Recent clinics- Sean Barrett, Jenny Parsons

Last weekend it was the stockhandling school with Sean Barrett of Black Dog kelpies, held at Nan Lloyd's place at Darkan. Very very worthwhile, even if the lack of sleep and cranky baby made life fairly difficult. Similar to Neil McDonald and Bud Williams methods, and the "parts of the eye" stuff teaching us how to influence animals using the drive, drift, bend and block zones was an eye opener. I can see it being extremely useful for me alone and working my dogs- it seems they have a better understanding of this stuff than I do. R was familiar with it already because of the natural horsemanship he's done, but it was still very useful.

No photos, sorry.

This weekend we managed to get to Capel to Jean Hydleman's place, for a school with Jenny Parsons. This was very casual, extremely well catered (I ate like a pig!) and we were able to stay in Jean's caravan so I would have been well rested if babyJ hadn't decided to wake up every half hour on Saturday night. He was exceptionally well behaved otherwise, spent most of his time paddling in the dogs' trough. Mucky water, dogs galore, it was Jack's idea of heaven.

We saw a few nice young kelpies, Richard's favourite being Badgingarra Blue, a Jock pup (out of Robinson's Lady), and a mix of other dogs, from the babies (Nan Lloyd's Drift pups and Tom's fuggly pup), various pets, rescues, show-bred dogs, shelties, aussies, BCs and working-bred collies and NZHD-BC crosses, to the mature and sensible experienced trial dogs like Jean's Laydee and George.

Because of the range of ages and levels of experience in handlers and dogs, the clinic went from round yard to paddock and back, but focussed on getting handlers to recognise the influence their behaviour has on their dogs (I need to stop scowling, apparently), and for the dogs, exercises on learning pace and "low-stress stockhandling", so it tied in nicely with last weekend.

We also got to see young Sonic's first time on sheep- Karen was sure he'd be a nutty barker, but he was quiet and fairly serious, kept well off the sheep and settled fairly well, even if he seems a bit soft and possibly overly strong on the head like his mother. He's only a baby yet, but fingers crossed he'll turn out to be a dog Karen can go on with.

Karen with Sonic:
 












Hayden Harries with one of his nice young NZHD-BC pups (KnightxKelly)
 













Marianne and her new mini Beardie (no, sorry, that's Tom's Border Terrier Pritani)
 













Nan's Drift:
 

Guirmere Brynn:
 












Tom and Chris with Brynn:
 











Warren with his kelpie, Badgingarra Blue (a Jock pup):
 












Karen's Riot (Hotnote AsGoodasitgets):