McGraw Bdog #2

Last weekend felt like fall is just around the corner…and dog trials are back underway after the steamy summer recess.  Meg and I spent September 6-7 at Maci and Peg McGraw’s McGraw Bdog #2 trial at their place in Cross Plains.  Held on their beautiful, wooded field, the trial featured competition in the Open Ranch, Nursery, Ranch and Novice classes.  

It was Meg’s first trial outing since our trip to Colorado, and she was pretty excited.  Her first run was erratic, but by the second, on Sunday, she settled enough to earn a fourth place with a score of 81.  

The weather on Saturday was cool and rainy, with handlers in jackets for the first time in a long time.  Sunday was a perfect day, though; short sleeves were comfortable, but we weren’t sweating.  The hospitality and camaraderie were warm, and it was a great outing.

Here are a few pics of the competition.  

Meg especially enjoyed her role as the “exhaust dog” that made sure the sheep went where they were supposed to after their runs.  She quickly learned what the job was, and hardly needed any direction (except to make sure she didn’t start her “work” too early!).  Moving four sheep at a time wasn’t hard for her, but she did have a new challenge.  The Dorper ewes were in an open exhaust pen.  When they grew tired of waiting, or wanted different grass, they tended to move out into the back of the trial field.  And there were about 60 of them.  That’s five times the number that Meg has handled in the past.  She was very brave, though, and faced them off and put them back in their pen.  Then, when I asked her she moved the entire flock from the exhaust back to the setout pen, keeping them in a nice, tidy bunch the entire way.  I was very proud of her.  And, I can’t wait for the rest of this fall’s trials.  

Thanks so much, Maci and Peg, for an excellent trial.  And thanks, too, Les Hale for judging, and to all those who helped scribe, set out sheep and pitch in where needed.