Handy Dog Arena trial

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.