BevLive: Meeker, the Semi-Finals

Fun watching all the top hands. The morning running was rough, with low scores until Lyle ran Shep who again had beautiful control on his sheep. He had a clean run except for a poor pen. He scored 90 from 110. The semi-final here is a full National style course with a marked shed, pen, single with two sheep collared (shed off two uncollared, pen, then single a collar) just like the USBCHA Finals.

Dennis Gellings and Jan had a hopeless sheep and got a rerun at the end of the fetch which they took after the lunch break, scoring 76. Mirk and I were up after them. Mirk again provided less impulsion on the fetch then I would have liked but he kept them traveling in generally the correct direction. We missed three at the first drive gate when I resolved a face off by letting three sheep slip the panel. The rest of his drive was good. The finish went quite well as Mirk is really nice to finish with.We scored 75, just behind Emil and Dennis to end up 9th.

Tom and Sly had another very nice go. A little trouble on his fetch left him a point behind Lyle tied for second with Suzy Applegate and her young Buzz. Bob Stevens and Faansie both had nice runs to score in thehigh 80s.

Amanda and Roz didn't get on well, with Roz getting outrun on the top by five very motivated sheep.  Clive made up for any disappointment by having a very good go. He popped a sheep on the fetch after some persistent facing and had no more trouble with them. They had a great pen when Clive gave a little jump and the sheep ran in the pen. They scored 81.

Bill Berhow had a very good go with Pete, marred only by a bad shed, to get in along with Karen Child and Mike Hanley.

There were some very sad runs as always. Dave Murray and Moe had a great go up to the second drive when a grip put them off. Nancy Stevens and Joann Zoerb both had good trips without finishes that would have made the grade had they finished well.

Tomorrow we start late (8:45) and again take a noon break until 1:00. I'm up first after the break. Amanda drew up last. Bill Berhow drew first a dangerous draw for us all as the first run here has traditionally had the best chance of shedding and we know Pete can do all the out work well. The shed here is usually what sorts the top dogs. There will be several who fail to get the double gathers but the top six or seven runs will no doubt get sorted by whoever is able to sort the five collared sheep from the fifteen uncollared and pen them.

Noon break from Bev's camper

Double lift finals are the hardest kind of courses and naturally qualifying for one is what we all want. Meeker is certainly one of the very hardest both to qualify for and to do well at. I'm really proud of Mirk. These sheep are very tough. They are still turning on all the dogs and putting their heads down and refusing to go. A lot of good dogs went to the post today and Mirk held his own. Because of that tomorrow we get to play in the big time. I hope we manage to have a good time.