Sheepdog News

BevLive: Bill comes through

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One of the trial's hard-working cowboys

I sure hate running at the end of a big elimination trial like this. 

So many bad runs, it's hard to visualize success.

Bill ran 146 out of 150 dogs. He was great. Nice outrun. I gave him an insurance whistle when he hit the tall grass, envisioning another crossover, but he didn't need it and my faintheartedness caused him to overrun. We had an adequate, not great, fetch: we got the panel, but the line was a bit wavy. Hard turn around the post. They never broke away as many groups have, but they sure did do some spinning and stamping. Good drive until the second drive gate. The sheep were leaning very hard upfield and the hearing was poor, so we ended up missing it. Good shed and a nice pen were a big help to our final score, 146, which gets us into the semi-finals.

Amanda wasn't as lucky with Clive; the sheep fought him hard at the turn, eating up time, and she didn't have time to pen. Her score with Clive did not get in, but she was firmly in with Ethel.

 Herbert's 168 remained the top score in the preliminary round. Alison got third in the Nursery behind Suzy Applegate and Jennifer Clark-Ewers. In Nursery, Huck again ran into a fighter at the turn, and since I had no previous score, I didn't bother to fight with her and retired.

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End of a long day

After the Nursery prizes, including the new Walt Jagger Memorial Trophy, the order for tomorrow's semi-finals was drawn. I drew up 5th. We are supposed to get high winds tomorrow afternoon, so in spite of the early runs being poor at Meeker I persist in hoping that I have drawn up well. Amanda and Herbert both drew up in the thirties. At least this way I won't have to wait so long to know my fate.

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Nursery winners

I'm waiting in my camper now for everyone to get ready. We are all headed out for dinner in the big city, Sturgis.