BevLive: The Big One, Day 2

Well, the wind continued to blow all day at something between 30-40mph. The big difference from yesterday is that it blew into our faces. Dogs couldn’t hear anything until at or after the fetch gates. Made for a very interesting trial to watch and a nearly impossible one to run in.

Still there were some nice runs. Jean Gellings and Star had a good morning run and Tom Wilson and Sly a good late day run.

Still at the end Lyle’s really nice run from yesterday was the winner followed by Dale Montgomery also from last night (tied at 70). More then half the dogs had no scores. My 54 with Nel made the top twenty.

The sheep mostly eluded the dogs at the turn by splitting and disappearing amongst the parked cars. But there were many ways to fail and over the course of the day folks discovered most of them.

We started the second runs tonight at the conclusion of the first trial. I had come back to the camp grounds by then so I don’t know what changed. Tomorrow is supposed to be more wind and warmer so we all get to try it again. The constant wind really wears you out after a while.

I spotted sheep for an hour or so with Joe. Except for being more eager to walk up then lay down he did a good job. It was blowing even harder at the set out on the top of the field then at the handler’s post.

It was nice to see some of the dogs get up that half mile outrun and pick up their sheep with total control and confidence. Didn’t happen often but it was nice to see when it did. I was particularly struck by Marilyn Terpstra’s Gin who did a great job with a group that had moved off the set out spot and we were trying to reposition. Gin took them over and marched them away with a quick glance at us to make sure there were no hurt feelings.

The wind is still whistling around my windows. Unusual for here where it generally dues down at dusk. Oh well, wouldn’t be North Dakota without a little wind.