BevLive: CHP Stock DogTrial, Day One

Constant mystery how you can get so tired sitting around doing nothing. Easy day really. We started at 7:30 with the handler meeting first dog at 8:00.

In the morning it was sunny and warm with a good, strong wind down the field into the handler's face. The outrun was up a fairly steep hill300+ yards. Sheep were spotted expertly by two riders. These were real range sheep ignorant, stubborn and smart. The morning got off to a good start with Maury Harris completing the course with a 74. It was a long time before anyone else got near as good a score.

After the one hour lunch break the wind swung around to our backs and the sheep cheered considerably. Wilda Barr scored an 88 on a rerun for the win. Linda Tesdahl and her young dog, Suede, had another nice run scoring 80 for second.Don Helsley had a very smooth run and got third with a 79 and no pen. 4th was a 76, I'm sorry I'm not sure who got it.Mirk and I tied with Maury and Missy Parker with our 74s for 5th.

The outrun was tricky with the sheep at the top of the hill and mostly out of sight to the handler and dog. The more experienced dogs no doubt ran to the horses but there were plenty of outrun problems all day. Several packets never left the top of the field as they split and the dogs failed to get them all gathered or the sheep just refused to move.

I was pleased with both my dog's outruns which hasn't always been the case this trip. I gave Fly one insurance redirect and she was perfect.Mirk needed no direction and didn't run too wide. Maybe he learned his lesson at Lise's when he ran 1000 yards and never found his sheep.Better handling would no doubt have earned me a better score with Mirk. Fly and I just couldn't managed one of our ewes. She left the group repeatedly. Fly turned her back and kept rejoining the group but she ate too much of our time and I finally surrendered at the second drive gate when she broke for about the 20th time. We'll see how we get on next time.

Campers in foreground trial field quarter mile beyond.

Tomorrow we run the young dogs. I don't think it's going to be pretty.Monday is the second go around of the open. The trial field is a long walk from the parking area. There are golf carts running back and forth to give us rides but we have all been getting a bit of much needed exercise.