A New Season

We are at our first trial of the season.  Traveled down to Utah on Friday and arrived at the trial site early Saturday morning.  This is a sheep and duck trial only but as I am not planning on doing many more cattle runs that was just fine.  I was pleased with the way Rave worked.  She wouldn't quite come out enough after the first panel to hold a straight line on the cross drive.  And we pushed the sheep a bit to hard pulling them off the fence for the center, but otherwise the runs were fun and I didn't have any panic feelings. I was nervous but not panicked.   LOL.  I certainly messed up on my second run on sheep.  Must be my age.   They had sheep set up for course A and ducks doing course B.  So after I had my first run of ducks we broke for lunch before the next trial started.  We were first up in sheep after lunch.  I don't know what I was thinking but I started up the arena like I was doing B course.  We got level with the chute before I realized what I had done.  I called Rave off and then sent her on a little outrun to pick the sheep up and head back in the right direction.  |Guess I wanted to make sure I got my moneys worth and use the whole arena!

The ducks were tuff but fun.  They were Indian Runners.  Rave has not had a chance to work runners and these were very light and did not want to go through the first panel.  After some jockeying on both runs we got them through.  Had to daylight my second panel on the second run.  First run had to really fight to get the pen.  Had one duck that wanted to split off and go around.  Once I had 3 in and then they popped back out but we did finally get them all in.  On my second run they went right in.  You should have seen my eyes pop as I shut that gate as quickly as I could.  On both runs I fumbled the repen gate.  I really need to get smoother on that. 

It looks like rain is moving in for today.  Hopefully it will hold off and if it comes it will be light.  We are planning on driving home, about 6 hours, after the trial.