weekend to work dogs with my mentor & friend, Martha McHardy. Here Martha has sent Ceri to collect the flock; Ceri is littermate to Blair.
After shedding off a working group, Martha took them down the field so we could set for each other. John Buchanon had been working all day with that tractor spreading manure on various nearby fields. This is the awesome 80 acre 'Banzer' field where a large flock of ewes are spending the fall.
The lovely Parry Bay ewes. One of Martha's young dogs coming around on the lift.
Young Kenny had a tough ewe that did not want to co-operate. Martha went over to help him succeed.
Here is my young Owen fetching to me. This is a fabulous field to stretch out my guys.
Here is Owen holding the sheep while Martha sends Kenny.
Ewes need a couple minutes between fetches to catch their breath. I love these sheep! They are so nice to work; dogs can dig in and really push on the drive, but not too much or they will turn on the dog.
You don't mess with this momma in the early spring with lambs by her side.
Smart protective old gals will gang up & hunt down a dog that misbehaves when they have their lambs at side. This time of year, however, they are mellow and mostly co-operative.
These pix were taken the day I left. I stopped at my friend, Julie Carter's place to work dogs before hopping on the ferry home. Julie leases a super great place on the Saanich Peninsula just 5 mins. from the ferry. Owen is ready for a turn.
This is the view from the gate looking left to the south. Fenceline runs along the road at treeline and turns corner at the white house.
This is looking directly across & west from the gate. Julie is doing some driving with one of her dogs. Handy store/deli across the street provides spectators who stop and watch the dogs & sheep.
Looking north to the right; Julie's dog has driven all the way down the field to some panels. The field is more than big enough for a nice little trial someday. Julie had a mix of Parry Bay sheep and St.Croix/dorpers from McLeods' but will be changing over to all Parry Bay sheep. Below; Julie has a topper much like mine.
