A Very Busy Spring

OK…so there were more activities, events and dog trials between the Frio Draw Classic  and the Strang Ranch Spring Sheepdog Trial.  I’m going to try to get some photos up for all of these in the next few days (hopefully before I start posting about this month’s Frio Draw Memorial.)  

Ashcroft Ranch Sheep Dog Trial held February 6-9 just outside Stephenville was a disaster for us!  The ranch is beautiful and the fields challenging and fun to run.  But, the weather was predicted to be stormy, and almost one-fifth of the dogs originally entered scratched.  The weather didn't turn out to be as bad as predicted, but a couple of days were disagreeable,,, 

and the sheep were worse.  They were a mixed flock of dorper ewes, and many of them were too close to lambing to work well.  In fact, both Dutch's Open runs ended with disqualifications because one of the ewes either laid/fell down or was simply too heavy bred to continue.  

This one managed to make it around the post and through the drive-away panels, but then just gave up and refused to move and we heard the dreaded "Thank you" from the judge.  

His second run was to the come-bye side, and his outrun was beautiful.  Unfortunately, it went downhill (both literally and figuratively) from there.  One ewe didn't even make it to the post before she gave up and quit, and the judge DQ'd us.  

The same was true of Bo, though he was more responsible for his DQ's.  When I reviewed the scores for the Open courses, I discovered that, of the 71 dogs that competed in Open 1, only 42 received scores; the rest either retired or were disqualified.  In Open 2, 75 dogs competed and only 41 "got numbers."  A number of handlers had to abandon their runs or had their dogs disqualified because of unsound sheep.  Here's what that looks like.  

This sheep had to be picked up and taken off the field because it couldn't stand.

Meg didn't fare much better.  We were still getting to know each other and it showed.  I retired her on her first run and she was disqualified on her second.  We have lots to work on.

Junction Trial on the Pecos Trail took place in Junction, Texas, February 13-16. Again, we had typical Texas February weather...cold, but no rain this time.  We had fun, and at least 5 out of 6 runs were numbers, if not very good ones.  The boys each bettered their times in the second Open, though, and Meg racked up a 59 and a DQ in her Open Ranch class.  Here, Dutch and I worked on our pen.

And below, Meg brings her sheep in for a try at her pen.

One highlight of the weekend was getting to meet another of Dutch's pups.  Kate, owned by Joe Jones, is from his litter with Tip.  

She is 6 months old, now, and turning into a real beauty.  It will be exciting to see her when she begins to work sheep in a few months.

We rolled home from Junction, and on February 19 we received our token snowfall of 2025.  Not much to show this year, but enough to give the ground a light coating and dust the roof of Allan and Jef's farmhouse.

There wasn't much snow, but there was plenty of cold.  As we prepared for the Gatesville Sheep Dog Trial, it was bitter cold.

But cold weather doesn't keep the dogs from being excited about working sheep.  And John and I had the pleasure of hosting Debbie George from Puxico, Missouri, as our guest during the Gatesville trial. 

We "warmed up" working our sheep, and it really was 19 degrees!

Debbie and her two border collies, Jim and Valor, had come down to participate in the trial, and to attend a herding clinic after with Sergio Perello, who judged the trial.  

Sergio, currently of Caton, Lancashire, England, won the English National in 2018, was Reserve English Nursery Champion in 2019, and finished 7th at the International Supreme in 2017.  We learned a lot in his clinic on the International Shed, as well as in our private lessons.  Except for Meg, who posted a score of 70 in her second Open Ranch run, the dogs and I didn't do very well, so we had things to work on in our lessons.  We did get numbers, though.  

Was sorry to see the week end, and to say goodbye to Debbie.  I look forward to having her back again...maybe next year if all goes well. 

(...more to come when I have time to add updates on the following:)

Lambing

Kota Update

San Saba Reunion Sheep Dog Trial

Baby lambs and calves

More Snakes!

Birds, Birds, Birds

Destiny Farm Sheep Dog Trial

FM 500 Sheep Dog Trial

It’s a tall order, I know, but there was so much going on that I want to share……..