Recap #2

One of the reasons I haven’t posted as often as usual this year is because I’ve been busy working Cody and Bo and attending sheepdog trials.  They have come in rapid succession, and have given us opportunities to work on handling (me) and sheep herding skills (them).  I have previously reported on the trials we attended at Junction, Gatesville and Friona, but those weren’t all.  The end of March we participated in the Bluebonnet Sheep Dog Trial in Crawford, then on April 2 we helped out at the Texas Herding Association AKC trial at Destiny Farm outside Bertram.  Cody and Bo helped to set out sheep for the competitors.  Here, they are resting between runs and their friend, Jamie Jackson-Swanson's beautiful blue border collie Kimber, cools off.

On April 23 we were back at Destiny Farm for an American Herding Breed Association trial.  AHBA has different courses than those we usually run at Texas Sheep Dog Association field trials, so it was fun for all of us.  Cody and Bo did well in this small trial, and I was thrilled that a professional photographer, Bri Garrett of Down the Lead Photography was there to take photos.  Here are some images she captured of Cody, Bo and me.

A week later, we were in Meridian for the second Jake & Clayton Memorial trial, hosted by Jack and Vivian Christensen.  Here are some photos of several of our friends on the course.  

Jack & Gus

Jill & Dutch

Tommy & Pancho

Donna & Zin

Lindsey & Doc

Jill & Fae

On May 7, we were indoors at Hamilton’s Circle T Arena for the Ewe-Vaca Cattle and Sheep Trial.  Cody had a fifth place in one of his sheep runs and Bo took a sixth.  They competed in the Intermediate division.  Our adventure for the weekend was Cody’s and my first experience in a cattle dog trial.  Cody works our cattle on the farm, but we had never participated in a trial and we probably won’t again.  We were the last run of the day in our class and the three heifers were tired and cranky.  One of them kept charging Cody every time he got near her, and we only earned 20 points (out of a possible 90, I think) on our run.  

John took these photos of our efforts, but they are probably the only ones you'll see of us in a cattle trial arena.  I’m pretty sure we’ll stick to sheep on the trial course from now on. 

 

Our most recent herding excursion was to Mike and Stephanie Goracke’s lovely place outside Brashear in far North Texas.  In the photo below, Kathy Mazzola and one of her dogs help move the sheep from the exhaust pen back to the set-out area.

Cody, Bo and I camped out with Charly Kronberger and her four dogs in her specially outfitted Lakota “horse” trailer, shown in the background in this photo.  

Charly & Melba

A number of our friends have modified horse trailers with living quarters.   The rear section, which would normally house one or more horses, have been specially outfitted to accommodate dog kennels and herding paraphernalia.  We were super comfortable in Charly's Lakota, with plenty of room for people and dogs alike, and had a great time.  

My dogs’ handler didn’t do very well in this trial, and our scores don’t bear repeating.  We were up early Saturday for a 7 a.m. start, then took a break mid-day to enjoy a hearty lunch courtesy of our host and hostess.  

Then, we reconvened at 7:30 for runs under the lights in the small arena.  Chris Thompson and Tick were working hard to pen these sheep.

Saturday evening I gave several of our friends the chance for a good laugh.  After the evening runs, a shower and getting into our jammies, several of us moved outside to enjoy the full moon and a glass of wine.  To everyone’s amusement, I promptly fell fast asleep in my chair.  Many thanks to Donna Walker, who had the foresight to retrieve my glass of wine before I dumped it in my lap!  (Donna had great runs on Saturday evening and penned her sheep all three times.)  

Sunday morning we again ran our dogs on the big field.  The grass was lush and green...a lot different than our pastures.

Hostess and Judge Stephanie Goracke convenes a handler's meeting

Steve Ridenour Judged the ranch course

Our host, Mike Goracke & one of his dogs

Chris Thompson and Tick

Then we loaded up and headed out…me and the boys back to the farm and Charly and her dogs to the Bluegrass Sheep Dog Trial in Lexington, KY.  It was a great experience!