Albany 3 Sheep Trial

Results from Albany 3 Sheep trial
7th and 8th November 2008

Gibb Macdonald and Elfinvale Toby at the race:



This unofficial trial was the first held at Albany for a long time, and was run in conjunction with the Albany Ag Show. The weather was a mixed bag- enough of the icy Southern Ocean wind to keep the sheep twitchy, enough rain to keep the workers damp, and enough sunshine (especially on Saturday) to give me a cracking sunburn. But overall it was another nice friendly little trial, with quite a few young dogs having a go (perhaps not the best sheep for them to start on, but we have to start somewhere).

Tony Boyle and Boylee Mustard at the race:


Glenice Webb's young dog David's Brock:



The sheep... what to say? They were fit, athletic wethers that delighted in demonstrating that athleticism in lengthy sprints across the ground and daring vaults over dogs, fences and let-out gates (on one occasion actually jumping INTO the arena to join the 3 sheep already there). A number of dogs made quiet, wide casts only to have the sheep run straight at them and over the fence, as though they'd decided on escape routes before the dog even appeared. There were only 6 out of 39 or so competitors that actually ended up with a score- all the others lost sheep, retired or crossed. I'm actually very proud of myself and Bill for managing a score of 9!

Gwaerfeyn Bree:


Yvonne Haynes and Gwaerfeyn Bree with the sheep settled and collected at the D- not a bad effort for a very young dog:

Novice - judged by Marianne Rogers

1st Ken Atherton Kiwi Knight (NZHD) 90 (penned 11.57)
2nd Sarah Somers Willeen Skye (Border Collie) 77 (penned 11.30)
3rd Ken Atherton Badgingarra Tony (Kelpie) 50
4th Marianne Rogers Christie's Cocoacina (Border Collie) 36
5th Glenice Webb Morillo Tess (Border Collie) 35

Novice winners Ken Atheron and Kiwi Knight:




Rick Janitz's Jandoree DotCom:


Peter Gorman's El Shamah Ellie on the carry:

Open- judged by Glenice Webb

1st Ivan Solomon Perangery Jill (Border Collie) 86 + 95 = 181
2nd Ken Atherton Ramulam Gus (Border Collie) 88 + 78 = 166
3rd Ivan Solomon Perangery Danny (Border Collie) 60 + 91 = 151
4th Ivan Solomon Perangery Beck (Border Collie) 62 + 54 = 116
5th Sam Weaver Boylee Bill (Border Collie) 61 + 48 = 109
6th Nick Webb Morillo Bailey (Border Collie) 97 + X = 97
7th Ken Atherton Badgingarra DotCom (Border Collie) 73 + LS = 73
=8th Ken Atherton Badgingarra Tony (Kelpie) 70 + Ret = 70
=8th Ken Atherton Kiwi Knight (NZHD) 70 + LS = 70
=8th Peter Gorman ElShamah Ellie (Border Collie) 70 + LS = 70
=11th Jean Hydleman Belmore George (Border Collie) 64 + LS = 64
=11th Peter Gorman Prince's Casper (Border Collie) 64 + X = 64

Ken Atherton and Ramulam Gus after penning in the Open:


Nick Webb's Morillo Bailey, who scored an incredible 97 in the Open qualifier:


The sheep seemed to settle down for most of the Open, or perhaps the dogs and handlers were handling them better, but then the Finals saw a return to old form, with any errors in judgement or "overenthusiasm" punished severely, and the fences got another workout. But with the right handling, the top dogs had them working really well and there were some spectacular Finals runs.

Ivan Solomon's Perangery Beck:



Beck poses for a photo:


On a personal level, I had a less than stellar trial. All my Novice runs totally sucked, frankly, and most of my Open runs too.

Pinky did a nice little cast, no sticking, but maybe was a little close on her lift and the sheep just went totally beserk. She flanked and stayed off and managed to hold them on the fence, but wouldn't risk moving them again and kept looking back at me as if to say, "No way, I've got things under control now, if you want them moved you can come down here and do it yourself!". In the Open she was better- another OK little cast, got the sheep down the ground fairly straight, but then they ran behind the post and she wouldn't let go of them to go around behind. She thought about it once, but with shocking timing I growled at her for something else and she crossed.

Fly was awful. She hasn't done much sheep work all year, really, but pre-pups she had a nice stop, OK flanks most of the time (and a great "get off") and no bite. Now she has no cast (sticks practically at my feet), no stop at all, flanks as tight as a Scotsman (sorry Jules), no get-off, and she's now prone to flossing. Our Novice run was about 5 minutes of Fly stalking slowly up the ground at the sheep, with me screaming at her like a demented banshee, and then... I can't remember, I've blocked out the rest of the nightmare, but it ended with retiring just before she crossed.

The Open was almost identical, except that I didn't bother shouting or whisting much, so she stalked slowly up the ground in peace, got around behind the sheep and got them down the ground and into the D, and we actually made it up to the second winding peg, with Fly getting faster and closer and more evil with every step, until I totally lost my temper and retired... well, attacked is probably more accurate, and interestingly she did get off and stop when she realised I was coming after her.

Queani was a big disappointment. She was only slightly less evil than Fly in her Novice run (crossed), a bit better in the Open, but just was not listening to me at all.

Bill's Novice run was hideous. Not his fault, he tried his guts out in his own weak, flicky-flacky way, but one sheep was just determined to go over that back fence, and it was all he could do to hold on and keep them together. Somehow we got the rogue back with the others at least 4 or 5 times, and made it to the race, where the sheep had just started to settle when the time ran out. We would have scored a 22 or something, but lost points for lack of progress (only making it to the race) so scored a 9- Marianne said later that in retrospect, with the sheep the way they were, she'd probably judge it differently next time.

But he did much better in the Open- the sheep were a bit more settled, and he worked them well (for Bill), and we actually made it to the pen before time ended. There were lots of breaks and a few woofs, but we scored a respectable 61, which got us a berth in the final. The Finals sheep were as crazy as the early Novice sheep, and there were an unusually large number of Lost Sheep runs for an Open final. Bill struggled a bit, especially with sheep that were coming at him, and I made it as difficult as possible with bad timing and stupid commands, but we did get the race (I think) before time ran out, and scored a 48 to come 5th.

Bill really isn't much of a dog- he has lots of "issues", and he's not half the dog Fred is. But... (warning- schmaltz incoming) I am so proud of him and how far the two of us have come together. Two years ago I had a dog that most people wouldn't have fed, and no-one could give me much idea what to do with him. He was straight casting, weak, too panicky to listen and in perpetual motion, and there was no point taking him to lessons or clinics because nothing seemed to work with him. If I'd listened to advice, I would have given up and got a better dog, but Bill was my dog and useful on the farm, at least. Trialling in November last year we'd just started to get our first casts without crossing, and even made it to an obstacle. And now we're getting scores and obstacles regularly, and even the odd place. He's started to listen, I've started to say things worth listening to, and we enjoy working together. Best of all, when we achieve anything I can say we did it ourselves, just Bill and I. Awww.

Tony Boyle's Boylee Sweetpea:


Dehydration, sunburn, public humiliation and a pounding headache from screaming at evil dogs doesn't make for a great weekend, so I was pretty ratty by Saturday. Poor R didn't have much luck either. He missed most of Friday, stuck at home dealing with flystruck sheep and daggy lambs, so I ran Murphy in the Novice for him (he crossed at my feet, weirdly). R and Murphy did well in the Open, penning after some really nice work on tough sheep, for an unlucky 37. Tess ran well for him too- apparently working on the farm all morning is the best preparation for trials with Tess, because she made it to the pen too, for a 51, and was much more settled than last trial. Sally tried hard, but overflanking was deadly with these sheep, and she crossed. And poor old Fred just didn't have the legs for one very athletic, determined sheep, and crossed.

I'm determined to get Fred fit again, and see if he and R can have one more decent season before he's retired for good. So that's a project for summer. But fingers crossed Murphy will step up and start giving R some decent runs next year anyway.

Farmboy probably had the best weekend of anyone- he sat in a helicopter, checked out trucks and horses, had a motorbike ride and ate lots of junk food.

Next week, shearing, and I might see if I can get away and drive down to watch the Albany agility trial, and maybe socialise a pup or two.

Sarah Somer's young dog (brownie points for anyone who can jolt my memory on the name)- ETA- it's Lucy!!! Thanks Sarah!