BevLive: Soldier Hollow, Day One

Awful to measure the quality of a 24 hour period by what occurs in about five minutes. But that's the nature of dog trialing.

It started out pretty cool, light jacket weather. The course was the same as other year's, but this season's sheep are from a different flock, Doug Livingston's. They are beautiful yearlings and I think are smaller and a little less confrontational then the previous years' flocks. Only a little smaller and a little less aggressive though, don't think kind and gentle here.

The first runner, Lavon, had a tough gather but a great pen and shed. So we were ready for a lot of finished runs. While there were certainly more than the norm for the first day there weren't ten pens all day I think.

Jean Gellings had a great run with Star around lunch and scored 79 for the win. Linda Tesdahl and Suede had a good run and excellent finish to tie Patrick and Riggs for second. Faasnsie and Suzy Applegate got the last two spots with 74s. Suzy and Linda both with their young dogs.

There was plenty of failures, including Mirk who along with several others just couldn't get anything going and ended with no score. Amanda and Clive had a difficult go but very reasonable end with a 70 and no pen.

Each day the top five dogs qualify for the double-lift final on Monday. Clive and Mirk will have another kick at it on Sunday. Tomorrow I run Nel and Amanda is up with Roz.  It's a really hard course for young dogs. The outrun is tricky with the steep hill hiding the sheep from the dogs for much of it. Also the sheep are really hard, running and then facing and challenging the dog. Still we both have confidence in our youngsters and I'm sure one of us will do well.

Tomorrow is supposed to be hotter then today, which got very hot. This is a really hot place when the sun shines as it sure did today. The sheep get pretty surly toward the hottest part of the day. Happily Nel has an earlier draw than Mirk had today so I'm hoping for a bit more luck.

Tonight our host, Mark Peterson, had pizza for us all under the pavilion near the camper parking. Since the sun had finally set it was cooler and pleasant. Even on an unsuccessful day it's fun dog trialing with friends.

It's cooling off nicely now and as my dogs are all fed and walked I'm off for a shower and bed.