World Trial Excitement

Last weekend was quite the busy weekend following tweets from the Nationals, but I was keeping a close watch on the World Trial tweets, as well.  I was BEYOND excited for Lyle and Livy's papa Shep who turned quite a few heads on the world scene, advancing all the way to the finals.  Lyle was the only woman handler in both the semis and finals, and she became the first American-born handler to advance to the finals.  I am so very happy for her!

And of course Tommy and Sly did the state of Virginia mighty proud, as well.

We are inspired.

How Sheepdog Trials Relate to Practical Farm Work: Our Internet Debut

Denise put together a very nice educational piece for the National Finals webcast audience: "How Sheepdog Trials Relate to Practical Farmwork."  Working on a very tight deadline, she used a lot of random stock footage that she happened to have...and guess who's in it?!! 

 Rae Rae and I!

We have a scene about penning where I poorly demonstrate how to load sheep.  It was unscripted and spur of the moment (before I even knew of the project, or maybe I'd have put myself together a little better), and so of course I had the two cull-for-behavioral-reasons thrown in there.  They're old and are totally over the dog thing, don't even act like normal sheep anymore, and are now at Denise's getting fat on persimmons and waiting to be processed for dog food.  So yeah, those two rascals are out there mucking things up and making me look stupid.  Oh well!!

My favorite part would be the ewe that falls out of the trailer.  Actually, the whole thing makes me laugh!  I'm not used to seeing myself on video :)

Gabe's father and grandfather show up in some Bluegrass runs, too.

Great job, Denise!

How Sheepdog Trials Relate to Practical Farm Work

Highland Occasional SDT - A Memorable Weekend

This was my first time at Donald McCaig's famous Yucatec Farm in Williamsville, VA.  Tough trial.  Commercial polypays never worked in small groups.  Big field, 500yd outrun, strong draws.  HOT and humid weather.  Not really promising circumstances for me and 10.5 year old Rae. 

Host Donald at the post.

We were ready to run right before lunch and were on deck spotting sheep when we learned that we were bumped to right *after* the lunch break.  Donald said to me something along the lines of "the best time to run is right after lunch."  To which I replied, "I'm gonna hold you to that!"  Then of course there were some jabs about him being a "fiction" writer, etc etc. 

After a looong lunch break which served only for me to get more nervous and the weather to get hotter, we were up.  At that point, only 2 dogs had gotten around the course and had received numbers instead of letters.  K.  I had mentallly gone through the course multiple times in my head, reminding myself of Rae's whistles (I keep getting them mixed up with Gabe's), and attempting to predict sheep draws.  Most ran hard to the barn on the right on the fetch with many dogs failing to cover, but then broke left toward the exhaust on the first drive leg.  They were getting hot and cranky, heavy but not necessarily flocking well.

At the post I could hear Donald explaining things to his spectators, could hear him say something about who I was, and then realized my dog was about to arrive at the top.  Good thing she's a strong outrunner because  a lot of times I sort of zone out while she's on her way.

Not us.  Renee and Bette look upfield.

I whistled her on to pre-emptively cover a sheep break, she flanked off the pressure well to cover, but we still needed to correct the line on the first part of the fetch.  She was listening beautifully and we got them back and through the panels.  On the second part of the fetch we started having 1 and 3 sheep, the single trying to break for the exhaust.  We pressed on around the post and on to the first leg.  I tried hard to keep her on the inside of the drive line and away from the exhaust, but at a key moment I did a great job of giving her Gabe's away flank, which she took as her own comebye flank.  She stopped them from getting to the nearby exhaust fenceline, but we really struggled to get them up and moving again.  Lots of encouragement, flank whistles to relieve pressure, walk ups to apply it, good girl good girl good girl, and after what seemed like an eternity, we got them going again.  Made the drive panels and started the crossdrive a little high.  There was a large brush pile just above the line after the panel, and for a split second, I lost Rae behind the brush.  I whistled her blindly and my good girl reappeared and brought them back online.  Good flow across the field and made the cross drive panels.  Into the shed ring where we got our split without much trouble.  After regathering, I looked at my watch to see that I had plenty of my 15 minutes left for the pen and single, so I lied her down on the pressure to the exhaust and let her and the sheep catch their breath.  We got them to the pen smoothly and carefully put them in.  Back to the shed ring, lied her down again for a moment to rest, and then called her in for a single.  Tadaa!!  Not only a completed run, but good enough for first place and our first Open win!  Only 6 scores out of 30 some dogs...and we won?!!

Photo by P Kallen.

GO RAE RAE!

"I did go!"

The blue ribbon was really just icing on the cake, I was already so unbelievably proud of us!  But boy did it feel good :)

That evening, Donald provided a phenomenal handler's dinner with the best ribs and strawberry rhubarb pie that I've ever had, as well as some delightful live music from a local band.

A couple of the band members.

Our run Sunday was equally as spectacular, at least on Rae's part, though we didn't score nearly as well.  We had a set of 2 and 2 sheep, each group determined to do it's own thing.  I don't remember details of the run as I've never had to work so hard to keep sheep together, keep them moving, and get around the course.  Part of me wanted to sit back to see how Rae handled the situation, but I could see she was looking to me for input.  A very, very good experience for the two of us and darn if we didn't get around the course again.  I think we missed the fetch panels, made the driveaway, then the sheep got to running across the crossdrive for the exhaust.  Rae stopped them just in time to make an attempt at the panel, which we got 2 through, I think.  Had to work like crazy to get them to the ring, work for the split, work for the pen, and then I started running out of dog.  I tried to call her through on some poorly setup sheds and the sheep ended up folding around me.  So instead of saving her work, I created more :(  The sheep got out of the ring and headed for the exhaust, and with 9 seconds left Rae caught them and started bringing them back.  I went for a hail mary and called her through...she had come in and was at my feet when time was called.  Didn't count as she had not quite gotten control of the single.  We ended up just out of the placings in 10th and I was so, SO proud of her efforts!

Starting the drive.

We were a true team that weekend and it was such a special feeling.  She filled in my holes and I filled in hers.  I never would've thought that we could pull off that kind of work, but we did it!  I'd been focused lately on working her on very heavy sheep and on the ram, and while I know that it often makes her uncomfortable, she has hung in there and tried her absolute hardest for me.  What a girl.  It is nice to think that our work paid off, but who knows, maybe she was just feeling especially full of herself that weekend?!  Mark and Renee were there, so surely there were some good vibes in the air!

Working the pen.  Photo by M. Billadeau.

Gabe got his turn on Monday in the PN.  It was a tough setup for the baby dogs.  Sheep set about 300?yds on a flat field.  I really thought he spotted his sheep being set, and he ran out with his normal extreme enthusiasm, but came up short.  I was able to get him down but he was too wound up to take his redirects.  Eventually he crossed and I fiddled with getting him to look upfield, but that is beyond what we're capable of right now, so I walked.  Donald let us go get our sheep after retiring, and after a bonehead lift, he got himself under control and brought them so smartly.  They were not easy sheep and he handled them very nicely.  We exhausted them as well as the next set of sheep and I was pleased with how he kept his head.  At the end of the novice trial, Donald had us turn out the entire group that was down in the exhaust.  About 80 head of angry ewes were crammed into a wooded and swampy area, crammed so tightly in brush so thick that I literally had no room for Gabe to get in behind them.  I walked him into the ewes, a bunch stomped and stared at him, and he just walked steady, steady, and got the front ones turned and trickling out of the woods.  When enough room was freed up I was able to send him in and he scooped them right out.  We drove them through the muck and out into the trial field.  I was very pleased with his work, flanking freely, listening, pushing (well, no suprise there).  So we ended on a good note for the Gaby Baby!

 No photos of Gabe, so here's one of Livy doing her own Livy-puppy thing.

So that was our special weekend.  Rae and I have come a long, long way since first getting together 2 years ago, and she continues to teach me something everytime we are out there.  I am so fortunate to have her and love her dearly.

An appropriate present I got for myself at the trial. 

Good reading material in the back of the Suburban during the storms.

Fall Trial Season

Not much time for blogging lately.  Seeing as we're off to the first trial in ages tomorrow, I thought I'd do a quick post.

Two weekends ago I went back for another Sister Working Weekend.  Well, all the dogs got a lot of good time in amongst helping my friends get ready for the trial.  Rae got to practice big blind outruns...pretty cool when the person setting sheep radios to you about where your dog is on her outrun and fetch.  I also got to try an international shed where Rae and I worked to get out a handful of woolies from a flock of nearly 100 katahdins.  Both new experiences for me, and it's so nice having a good dog who will help you through new things.

Gabe had some up and down moments, which pretty much sums up both of the youngsters these days.  One week he or Livy will look spectacular, the next they're back to doing naughty baby dog shenanigans.  I was happy to get the chance to work Gabe on the whole flock as he and I have never worked that many before.  As always...wish I had more space, more sheep, and more time.  Though I was a little disappointed with how Gabe's steering seemed to have fallen apart, he did show some mental maturity in situations that otherwise would've caused a mental (ahem, tooth) explosion in the not-so-distant past. 

Gabe at home, late-July

Livy gave a pretty accurate demonstration of where she is right now: outruns tight and casts at the last minute, occasionally dives in for no perceivable reason on the fetch (hard to stop it when you don't see it coming), and slices her flanks terribly at hand, particularly that away flank.  But likes driving!  I've been struggling as she wants to fight me and I have not been able to get her to bend to my pressure.  When I am less a part of the picture due to distance and she is in a good place mentally, she shows some very natural and pretty moves out in the field.  Something has just not been jiving between the two of us. 

Livy at home

Livy driving

I did get a new exercise to try with regard to her slicey flanks.  Instead of trying to push her out and picking a fight with her, I lie her down and body block her to keep her from going around her sheep.  We slowly work our way back off the sheep to a more appropriate position and I let her go around.  Seems to keep me calm, keep her calm, and keep her from ramping up so much momentum and mental excitement due to her speed and proximity to the sheep.  She's a fast little bugger, even faster than Ella at a dead sprint. 

Anyway, we've been at this exercise for a few works, we'll see how it goes.  So far I am liking it.

Gabe, the dog who we thought had no eye, now has too much eye on the drive.  He takes any flank as "walk up" and is particularly slicey on the away side.  He gets in this mental zone where he just...keeps...walking...sheep.  He loves to drive and has an awesome ability to settle sheep with his eye while driving.  I've seen him catch running sheep by doing nothing more than continuing to walk on.  Good thing he can hold a line and is nice and steady, but seriously Gabe, I do need some steering on ya! 

Gabe driving

He is also having trouble with off-balance flanks.  I really thought he was further along than that, but it is just sooooo darn hard for him to do something different than what feels right to him.  He is quite natural and not nearly as flexible mentally as Livy is.  Liv is so biddable (other than her grippage issues, she can't help herself!) that I can place her anywhere.  I think Gabe will be this way in the future, he has been moreso that way in the past, we are just having a little hiccup.  He has gained a lot of confidence and matured in other ways that I suppose it is not surprising that he is getting a little opinionated.

What can I say about Rae?  It is so comfortable and smooth to work with her and I really love our partnership.  I can trust her and find myself still choosing to use her when I'm in a hurry or doing something that may be a little hairy.  Like after-dark chores: no way I could trust the youngsters without seeing them!

Here Rae kindly pushes sheep out for Gabe and Livy.

Waiting their turn.

So with that update, we are off to Donald's Highland Occasional Trial tomorrow.  I've never been there but hear it is a great time.

Sister Working Day

Last week I took a day trip up to MD for a little sister reunion.  I've seen plenty of her two sisters Tally and Eve over the last year, but have only kept in touch via email with sister Nym in OH.  Her owner wanted to have a get-together one time this summer, and even though it turned out to be a ridiculously HOT day that we chose, we all had a fantastic time visiting and working dogs!

I got up at 4am to arrive in time to get a little work in with Gabe and Rae before it got too terribly hot.  Gabe did a very nice job and I was so pleased with him.  He has really matured since the last time I had him working up there (late this spring?).  Rae was her normal perfect self.  She ended up getting a lot of work in throughout the day as we held for the various puppies.  It was so unbelievably hot that we had to switch dogs out VERY frequently.

Ok, onto the (three-out-of-four) sisters.  It was so interesting to see their similarities and differences both on and off of sheep.

Nym was very level-headed, a serious worker with a great attitude.  She was all business and was quite nice to her sheep.

Nym on an outrun, mama Bette in the background.

That'll do, Nym.

Nym

Eve did a fine job, as well.  Alternated between being very thoughtful and calculating...to getting a little rodeo!

Eve feeling her sheep.

Eve checking in.

Eve

Tally did great, too.  A very natural worker, pretty steady with an occasional wild hair.

Tally fetching.

 

Tally pushing.

Tally

These three were all doing great outwork and just getting started on their driving.

Livy seems to have the most fire in her belly (and wool in her teeth).  Maybe it just feels that way since I'm the one trying to work her and not the spectator!  She is a flashy, edgy worker, often moving faster than her brain allows.  Her outrun is in there, I know it is, but when she's wound up, she races out to her sheep and blows into them at the top.  Yep, that's just what she did.  Her driving is much better than her outwork at this point, which was pretty much the opposite of her sisters.  I'm going to write more on her in another post.  This trip was a nice reminder of our progress, even though it feels slow at times, because last time we were there she hadn't even taken her first step driving.  Now it is her strength.

All of them look to have what it takes to train up well.  They have the best personalities and it is pretty obvious they're sisters!

I was due to go to a trial in OH last weekend where I would've seen brother Deuce and sister Floss in action, but as it turned out, the trial was canceled due to the heat.  Bummer, I was really looking forward to seeing those two, as well.

Visitors

Over the weekend of the 4th, my friends from PA came down for a visit.  Well, a visit and a Bea puppy:

Bea is a half-sister to my Livy by way of the sire, and if I didn't already have two promising youngsters, I'd have snatched one of these pups up in a heartbeat.  The mother is one of my personal favorites as both a farm and trial dog.

We went sight-seeing, we worked dogs, we played with the puppy...

Rae says, if I ignore the puppy it will go away, right?

We went to a bluegrass concert, in honor of the local culture.

Outdoor stage at the Blue Ridge Music Center.  Loved the flat-footing!

Oh, and we got chickens! 

I love them, especially the Angry Roo!

One of the places we worked dogs was an airport-turned-hayfield.  I've recently gotten the go-ahead to haul sheep out there, and this was the maiden voyage. 

Big field.  This is one of two runways.

We worked double lifts for the seasoned dogs and stretching outruns for the youngsters.

 Rae holding a few in our corner.  We had the second packet.

May takes charge of her second group.

 Moss brings his second group home to join the first.

Annie on her second lift.

Brook starting her second fetch.

Jed gets them going after a big outrun.

Rae and Gabe did a lot of the dirty work, and Livy had a pretty good session out in the big field, too.  It was a successful and FUN trip on all accounts, but we were all worn out after a busy weekend.  So great to see my original dog friends :)

Lesson Day

Last week I had my first Super Duper Big Hat lessons with none other than Alasdair.  I am very fortunate to work closely with plenty of immensely knowledgeable and successful handlers, but this was the first time I've gone to a lesson held in conjunction with a professional clinic.  There are others who must have much more time and money to invest than I, so this being my first time and possible only time for the year, I was pretty excited.

Alasdair knows of me through a close mutual friend, and we've chit-chatted a time or two, but I've never worked dogs in front of him.  I was kinda nervous, how dumb!  Anyway, Gabe was first up, and I went over my brief intro of what I wanted to work on with him: not feeling his sheep at the top end, tension after the lift, and not feeling his sheep on the fetch.  I sent him on a PN-ish sized outrun to pickup off his "other mother" and his real canine mother...and he was lovely.  Downed, took his flanks, walked on straight without flip-flopping, just a nice fetch.  We did a little driveaway and then had a timeout to talk.  Alasdair was quick to note that Gabe needs to take a "steady."  Ok, we sent him again, another textbook outrun and lift, and he was taking all of my down whistles (to my surprise).  We worked on him pacing himself and walking sheep down the fetch instead of bullying them on.  This was hard for Gabe, but after a few more fetches he was starting to get it.  At first, not knowing what "steady" meant, he actually *sped up* when I talked to him.  Alasdair thought he was just responding to my voice, my saying anything at all to him.  But he was getting it, and we will continue to work it at home. 

The other thing Alasdair noticed on Gabe was that he had a poor away flank.  This was actually rather shocking to me, as I'd not picked up on that before.  It is not that he slices it, just that it is uncomfortable to him and puts him in a bad place mentally.  So we worked some exercises to make him more comfortable.  Gabe can be super nice and fluid, but when he blows up, teeth come out, so we need to get that flank cleaned up now.  Additionally, his short flanks need work, as his fast-flanking style leads to big, sweeping flanks.  As Alasdair said, "Big flanks save you from trouble, but small flanks win trials."

Livy also had a turn, and honestly I was fairly worried about her being a wild child. 

Demonstrating a zoom-flank at home.

Prior to the clinic, the biggest thing I worked on with my dogs is "you better lie your butts down when I tell you to!"  I don't need to spend my lesson time and money on obedience issues, so I made sure those stinkers would listen :P

Well, again with the preamble: her outrun is not good, she is tight and slices because my sheep at home run and I have no one to hold...but in cases where sheep are standing still or being set, she does cast pretty well.  I also cautioned him that her away flank was going to be worse than Gabe's, seeing as for the last several months we've been in a funk where she dives and bites on almost every away flank at hand (it is better at a distance, but still not good).  Aaaand again, the squirt goes out to get her sheep very nicely, downs every time I ask her, never slices or grips, and takes off driving.  How about that.  She was a little keyed up, yes, and did like to hustle the light sheep, but it was a pretty good representation of what we normally see out of her (minus the outruns and away flanks).  He said at this point, she is like a brand new 1 ton truck with all the bells and whistles...but lacks steering!  It's true, when put in situations that tested her knowledge of verbal flank commands, she always responded with what made sense to her based on the context of me and the sheep.  So we worked some exercises to get her *thinking* instead of just reacting.  A bit mechanical, but I know it is absolutely needed to solidify her flanks.  He also showed me how he teaches driving, and I will be working on that in conjunction with just letting her get behind them and go.

It was a very productive morning for me and my dogs and we have lots to think about and practice.  Both of them made liars out of me, how nice, but maybe it means that the areas we've been focusing on for the last 2 months are improving.  Either that, or the magic of Alasdair's presence was in effect.