Sheepdog News

BevLive: Meeker Double-Lift

One of the many tables at Amanda and Howell’s celebratory dinner. They won going away with a nearly flawless run. Howell took charge of the sheep and never accepted anything but perfect obedience from them. It was excellent.

Barbara ran well also but had a little trouble with Stella’s turnback. Derek was second with another really good go.

It was an excellent final with the sheep being very sheddable, resulting in many completed runs, unusual for Meeker.

I have one more practice on the morning and then we are all off to Carbondale for the finals.

BevLive: Meeker, Day 3

Thursday was a down day for me. Went to the practice field on the morning to work all the dogs very briefly. Half an hour spread over three dogs goes very fast. Spent the rest of the day watching the runs and reading.

The running was either much better or there were much better handlers running. Many, many scores over the 60 point cutoff. Amanda especially got on very well, winning the day with Dorey.

Today turned out to be very tough running, with only one score in the 80s and one in the 70s. The worse day yet. Happily for me, running late in the day Joe proved up to the work and had a really good late afternoon run, winning the trial. Happy day for me.

Had a lovely handler’s banquet hosted by the Meeker committee. It was Mexican and delicious. After the trial they did the running order for tomorrow. Amanda is up early with Howell. The remainder of our dogs run after lunch. Wish us luck. 30 dogs will run with marked sheds and 12 dogs getting into the final

Amanda: a day off

My mother’s terrier knocked over my flowers on the table. My computer was in the way and now will not light up. Mich lent me hers.

Yesterday the scores went upward. Handlers speculated as to why—the caliber of runner, or the increased agreeability of the sheep. Who knows.

Dorey had an intelligent run. A fluffed shed attempt. But the pen was once again intense and successful. 82. Ron Enzeroth tied her score in the lead, with a similar good run. We watched the running most of the day, with the sheep telling us stories, good and bad, about the dogs.

Meeker poured it on in the evening with Michael Martin Murphy entertaining the event at night, a lamb cook off, and the art show. We grazed leftovers with great wine.

Today is maintenance and young dog training day. I see a walk at Avery Lake in the later afternoon. My pals are running dogs today and I look forward to watching them take on the Meeker sheep.

BevLive: Meeker, Day 1

First day of running was tough. The sheep were happy to run in just about any direction. Some dogs struggled with the outrun, but mostly it was difficult sheep that destroyed hopes.

It took about a 60 to make the top eight cut for automatic inclusion in the semifinal. Shauna Gourley set an early high bar with an 80 that wasn’t met all day. Terry Warner got a 77 midday and at the end of the day Ron Burkey and his nursery dog, Rocky, scored a 74.

I had no luck with Nan, running a dismal 50. We missed every obstacle in a spectacular show of incompetence on both our parts. Oh well, tomorrow’s another day, I hope.

Amanda: Meeker, Day 1

Mittens, sheepskin boots and winter jackets are required first thing in the morning, but within a few hours, it’s back to sandals and dresses. Maybe those radical temperature changes do not affect the nature of the sheep. A dog’s ability to cope at mile high altitude is definitely changed from one part of the day to another.

Howell had a crappy go today with a good outrun, decent lift and sheep that despised him the balance of the way around the course. We made it with a couple of missed gates and a decent finish. The trial takes back the top eight from each qualifying day, to Saturday’s sami finals. Howell lives to play on Saturday. Shauna Gourley lead the day with an 80 score. Barbara Ray showed us it could be done properly with a good go around the course but no finish for a 72. Beverly was disappointed. There are two more days of this tough running. 47 dogs a day.

We all went to the White River for a dog swim. A mob of dogs. Afterwards, I got in some training time with the young ones. All part of growing up, but their being cooped up on a long road ride like this, is harsh by any measure. I took Hazel out to watch for awhile. She spotted the sheep way up the big Meeker field and longed to be the one who brought them in. Her turn will come.

It was steaks on the barbecue for our camp, with all the accoutrements

Amanda: down day

Who knows why a day’s trialling is so exhausting, but it was.

Everyone was in the recuperation gear. The drive from Soldier Hollow was uneventful. A mangy coyote interrupted a vista. The cafe was right in Vernal. The dogs enjoyed their customary swim party at the Kenny Reservoir, which looked extra precious stone like, azure blue against the stark barren cliffs that form its edge. Meeker was bright and promising. Full of people wanting stories of Soldier Hollow, but looking forward to this field of dreams.

The black powder season has begun here for elk. Bonus for the dogs. They adore elk legs, which can be ours for the pick up at the processing centers. Happy dogs.

Away with the light blankets, in with the duvet. Near freezing at night, but hot in the afternoon.

BevLive: starting over one more time

Is anyone actually reading this besides Heather??

(Editor’s Note: Does that really matter? Who is more important than I?)

Today was the big arrival day at Meeker. When I got here last night the parking area looked full, and another 30-40 rigs arrived today. We’re seriously packed in here now.

Not much happening. Did laundry. Had a nice long dog walk in the morning. Mary Minor and I went over and worked on the practice sheep. They mostly ran all the time except when they were standing next to the exhaust gate. I’m not sure anyone learned anything. I got to give my nursery dog, Lee, the first work since we left Dennis’s over a week ago. That alone seemed worthwhile. These trips are very hard on the young dogs. I’m going to try and get her over there a few more times this week.

The trial field looks great, a lot of grass. The infield from behind the fetch gates in is mowed and green. The rest is tall yellow grass. Will make spotting the sheep hard.

I run Nan tomorrow. Amanda and Barbara are also both running. They’re before me so I get to see what they do. Always good to get the take of some skilled handlers before attacking the course, especially one as tough as this one.

Amanda: Dorey celebrates

Amanda: Soldier Hollow, Double Lift

The day started like any other one here, chilly, delicious Nicaraguan cafe, the handlers camp buzzing with generators and excitement about the finale.

A strong final it was, with everyone turning in decent runs–no competitors whose dogs didn’t go back. Ron Enzeroth and his admirable Mick started the day with a run around the course that could have demoralized every other competitor. But things went south in the ring. Any run missing the final thirty points could not make it to the top. Not at this one.

My runs were quite good on the course and tidy sheds for both. Dorey made a couple of good saves—one collared she handled smartly while I tried to make sure I had enough collared ones behind her to let the saved one go. With eight collared sheep, only to keep five, this is a confusion peculiar to Soldier Hollow.

But it was the pens that were the take aways. Howell took his five to the pen, but while we were working them in, the discards showed up. I did not look to see. The crowds’ swoons told me they were coming, but the patter of their hooves on the dry ground behind me let me know how close. “Howell. C’mon. Now or never.” It worked. Handlers had a laugh. The thousands of spectators went mad.

Dorey’s was different. She had an exploder. Only she and I knew about it, as she kept it under such good control with a list left and right to answer all its ideas about leaving. I had seven minutes to pen. I wish the moments could have lasted all of it instead a couple, as they were so enjoyable and intense.

Soldier Hollow is an honour to win. The event makers, Mark Peterson, Karen Stanley, Donna Eliason, The Utah Stock Dog Association, the setout crew, the throng of spectators, the hardened sheep dog trial fans. I hope I can honour them with a couple of golden runs they won’t forget, any more than I will.

Today we drive on to Meeker, through the long sweeps of highway across eastern Utah with its climbs and descents, and the warm embrace of the eastern slope of Colorado.

BevLive: Soldier Hollow, Double Lift

Didn’t have quite the day I’d hoped in the finals. Both dogs handled their outruns and turnbacks well, but Joe and I couldn’t manage to hold our she sheep and so never finished. Nan had a fighter in her first group and managed to completely lose her head on the fetches. Not like her and unfortunate, but that’s life.

I missed Amanda and Dorey’s triumphant run as I left during the lunch break and drove to Meeker. It’s about a 5 1/2 hour drive best done in either daylight or the dark because of all the deer and elk. I opted for daylight.

It’s a lively crispy morning here and we have a day to rest and do laundry and get ready to try and make another final. At least at Meeker there is room for many small successes, unlike Soldier Hollow. Meeker pays day money and pays all the finalists a fair share of the purse. I think that makes the trial much more enjoyable for everyone lucky enough to get in. It seems as if it’s getting as hard to get into trials as it is to win them