Last weekend we returned to Mark and Renee's for their Open trial. The course was pretty much the same as the Ranch one from June, with the first day having a shed then pen, while the second day went pen-shed. Two ewes and two lambs were run, and the sheep definitely kept the handlers on their toes. Some wanted to be pretty touchy while others were a bit stodgy around the course.
Spain had just returned to action from being laid off for 3 weeks due to a minor surgery. She had been on crate rest for the first 2 weeks, then I resumed some light exercise (leash walks and treadmill) before the trial. I worked her for 5 minutes before leaving and she was wild, and of course she had to grab one of the lambs and totally rattle my confidence. She drew up early on Saturday and ran like a wildwoman. I'd previously over-handled her on these sheep, so I let her run through a few stops and overflank a little on the fetch, which was what I thought I had to do, but turned out to not work so well as she hustled them around the course. I don't remember too much about the run other than I didn't like her attitude when we entered the shedding ring. I had a couple decent holes, but I chickened out and never did call her in. I disappointed myself there; I knew I couldn't be afraid to call her in or show any hesitation, but I had too much on my mind and over-thought things. I think we probably finished mid-pack.
Gabe's turn
Gabe's sheep came off the top of the hill quickly and the lift was offline. Since you cannot see the top of the outrun or the dog's approach to the sheep from the post, I'd figured he'd been too strong at the top. I had waited an extra second from when my mental image of him running behind the hill told me to blow him down, and so figured that he'd turned on himself and didn't hitch up. So I was mad at him and continued to run him mad. I know better, I really do. He is very in tune with my emotions and needs me to stay calm, and I let him down. The run was not memorable, but looking back I think he was actually trying very hard. We'd just gotten off to a bad start with the sheep and they never forgave him. And I was angry. When we got to the shed ring he became hesitant and didn't come in when I called. I eventually retired because we just weren't together. It was all my fault.
About to turn the post with Gabe
To make matters worse, I found out from the spotter that Gabe's group of sheep was an uncommonly unruly group that was difficult to bring out from the pens and then to keep settled at the top. He actually was behaving himself and didn't crash into them as I suspected. So I'd been mad at him for nothing. Ugh.
Katahdins in the set-out pens
Mark taking a group out late Saturday
Sunday I decided I needed to get my head in the game better. I got ahold of Spain early in her run and she was working much better. We had a really nice go around the course and were looking good coming to the pen. These sheep were not too keen on going in, and as we worked them around I thought we finally were in good shape with all 4 in the mouth. A lamb caught me completely off-guard and decided to leap over me and the rope. Spain was there to catch it, but the other 3 ran out in the meantime. We never did get them back in, so timed out leaving 20 points on the field. We scored a 72 and although I was super-bummed about the pen incident, I felt like we were on the same page around the course, so I was happy about that.
Sue captured the heartbreaking moment on her phone
Gabe was third to last to run and I was focused on keeping calm. I whistled him down earlier than before, saw the sheeps' heads turn, downed him again, and saw sheep walk straight forward off the hill! We had to adjust the fetch several times and in the last portion right before the post I settled for being slightly offline as he brought them to me. I goofed at the turn and let him get too far to the heads, which turned them back toward the side they just came. Got them righted and continued on down the driveaway with a good pace. We had a bit of panel-panic and as we zig-zagged just in front of the panel, I eventually settled for turning just in front of the inside panel since he was lined up nicely for the cross-drive. Going across the bowl-shaped field is quite deceptive, but I managed to hit my markers (with Gabe!!?) and keep a nice pace. He took a wrong flank just in front of the panel, but I got it corrected in time and we made it through. A little wobbly third leg was followed by a 10 point pen and a 10 point shed! Our first completed Open course!! It was such a wonderful feeling as I stood there watching him march the two split sheep out of the ring :D We scored a 77 and finished 12th of 56 dogs. Not bad for a team who's still trying to figure out this trialing gig.
Even though everyone else left, I stayed over that night and helped tend to some post-trialing needs the next morning: sorting sheep, moving rams, and doctoring some sheep who'd not been fit enough for the trial. Liv got a decent work in before we hit the road for home.
Not Livy, but her mom Bette en route to the pen
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