Sheepdog News

Day was a bit cooler and less windy in the afternoon, helping to create more high scores. Amanda was one of these success stories. She and Ethel ran in the morning, getting off to a very rough start when her sheep broke back to the setout, and for a few fearful moments the sheep looked like they were outrunning Ethel. But no fear; Ethel rose to the challenge and got the sheep back on line, going on to have a great run scoring a 77.

In the afternoon Emil Ludeke had a great run with Spot. In spite of a poor pen he scored 78. This stood as the high score until Bill Berhow had a great run with Pete, scoring 85, which remains the high score of the trial.

Had a pleasant evening at Amanda's, where she grilled steaks and baked potatoes and we reran most of the days runs.

Amanda and I both run our second dogs tomorrow and Tom runs Sly. It's my last chance to do something, so we'll see how the day goes.

Man it felt like a hot day. The thermometer said low 80s; it felt much hotter as we seem to be very near the sun here (we are at 6200 feet).

I ran first this morning and made a right mess of it. I couldn't see worth squat as the sun was just rising over the second drive gate and had not illuminated the field as fully as it might have. But all excuses aside, I handled very poorly and scored accordingly.

Bill Berhow had a really good run with no pen in the morning. Karen Child and Larry Burch later put together nice runs to end the day with the two best scores.

The sheep were very tough coming off the top. They tested the dogs on the liftand had to be pushed pretty hard to hold any sort of middle of the field fetch line. But if the dogs got too much in their faces trying to hold the line they would turn and run back or fight. It took a very deft touch to do it well.

While Don Helsley was fairly compassionate about grips many dogs were off for excessive force or retired for failing to get the sheep shifted.

The 500+ yard outrun also proved a problem for some dogs. The field is as nicely mowed as I have ever seen it and looks great. But it still provides plenty of blind spots for the unwary and a number of dogs got lost and crossed.

So it was a tough day even for those lucky and skillful few who did well. The sheep were really great, staying very strong and testing all day. The spotting was done by two riders and was consistently near perfect. It's a great trial. Just really, really hard. I believe the sheep are tougher this year than last.

Amanda and I visited a friend here in Meeker and worked our young dogs. It's really hard to keep the youngsters up to speed on this long trip since they don't get to compete. Esther had never worked rambouillets before and was awful on her first outrun but I felt she got a better handle on them by the time we finished. Amanda and I are going to exhaust sheep with Roz and Esther tomorrow. Give them a little taste of Meeker. We'll see how that goes.

Amanda did not run today–she is up tomorrow. Tom ran second after me this morning with Ben. He got on well for such a young dog but not well enough.

Went to the Meeker Library and replenished my book supply off their free paperback rack. Got to love libraries.

We got an early start from Soldier Hollow, through Vernal, Utah, into Colorado and down to Meeker.Sue Schoen left us, which was disappointing.

We made a stop at the Kenny Reservoir for a swim bash, to which even Beverly came.There was beauty all around.The water is such a remarkable spectacle in the middle of a desert, blue and refreshing against the stark moonscape.The dogs loved it.We snacked on breakfast.

At Meeker there was a struggle to park, and Sandra and I went hunter gathering.Success.I picked up three fresh elk legs from a game packer.I couldn’t carry the fourth.I gave them to the dogs, which was very popular.The fella says he will have more tomorrow, so it is fresh elk legs all around, maybe daily.

Joe and Dorey

Bev got a cute new puppy to keep Dorey company.She calls him Joe.Happiness is a thing called Joe!!!

Meeker held a pizza party for welcome to the hands.It is like old home week here for me.I missed a year when my Dad was ill, but that was one of the only years.

Bev is up first in the morning.That is a run I will not miss.Oh boy.Mirk.I can’t wait.I run Ethel Thursday morning, and Clive Friday morning.Lots of fun waiting.I think I will fly fish the White River.

Between day. We were all packed up and out of Heber City by 7:00 this morning. We were going to leave last night, but by the time the prize giving and check writing was done and Tom and Flo had taken us all out to dinner to celebrate Tom's win it was too late to leave.

We had a leisurely trip over here. We stopped at the lake and swam the dogs. Amanda has some great photos of our dogs and my new puppy. Oh! Did I forget to mention I bought yet another future champion?  A dog pup out of Dennis Gelling's Jan, a bitch I have always admired. Anyway, his name is Joe and he is an incredible good sport. Slept through the night in his crate and is boldly meeting and greeting each new event.

Went to the practice field with Tom and Flo and did a little with Mirk and Hemp. I also spent about an hour walking around the field in the heat. It looks different every year depending upon how much has been mowed. This year it's very trimmed and looks great. I'm up first in the morning with Mirk and I spent a long time trying to decide which way to send him. He is a big outrunner but generally a clever one. The right is trickier then the left but I think it may be the way to go this year with all the grass so short. Anyway, that's my current plan.

My day will be done by 7:30 tomorrow. Sure hope it's a good one.

Not quite what either Amanda or I had in mind. Mirk did great gathers and had a good drive going into what felt like the teeth of a gale. He got to the first drive panel, where the sheep didn't want to go. Because of the wind he couldn't hear me clearly and the sheep wouldn't go, so he bit one to get them moving and we were disqualified. Disappointing needless to say.

Really good run by Tom Wilson and Sly. Really nothing wrong, a weavy line here or there but very tidy. He was tenth up and it ended up easily being the winner. Faansie had two good runs (both with problems) that got him 2nd and 3rd. Bill Berhow had a run as tidy as Tom's but lost a collared sheep and never finished shedding to finish 4th.

Amanda ran last. Clive needed multiple redirects on the first outrun, which was really the hardest part of the course. Whether it was the difficult first outrun throwing him off his game or he didn't feel well, he just didn't run like his usual self. He got very confused on the turn back which should have been easy for him. In the end he had a pretty mediocre run and Amanda ended a disappointing 6th.

So we haven't peaked yet. I was not displeased with my dog. He needed to move the sheep and he did. I wish he had found another way of doing it, but he got things going and I'm proud of him for that. The sheep were right pigs for him.

We don't know what happened with Clive–his performance was very uncharacteristic so we need to wait for Meeker and hope he was having an off day.

We all met in the lodge to sign commemorative posters from the trial and receive our checks and say good bye. Most of us are going on to Meeker but a few are off home, including Sue in the morning. Tom took us all out for dinner afterwards. Tomorrow we finish packing up and head six hours east to Meeker, Colorado to our next big test.

A day of disappointments tempered by our successes of yesterday. Being the competitive things we are, Amanda and I were both anxious to qualify our second dogs today and win the third trial. We failed on all counts.

 My failure was tempered by the fact that Hemp worked worlds better than he had on his first run. He improved throughout the run, and by the end of it he was actually helping the cause. So while we didn't accomplish much today there may be hope for Meeker.

Bev and Mirk

Mirk delighted me. The sheep were tough this afternoon and gave Mirk a good looking over at the lift. They walked toward him in an effort to get over him and back to the setout. He met them halfway and brought them down the fetch in a fairly decisive manner. This was not something he could have done a year ago. The sheep tested him quite a few times around the course and never found him lacking in resolve or push. We finished with a qualifying score, which happily we didn't need since he got in yesterday.

Amanda and Ethel

Amanda and Ethel just never quite got things going. The sheep started off cranky and only got worse. Ethel's resolve and wisdom were completely wasted on them.

The running started out very good this morning and deteriorated as the hot day progressed. Jaran Knive's 92 in the morning was tied by Bill Berhow fairly early on, making us suspect some more really high scores. But, except for a late 90 by Dennis Gellings and Jan, the scores were pretty poor. At the end of the day it took a 77 to qualify.

Sue Schoen and Maid

We finished running around 5:30. One of the trial sponsors, The Homestead Resort, had us all for a great dinner, the awarding of the Woolrich vests to the competitors, and the draw for tomorrow's running order. I drew up 4th with Mirk. Amanda got a difficult 15th with Clive.  The weather forecast is for low 70s and no rain so there won't be the awful heat penalty to the afternoon runs.

Wish us luck.

Pictures from day 3 can be found here.

I had a sub standard run with Ethel today.  She had game and ran pretty well, but things went wrong, so only  Clive tomorrow. I gripped off with Clive at the pen today too.  I figured my score would be no account without, so I went for it.

Howard Peterson sent over the water truck to fill up the pool, which was an intervention of radical joy.  I am lucky.  Susan had filled the pool with yellow rubber ducks and a kid's water wings thing.  I thought Lana's daughter Katie  next door had left them there, but oh no.

We all went to the swell supper for the hands and company at the Homestead.  Woolrich provided all the hands with wool vests, name embroidered and all.  The supper was great. Bev drew up fourth.  And me (this is not so lucky) fifteenth.  I will do my best.

We go to the Zermatt for pastries in the a.m.  This place is like a Swiss Disneyland with souped-up bears and white crosses all over.  Their pastry chef however, is the real thing, almond croissant topping, crispy, buttery exteriors giving way to a perfect inside.  Everything they have is good.

Fifteenth!!!!!  Good lord.

Happy days here again. Stars are in the heavens all is well.

Mirk ran seventh in the morning and got an 86. Happily for me, the many 85's didn't quite beat us out of first place. Amanda came the closest but knowing the fragile state of my ego she showed some charity and came second with Clive.

The running was quite good as a couple of rain showers and generally overcast skies kept things at a much more comfortable temperature. There was a great audience of thousands undeterred by the showers.

Sue and I went to Park City for an oil change on my "old" truck and had lunch and did a little shopping. Great place, tons of neat, expensive little shops. Alas, while we were gone we missed one of the day's high points. Apparently, distracted by the conversation at the exhaust Amanda sent her dog prematurely to remove the course director's sheep while she was trying to shed. But I'll let Amanda tell you about this in her blog.

Great dinner tonight–we grilled steaks and local corn. Sandra and Sue are cleaning up while Amanda and I blog.

Tom Wilson got in with Sly, and Fansie got in with his second dog. Suzy Applegate had the best run of the day with an 84 and no pen, capturing the 5th and final spot in the double lift from today's runs.

I promise some photos tomorrow. Check Amanda's blog for a link to her great pictures.

For more pictures, click here.

DAY ONE

I made it to Soldier Hollow.

The ride was long as anticipated, but the scenery was much more spectacular.The ride through southern Alberta emotional for beauty.The ride through Montana a parody of beauty.Postcard vistas everywhere.At the end of a fourteen-hour day, I did a detour for the Lava Rock Hot Springs, in Idaho, and took the waters for an hour.That was smart.

My new truck is running like a charm and I am having fun, with mixed success learning all its bells and whistles.Bev has dreadful truck envy and I haven’t even had it washed yet.Then she will want to poke her eyes out with a spoon!

Roz in her new truck

I am going to the practice field, to check on a few of my dogs’ shortcomings.You would think now would be too late.

Later that day

I went to Loralie’s, who could not have been better.She lives about twenty miles west of Park City, up one of those side roads about which you always wonder on interstate drivebys.(“I wonder what they do up there?”)I ran my youngsters and then she ran hers.Roz had trouble bringing the range ewes across her stream and I had to wade over and help.All the dogs were startled by the irrigation gear.Loralie ran a good rescue dog.Miracles occur.

The sheep were wonderful to train on for a bit and I hope to go again, before the trial is out.

We got up this morning to chilliness.Sue Schoen had arrived which is always good.  She flew to Denver which makes a long, if picturesque drive to Soldier Hollow.It must have been eight hours anyway.The chill promptly gave way to extreme heat, which escalated as the day wore on.

I ran a pretty good go around the course and had complete faith in Ethel’s ability to pen.What I did not add into the equation was the terrible heat (mid afternoon ninety fives), the altitude, and Ethel’s age.She gripped off at the pen, after a breaking ewe.I don’t know why I did it.It just looked so easy and I was so confident.I run Clive tomorrow.She will have a day off and then I get another kick at the can, on Sunday.

Bev can tell you about her Hemp run.It would better that way.

Our own Linda Tesdahl won the day with Jaffe, assuring her of a spot in the final on Monday.There are two more days of trialling before then and I will have to apply myself. And try not to be stupid.

The water has half drained out of the pool.  A leak.Maybe Howard can spare the water truck again, to fill it up.

Sandra Massie joined me tonight at Salt Lake airport.  That is a good thing.

DAY TWO

Beverly Lambert and MIrk, first, Amanda Milliken and Clive second.That’s the story of my life.

Bev had very sound run and led the field all day.  I took a run at her but slipped at the crossdrive.I don’t know what came over me, all over the place like a cheap suit.It is like a maze out there with those trees.   Clive was solid at the pen and finished as well as he started.Onto Monday with him.I hope to qualifyEthel tomorrow.I run both dogs tomorrow, but many of the runners have already qualified, so there is hope for my straggler.

I did laundry today at the lodge, several loads from being on the road so long, sheets, pants.NowI can wear what I want instead of what’s left.