Ivan Solomon's Perangery Jil in the Open:
So our 3sheep trialling year has begun again!
We missed Esperance because of a training course I was compelled (largely against my will) to attend, which was a real disappointment
Wagin is usually one of the most "interesting" trials on our calendar. Held at the Woolorama, the biggest Ag Show in the Great Southern, Wagin is notorious for its very small ground and its very scary sheep. This year was no exception.
Gordon Curtis' Binnaburra Jess in the Improver:
The sheep for Novice and Improver were fairly strong hoggets, which did stand up to any weakness but worked well if they were handled correctly. There weren't too many scores, but those that managed it scored well. The Improver was won by Denise Scudds and Badgingarra Cody with a brilliant run. Spectators were heard to comment on the "pet lambs", but Cody had the sheep exactly where he wanted them at every step. Cody is a special dog, who has had some big hurdles to overcome to get out on the trial ground, and Denise has been fighting some battles of her own, but together they are a wonderful team and the win was not only popular but well deserved.
The Open sheep were from a different property. They were big, fit, fearless yellow tag ewes that turned on the dogs from the outset and just kept taking them on again and again.
Jenny Atherton's Badgingarra DotCom in the Open:
The draw down the ground was a bit of a lottery, with points lost depending almost entirely on the sheep. Numerous dogs worked brilliantly to get the sheep almost into the D, only to have them break straight back down to the let out. Dogs that have never been seen to turn tail before were getting pushed back down the ground, and others were going nose-to-nose with stomping sheep, holding their ground only to have the sheep run over the top of them and incur a cross.
In the end some top handlers and experienced dogs proved that the sheep could be worked, and in fact once they'd been through the race the sheep seemed to change, emerging with a new attitude and working really well. There were a few pens with good scores, and a few other semi-successful runs.
In the end, Peter Gorman and Ellie showed why they are one of the State's top teams with two good runs, leading the rest of the finalists by a country mile.
On the personal front- we did okay. It was a fairly fun weekend, I always enjoy the Woolorama and BabyJ is old enough now to really appreciate the John Deere stand and the merry-go-rounds.
I ran Pinky in the Novice and Improver, and wasn't really expecting that much from here considering the sheep. Even so, I was pretty disappointed with our Novice run, where she picked up her sheep well, started to get them moving and then they turned on her and we had a stand-off. There's nothing worse than watching your dog stuck on the lift (well, yes, there is, but I'm pretending I don't know anything about that). So I retired basically as soon as she looked like she wasn't going to come in and shift them.
According to R, that was a mistake and I should have given her a bit longer. So in the Improver, when the same thing happened (she sat down and wouldn't get up) I just waited, and she did move them, and we got them to the race and then I caused a cross. But it still felt like a win for Pink.
Bill and Queani had some mediocre runs in the lower classes, nothing too awful, but I can't remember much about them. Queani did some really nice work in the Open up until the bridge. She was listening and working quietly, no swiping (although she did think about it). But that bloody short back flank killed us at the bridge, she just would not go far enough to head them. We did eventually get the sheep over, and then I cruised off in my own little world, let her go the wrong way and we ended up putting them back over the bridge again- twice, while I stood at the pen. And then one sheep came off on its own, panicked a bit, and I retired.
I actually nearly scratched Bill from the Open, after seeing the early runs, because he's a funny sort of weak dog and I thought they'd flatten him. But once we got them to the race (which involved some barking and bouncing and tail waving- oh dear!!!) they actually worked beautifully. I think the fact that Bill didn't confront the sheep worked in his favour- he blocked and blocked and wouldn't let them go anywhere else, then stopped with his head turned away, radiating "no threat" vibes. The sheep calmed down and started walking quietly. We wasted a lot of time at the unwinding peg, when the sheep were still fighting, so when we got to the pen we ran out of time seconds before then walked in. But we made the Open final in 6th place. Of course then I got all uptight and started bossing and we kind of botched the final run, but were still one of only a few scores in the final, so ended up 5th.
We missed Esperance because of a training course I was compelled (largely against my will) to attend, which was a real disappointment
Wagin is usually one of the most "interesting" trials on our calendar. Held at the Woolorama, the biggest Ag Show in the Great Southern, Wagin is notorious for its very small ground and its very scary sheep. This year was no exception.
Gordon Curtis' Binnaburra Jess in the Improver:
The sheep for Novice and Improver were fairly strong hoggets, which did stand up to any weakness but worked well if they were handled correctly. There weren't too many scores, but those that managed it scored well. The Improver was won by Denise Scudds and Badgingarra Cody with a brilliant run. Spectators were heard to comment on the "pet lambs", but Cody had the sheep exactly where he wanted them at every step. Cody is a special dog, who has had some big hurdles to overcome to get out on the trial ground, and Denise has been fighting some battles of her own, but together they are a wonderful team and the win was not only popular but well deserved.
The Open sheep were from a different property. They were big, fit, fearless yellow tag ewes that turned on the dogs from the outset and just kept taking them on again and again.
Jenny Atherton's Badgingarra DotCom in the Open:
The draw down the ground was a bit of a lottery, with points lost depending almost entirely on the sheep. Numerous dogs worked brilliantly to get the sheep almost into the D, only to have them break straight back down to the let out. Dogs that have never been seen to turn tail before were getting pushed back down the ground, and others were going nose-to-nose with stomping sheep, holding their ground only to have the sheep run over the top of them and incur a cross.
In the end some top handlers and experienced dogs proved that the sheep could be worked, and in fact once they'd been through the race the sheep seemed to change, emerging with a new attitude and working really well. There were a few pens with good scores, and a few other semi-successful runs.
In the end, Peter Gorman and Ellie showed why they are one of the State's top teams with two good runs, leading the rest of the finalists by a country mile.
On the personal front- we did okay. It was a fairly fun weekend, I always enjoy the Woolorama and BabyJ is old enough now to really appreciate the John Deere stand and the merry-go-rounds.
I ran Pinky in the Novice and Improver, and wasn't really expecting that much from here considering the sheep. Even so, I was pretty disappointed with our Novice run, where she picked up her sheep well, started to get them moving and then they turned on her and we had a stand-off. There's nothing worse than watching your dog stuck on the lift (well, yes, there is, but I'm pretending I don't know anything about that). So I retired basically as soon as she looked like she wasn't going to come in and shift them.
According to R, that was a mistake and I should have given her a bit longer. So in the Improver, when the same thing happened (she sat down and wouldn't get up) I just waited, and she did move them, and we got them to the race and then I caused a cross. But it still felt like a win for Pink.
Bill and Queani had some mediocre runs in the lower classes, nothing too awful, but I can't remember much about them. Queani did some really nice work in the Open up until the bridge. She was listening and working quietly, no swiping (although she did think about it). But that bloody short back flank killed us at the bridge, she just would not go far enough to head them. We did eventually get the sheep over, and then I cruised off in my own little world, let her go the wrong way and we ended up putting them back over the bridge again- twice, while I stood at the pen. And then one sheep came off on its own, panicked a bit, and I retired.
I actually nearly scratched Bill from the Open, after seeing the early runs, because he's a funny sort of weak dog and I thought they'd flatten him. But once we got them to the race (which involved some barking and bouncing and tail waving- oh dear!!!) they actually worked beautifully. I think the fact that Bill didn't confront the sheep worked in his favour- he blocked and blocked and wouldn't let them go anywhere else, then stopped with his head turned away, radiating "no threat" vibes. The sheep calmed down and started walking quietly. We wasted a lot of time at the unwinding peg, when the sheep were still fighting, so when we got to the pen we ran out of time seconds before then walked in. But we made the Open final in 6th place. Of course then I got all uptight and started bossing and we kind of botched the final run, but were still one of only a few scores in the final, so ended up 5th.
Central Districts Sheep Dog Club Championship 3 Sheep Trial Wagin Woolorama 5th-7th March 2009
Novice
judged by Wayne Hall
1) Ray Sutherland Swagman Cyndy 90 (9:14)
2) Ivan Solomon Perangery Beck 86 (11.34)
3) Gordon Curtis Binnaburra Maggie 80 (11.09)
4) Tony Boyle Boylee Dot 79
Improver
judged by Marianne Rogers
1) Denise Scudds Badgingarra Cody 93 (10:49)
2) Peter Gorman Princes Casper 92 (8:21)
= 3) Jenny Atherton Ramulam Don 88
= 3) Ivan Solomon Perangery Danny 88
Open
judged by Grant Cooke
1) Peter Gorman El Shamah Ellie 88 + 82 = 170
2) Gordon Curtis Nolan's Minnie 80 + 32 = 112
3) Ken Atherton Ramulam Gus 61 + 48 = 109
4) Jenny Atherton Badgingarra DotCom 61 + 38 = 99
5) Sam Weaver Boylee Bill 69 + 25 = 94
6) Nigel Armstrong Yarralonga Delta 76 + X = 76
7) Jenny Nolan Grassvalley Ella 76 + DQ = 76
8) Malcolm Seymour Euroa Nell 75+ X = 75
9) Gordon Curtis Binnaburra Tuff 73 + X = 73
10) Frank Sutherland Rocky Bear 69 + X = 69
11) Frank Sutherland Rocky Roxy 66 + X = 66
12) Jean Hydleman Belmor George 63 + X = 63
Posts
1 comment:
Nice work Sam, go Bill!! :)
Kriszty
Post a Comment