Amanda: Catching Up

Canadian Finals

The Canadian Nursery Championships began on Thursday, a bright, sunny cool day—ideal for dog running.  Each of the judges took a round.  Jim Diamond, an Irish pal of one more known to Canadians, Harford Logan, took the early round of seventeen.  Virgil Holland, now of Kentucky, but formerly from New York State, so well known to north eastern handlers, who have been in it long enough, took the next. 

The course was large and tricky, with some undulations to the field that would cause the outruns to be blind.  One side of the field had a high tensil fence taken down for the trial but the posts and evidence of the fence remained.  With the fencing looking like a fence, it was a fence from the standpoint of the dogs.  So left was only for those with the stomach for it and some incredible reason that the hand could not send their dog right.

The sheep were on their home turf, with all the snags that go with home turf.   Their yard with all the grain was to the north of and behind the post.  Quite a draw.  Their determination to get there varied somewhat from group to group, inthat some made a dash for it from the top and some respected a little decorum until they got by the fetch panels.  After the panels, the gloves were off.  The depth of the resolve was dictated by the type of sheep in the draw.  That varied.  The bulk of the ewes were Arcotts (a heavily managed, multiple birthing, Canadian developed breed) but there were many Texels, who were a bit like adding small hippopotami to the group.

The managers tried to lessen to the impact of the barn and set up an exhaust on the opposite side of the field.  Late for the nursery but better for the Open.  Sheep that appeared unworkable in the Nursery were marked and excluded from the Open running, which helped to tidy up problems for the next two days alright, but the problem sheep left their mark on the outcome of the nursery.

Lorna Savage and Kaylee shined through the running with two great runs.  That was no surprise, seeing that Kaylee had been running well all season in open trials.  Lori Cunningham and Matt, a lovely cool headed dog, with a good way with his sheep took reserve.

Soldier Hollow

Other hands envy a ride west excessively.  Really it is not for the feint of heart.  I apologise for the scantiness of my blogging but events overtook me.  My brother B ill, was a great road asset.  I had a blow out a couple of hours east of Denver and replaced two tires,  WE really poured on the driving, one day going form Battle Creek, Michigan to North Platte, Nebraska.  A terrible long drive.  WE shoped around and stocked up in Denver, arriving in Meeker, Tuesday night after the Canadian Championships.  When we got to Ellen and Joe Nieslanik’s,k my landing gear would not work so i could not unhook and go, for instance, to the library and use internet.  Bev and I worked dogs, but I have to say my heart was not really in it, I was so tired from the drive.  We stayed until Thursday—Bill is a fly fisherman and we cast about on some of the best fly fishing in the USA, on the White River, at Meeker.  Bill caught a big rainbow.   I hope the picture makes it to you.  (ed. note: it didn't)

Thursday afternoon, we made the five-hour drive onto Soldier Hollow, over windy two lane highways.  And on Wednesday morning, the running began.  Soldier Hollow structures their trial differently.  They only get 250 sheep.  They rerun them each day and take the top five each day back to the Monday final.  That is an interesting cost saving on sheep, where we pay ten dollars a head and the trucking for the 620 we get for Kingston.  Do the math.

My runs were just not good enough, although I mostly liked the things my dogs did.  The great thrill of the trial was Jean Gellings win on the final day.  Dennis is the well known runner between them.  But she did tidy gathering and a great shed to sweep the title away from any that would have bets upon them to win.