The Day is Done

Today turned out to be the last day of Rave and I trialing at ASCA Nationals. We where scheduled to just do ducks today and finish tomorrow with sheep and cattle. But due to scratches we where able to get all three runs in today.

The ducks we drew where a good group. The dog I had was a bad dog ;-) Rave definitely left her hearing somewhere behind and didn't take my commands to slow down, stop, get out or to go away. Can't remember if she went bye! We got the ducks through both panels somehow but she was pushing so hard we only tried for the center a little bit and then put the ducks away. The funny thing is yesterday I had bad ducks and a very good dog. To bad the mix didn't come out for me to have a good dog and good ducks at the same time!

My friend and I left the grounds to go get lunch as my cattle run was last of the day and so would go around 6. We went to Applebees and talked about the week and just relaxed. Came back to the grounds and watched some cattle runs and generally just took it easy. At about 4:30 it looked like I might be able to get my cattle run in early as there where many conflicts for a lot of people and there was some open time. So I got in line for cattle. The course director drove up in her golf cart and asked if I was going to run sheep as they where going to shut down if no one came. Well I thought my sheep run was tomorrow and didn't even think about it. She said no, there where cancellations and if I checked the official posted run order instead of the one in the catalogue I was 3 from the end. I dashed with Rave to the sheep arena, which was quite a distance away arriving a bit puffing. It is a higher altitude here than at home. Being out of shape had nothing to do with it. The wind had kicked up fiercely and it turns out a sheep had been killed by a coyote during the night. We enter the arena. I had to chain the center pen gate closed as the wind kept blowing it open. I signaled to let the stock out. And the race was on. Good gosh. Rave was fast, the sheep where fast. Everything was going fast. We got through the first panel with just a little bobble and then raced to the second. Rave didn't take her away so we had to daylight, then on to the center. I don't know how it happened but I got the gate open. Rave circle around behind the pen slamming to a stop when the sheep where in front of the gate and she was at a 45 degree angle from the opening of the pen gate. She leaned and walked in two steps, the sheep entered the pen, I shut the gate. Then we let them out and away to the repen we went. She was in control but it was fast. And into the exhaust I put them and then I started breathing again. I know I got a 106 as they where posting scores but I will be real interested to find out what my time was when they hand out the yellow sheets.

Next up cattle. I had to wait about 4 runs before Rave and I had our turn. Finally it was our turn. I was very nervous as Rave had no confidence on her first run of cattle earlier in the week. We needed to do the take pen and she wouldn't go in so I had to go in with her. Oh, we had 5 Angus cattle. They came out of the pen nicely and Rave started her drive. She was in a very heeling mood. Guess after the adrenaline of the sheep run she was on a high. We got them down to through the first panel and on to the second. They started pulling out and I should have called that my attempt as it was a near miss. I tried to get her to come out and push them back behind the panel but couldn't. They broke and she covered. They then where going the wrong way and again Rave wouldn't take her flank command from that distance. I was having a lot of trouble keeping her from heeling. I couldn't control her well enough from that distance so I crossed the handler's line and went to the open line. With me there we where able to easily make the center chute and repen them. Of course with crossing the handler's line and loosing 50% of my score it won't be a good score. But I was very pleased that she worked the cattle, except the take pen, with confidence and had a good time doing it.

My friend and I went to dinner, had a coffee and then I went back to my motel. I have nothing going tomorrow so I am going to take it easy and not head over to the National site until around ten. On Friday my friend trial's her young dog in started sheep which I look forward to watching. I got no prizes today but I was really pleased with Rave's sheep and cattle. We will work on the control and having her relax with her work but for now it is good to see her have confidence and fun.

Howling Good Time

The Lobo Australian Shepherd Club hosted the pretrail today. I had scratched Rave from cattle and got a refund as there was someone waiting to buy a cattle run if one was turned in. There where quite a few scratches so many people where able to pick up a run. They where happy, I was happy. A wiw-win. I was not able to sell my National Trial run so decided to run Rave in it and use it as a training experience. We will only do as much as Rave is willing.

We started the day with ducks. We where first in which is always the worst position as the judge doesn't know how the stock work. Although I suspect this judge had watched some of the runs yesterday and had an idea, but I don't know if she did. We got the unlucky draw of the duck with the sawed off backside. It looked like perhaps all the other ducks didn't like him and pulled out his rear feathers. And he acted like all the other ducks didn't like him and took every opportunity to leave the group. I don't know why this duck was not culled from the working group. They had plenty of ducks. It was obvious from the other trials, the Finals and the following pre trial that he was not a good duck. Be that as it may, they didn't cull him and we got him. I was very proud of Rave's work. She really was able to cover that duck and bring him back to the group time after time. She even got him penned. He felt no pressure from people at all. Rave's lift was not real good. She had a nice outrun but came in a bit to fast for these ducks and they hit the corner. We had a turn back on the cross drive. This is a problem we have been having in both sheep and ducks as Rave overflanks slightly about half way down causing the turnback. We will need to work on this. At the center the single duck kept going his way, refusing to group with the others but we did finally get them all in the center. Wheee. And the repen was not to bad. Ended up with a 95 but I feel that she really showed her talent as she worked esentially two groups of ducks.

Our sheep run was pretty good. Rave was still pushing a bit to hard but better than the other trials. I let her push on and didn't try to slow her so much. These sheep had been turning back to the exhaust for most of the dogs and Rave was able to prevent that. We had the turn back on the cross drive. A nice turn to the center and an excellent center! We ended up with a 114 and third place.

The host club CASA put on a dinner for the membership and that is where the Final awards where handed out. Rave got a very pretty big Rosette with her name and tenth Place sheep written on it. She also got a large rosette with Finalist ducks and her name printed on it. After that it was back to the motel and bed. Wow am I getting tired.

Tomorrow, the National Trial starts. It looks like we will have our duck run today. We are number 39. Our sheep run may be at the end of the day or tomorrow, we are number 62. And our cattle run will also be at the end of the day today or tomorrow at number 67. The judges can do 60 runs per day. So if people scratch we will be today, if they don't we will be tomorrow. It has cooled off according to the weather with the high in the mid 60's and a "passing shower".

Pre-trials Can Be Trying

The SWASA pretrial was today. WE did okay on the sheep but certainly not stellar. We didn't get the chute although we had them in the mouth twice. I rushed sending Rave and didn't get her kicked out properly to make the chute so it was my fault. The drive to the one panel was pretty ragged. If the dogs stayed off sheep and applied steady pressure they where good, but they did require the dog to be absolutely right. We got a 90. Not to hot. Ducks where better. We got them out of the take pen clean and they went to the far corner where they flapped and squashed in the corner. I had to convince Rave we where going the other way but once we got that straightened out we made both panels fairly cleaning and the turn for the center went well. She pushed a bit and before I could kick her out to cover the ducks one duck squirted through the chute. So we had to take one there and didn't get much in the way of points for set up at the center pen. Re pen was fine. We had a 102. Cattle went down the tubes. One busted out of the take pen and with Rave in pursuit ran to the far end of the arena. I called her back and got the two out and they all rejoined. The kept facing her which is her weak point. She was hesitant to heel so couldn't flip them either. I broke the handler's line to go help her. Needless to say that score was pretty darn low. I scratched our cattle run tomorrow but kept the National one as they don't refund and I figured I could just run it as a started dog if I needed to.

I stayed relaxed today and enjoyed watching the other dogs. Tomorrow I just do sheep and ducks. Hoping for a better sheep run. She hasn't really laid down a run like she is capable of. She needs to soften her attitude to the sheep and all will go well. They will bring in fresh stock for the National trial. So everything will change after tomorrow.

Finals, Day Two

So the second day of Finals is here. We arrived at the trial site in time for the handler's meeting. ThenI walked Rave and settled in to watch the cattle runs. Some good work there and some tough cattle. Next up was my sheep run. Rave was a bit ramped, not takining my commands to slow down or stop but we managed to do the course and our average broke a hundred so I wasn't to displeased. Out of ten dogs it put us at ninth or tenth.

Nexted up, C Course. Here I knew we where in over our heads. Not so much the off the fence panels. That we can do, but the distance. I haven't ever worked Rave that far. We had ten sheep. It started out bad right at the first. For some reason coming out of the take pen one sheep cut back and we where left with one in the pen. I though Rave went in nice. Not putting on to much pressure or going to fast and she hugged the fenceline. I wonder if she pulled off the pen fence a little as the 9 where leaving to get out to cover causing the last sheep to cut back? Maybe. So we had to put them in the pen and take them out again. Rave was ramped giving little high pitched yelps. Had a bit of trouble getting the sheep going staight up the middle, we where off to the side a good bit but not on the fence. Then she got to the far end of the arena. I am not sure how far away this was but I know with the way my voice carries it was way far. I am pretty sure she could hear me but to project my voice that far it lost most of its 'command tone' I was shouting as loud as I could. Now on my previous run I had people telling me how quiet I was. And I wasn't being quiet at all, so I know my voice didn't carry at all well. So there is Rave at the end of the arena, me at the other end. And shouting for all I am worth AWAY. And she won't take it. I am thinking that I mostly took her on the come bye side when I did loups at home. She seemed convinced and determined that we where heading for panel number two. We got one watch it when. I finally broke the handler's line and went to help her. She looked so relieved to see me. I set her up to do the loup through panel two. I guess the judge told me to move on and I didn't hear that so we proceeded to do panel two. Which with me there she did very nicely. I was going to do the chute but I heard a judge shout out for me to repen. I don't know if that is because I didn't move on when they told me since I didn't hear, of if they figured I broke the handler's line and it was getting late so call the run.

I wasn't displeased with Rave. She was being very pushy. She didn't take her slow downs or stops. But she tried and we where in over our heads. I really never expected to make the cut. We had a respectable score in the elimination round but it certainly wasn't stellar. I would not of expected a 107 to be one of the ten best scores with all of the great dogs out there. Go figure.

Accomplishments, goals and plans

• Competed in our first Finals and Survived
• Actually made the cut in sheep in our first Finals
• Continue work on slow, down and taking commands from a distance
• Try to learn to whistle so I can do distance commands
• Today be prepared to break the handlers line early to help her. I want to make sure she calms down, and slows down
• Have fun with my dog, it is a hobby

Finals, Day One

What a day. It started out chilly but quickly warmed up and I had to shed my new sweater that I bought just for Finals. The handler's meeting was at 7:45 and we all gathered at the grandstands to hear what the judges had to say. After some instructions and clarifications the trial started at 9:00 am. I had a couple of hours before my sheep run so took Rave for a walk and then watched some of the sheep runs. The sheep where light but not stupid. And if the dog covered them they didn't run at breakneck speed back to the repen. Which was a very good thing. Finally it was our turn. I was very nervous walking across the ring, hoping that we would just get through it without a big disaster. Not to many dogs had made the center chute so I figured we would give it the ole try and then put the sheep up. Rave brought the sheep out of the take pen real nice. A good start. We started up the first side and Rave wasn't taking my slow down commands very well. She could feel the sheep pushing a head and wanted to stay in contact with them, getting into the faster and faster cycle. She over flanked a couple of times on her drive causing the sheep to turn back. I had to hit the ground with my stock stick to get her attention and she finally agreed to slow up a bit and we got down and through the first panel. Coming out of the panel she let them drift a bit toward the center but I was able to pull her out and put them back on line. We made the second panel and she took her flank beautifully stopping the sheep just past the opening to the y chute. We where able to ease them back up to the mouth step by step. And then wonder of wonders she took my out away and the sheep came through the chute! She didn't go out quite as far as she could have so them came out a bit fast but she was able to cover them half way back to the repen. I had her hold them there while I opened the repen gate and then sent her around and she repenned nicely. They where not the highest scores she has ever received, but with the problems the other dogs where having with the chute good enough for 7th and making the cut!

Now we moved on to ducks. My heart was not beating quite so hard as with the sheep although I still felt in against my sternum. I felt we had a pretty good chance with the ducks. The arena was a full 100 x 100 and they where Khaki Campbell drakes. A 16 x 16 take pen which didn't worry me as that is what we use at our trials. Well it should have worried me. Rave went in to fast and hard and 4 came flying out and one stuck in the corner flapping away. After a little manuevering we got him out. The gate opened on the opposite hinge from what we usaully have. The dogs needed to take the ducks out of the pen and swing them out around the gate. Well Rave was convinced that we needed to go up the other side of the arena. It took a little convincing to get her to take them back the other way. And then she was pushing to hard. Just as we got to the panels she started the turn, again pushing to hard and we only got 2 through each panel as the others squirted out to the side at the last minute. We went around the chute once and then with me using my stock stick the two of us got the ducks through the chute and on to the repen, which wasn't clean either as we baubled the gate. So lets hope she isn't so pushy on the sheep tomorrow!~

The Journey, Day Two

Got up and was on the road by ten to 6. Mr. Garmin, My GPS said there was a Starbucks about 1/2 mile away. Of course it was in the wrong direction but 1/2 mile isn't far now is it? So off I go in search of a latte to get me going. Get to the proper street and Mr. Garmin keeps wanting me to make U-turns. I go up and down the couple of blocks until I give up and go into the McDonalds. They tell me that the Starbucks closed but that they make lattes. Well they do it out of a machine like gas stations have, you know push the button for the kind of coffee drink you want and it whirls out into your cup. Believe me, it ain't Starbucks. But it was hot and it had caffeine. Which I paid for later with a headache. I seem to be sensitive to caffeine. By the time I really get on the road it is about 6:20. It is still the glooming, although I think that only refers to twighligt, but anyway the sky is lightening but it is still dark. I am heading due east. Well you guessed it. The sun does rise in the east. And this was an incredible sunrise. A huge firery ball of sun. It looked like what Hollywood does when they are doing a primordial dinosaur movie. Only problem is it was right in my eyes. Even with sunglasses it was tough. And as I was climbing the sun kept sinking so it never seemed to get any higher. But finally it did rise up above the most troublesome spot and occasionally I did hit a curve and it was on my shoulder instead of in my eyes.


We arrived at the motel in good time and I was unpacked and ready to head over to the trial site by two. We walked the grounds for a couple of hours with Rave on a flexi trying to tire her out a bit. The arenas are nice but there are no convient places to wait for your turn without the dog being able to see the runs going on. Not a good idea for Little Miss Rave. There is a bit of distance between the duck/cattle arena and the sheep arena. And I am already shaking in my boots about tomorrow. We will probably have our sheep run first. That might be best as if that all falls to pieces I will be more calm during my duck run. You know, the worst has already happened so no need to worry!

I went to the Finals BBQ. It was nice to see all the people but there was no mingling of the groups. Us western newbies all hung together, expect Erylon did join us. So it was Tom from Montana, Bob Crosby and his wife from WA, Erylon from WA who has been in Finals before and Sue McGee also from WA and her husband. It was really noisy and hard to hear or talk. But I had a good time. Then it was back to the motel to play a little tug with Rave and an early bedtime. I want to be at the trial site an hour early to set up and have a chance to walk around a bit before the handler's meeting at 7:30. We are about 15th in sheep and about 38 in ducks.

Called home and Tika is feeling much better but is still draining.

Nationals Journey

Well we are off to a ragged start to our National Adventure. I had planned to leave about eight and drive to Green River, WY. Take a nice long walk and leave at a decent hour in the morning to arrive in Greeley in time to find the motel, scout out the trial site and be ready for the group dinner that evening at 6. Well the best laid plans. I took longer at the morning preparations than I had planned. Moving stock water tanks, taking down some of the tarps from the trial so the neighbors would know they where not permanent fixtures, giving Rave a bath, packing, loading etc. So now it is noon. Still plenty of time to get to Green River but maybe no long walk, just a short one. I load Rave up in the car and go back in to say a last farewell to the old guys. Give Tanis a scratch and a pat and go over to Tika who is lying besides the couch. What's this! She is all gunky from a ruptured abscess. She had given no signs, playing with Colt and Rave, eating well, even licking out her bowl and it was hidden in her long hair. I just never had pat her in that spot. But now she looks miserable. So I take Rave out of the crate and replace her with Tika and head off to the vet's. They take her in, sedate her and lance it. Install a drain and give us some meds. And I bring her home and with many a worry leave her with the boys (my boys are really men, 25 and 28) to take care of (my husband is out of town). So now it is three in the afternoon. I change my plans and decide to try for Evanston, WY. It is about 425 miles. Here is a link for anyone who wants to see the route. http://www.mapquest.com/mq/3-cmKewTm_ I couldn't make it link so I guess you will have to cut and paste. It is actually to the motel, not the trial site . I make good time listening to my new remastered Beatles CD's. And the CD changer starts keeping them. Refusing to spit them back out when they are done. I have to use another CD to insert and pull them out. Sure hope I haven't scratched them in the process. So anyway for 425 miles I have been listening to the Beatles! Started with their first album, and for those who are old Beatles fans I just finished Rubber Soul. ;-) Had to drive the mountain pass, full of construction barrels in pitch darkness. To many cars coming the other direction to be able to use my brights. The white lines so faded that they are hard to see. Not at all fun. So now I am in the Motel 6. No walk. I feed Rave, decided to skip feeding me. I had a big lunch anyway and am heading to bed. Getting up at 5:30 and planning to have my coffee and be on the road by 6:00. Hopefully we will get there in time for Rave to have some kind of walk. She was in the crate all day and then went directly to the room only to get right back into the crate. I kind of hate to think of all that pent up energy on those sheep!

Fall Harvest Trial

We held our Fall Harvest Trial here over the weekend. It went off without to many problems. Weather was great except for the wind that came up on Sunday making the stock behave strangely and the dogs be a bit ramped. But everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. Due to Nationals we had a low entry which kept everything low key. Although everyone was ready when their run came up no one felt pressure to hurry up.

Now how did Rave and I do? Ducks went pretty well. Elsie was here with her dog Pert and she took most of the firsts but we did manage to snag a couple.

I seem to be having a big problem judging where the stock (any of them) are in relation to the second panel. A depth perception thing. So we keep missing it. And of course by the time I realize it and try to give Rave a flank she doesn't take it. So a few baubles there. We did mostly manage to do the center. Sometimes we only got 4 in but not bad considering how much we have been struggling. On the sheep Rave is pushing to hard and slicing in on her cover for the center. She needs to release the stock and kick out. Well something to work on over the winter if the weather will permit.

Our sheep runs where pretty sad. Got into the ring around the center game. Lost them around the second panel, etc. Not a good confidence builder going into Nationals!

Cattle where tougher than I expected. They wanted to split and go their own way by Sunday (dairy steers) Rave had to work hard to keep them together, or rather I should say get them back together. There was one time I was quite pleased. It wasn't good stockmanship and I called her off as soon as I could get her to listen but she was going to head. She got one of the steers that had been breaking in the corner and went in and hit its head! Yeah. But then she went in and hit it's heel, etc. keeping him in the corner. Got that stopped and finished the run. I wonder if this will be the breakthrough on heads? Probably not but it is a start. She did more fly byes than I would have liked but they seem to be decreasing too.

The rest of the trial is a bit of a blur. But I did have a really good time. I leave for Nationals on Thurs. We are definitely not peaking at the right time but I do feel that we are ready to make a bit of a breakthrough. Wish I had another month to try to get it. Guess thats what everyone says.

Accomplishments, goals and plans

• Have fun at Nationals
• Major goal for trials is to remain calm
• Work on release of pressue
• Continue to work on stop
• Conitnue to work on squaring flank

Wow its been a long time since I have made an entry. I went to the Black Sheep Trial near Spokane, WA and although we did pretty well, except on cattle, it was not smooth or pretty. My friend took a few video's of our runs for me. What a great learning tool. But ouch. You sure see where you are messing up. At least while watching the video. Not sure I will see it from the Bird's Eye view of the trial field!

So what did I learn? I yammer, and yammer. I give commands late. My voice is tense. I am in the wrong place. And this one, I didn't learn, I already knew. I really don't help at all at the center. I am sure my poor dog is saying "just get out of the way if you aren't going to help!"

But the dear, sweet girl, forgave me every night and climbed up on my cot to snuggle in for the night. It was a fun trial with lots of great people and dogs.

We our holding our Fall Trial at my house this year. As our traditional date was so close to Nationals we figured we would have a low entry. So the only way we could afford to put the trial on was to reduce costs somewhere. Well one of the major costs was the rental of the fairgrounds where we usually hold our trial. So I figured why not have it at my place. What I didn't anticipate was how much time would go into setting it up. So it is almost finished now. Just a few details to complete. But I have not trained as I would have wished. Now I am not sure that that isn't a good thing. I had been putting a lot of pressure on Rave trying to get a stop. To much, to fast. So it is good that I was forced to back off a bit. So this weekend is our trial. And then on Thurs. I leave for Greeley and our Nationals adventure. Yikes!

Accomplishments, plans and goals

• Stop yammering. Speak softly
• Trust
• Don't worry about the trial, train for tomorrow
• Continue to work on stop, but reduce the pressure
• Don't let Nationals rattle me, have fun, keep a sense of humor