Ongerup 3 Sheep Trial, 31st July - 2nd August

Ongerup would have to be one of my favourite trials. It's not point-scoring, so the atmosphere is relaxed, the scenery is beautiful, the catering (thanks to Elizabeth and James) is fabulous and the sheep are traditionally difficult, which I always enjoy. And it's only two hours from home.

This year we made it for all three days, and were surprised to find a really high entry for what is usually a small trial. The weather was absolutely beautiful: literally freezing at night, T shirts and mild sunburn during the day.




It really was the weekend of the baby dogs: baby puppies, baby dogs doing well early in their trialling career (despite very challenging sheep), and quite a few of Fred's babies, all grown up.

Some of the highlights of the weekend for me:
- Mike Scott and Tig, immigrants from ISDS trialling in the UK, penning three times in three runs
- Mike and Badger, Tig's daughter, having three good runs including a very efficient pen- and only 16 months old
- Germaine Seymour's Euroa Nan, just started in her trialling career, with a brilliant run in the Open- steering through obstacles like an old hand
- Karyn Buller's young kelpie Badgingarra Barney (Badgingarra KB x Badgingarra Lace) with another great run to take 2nd place in the Novice
- Elizabeth Badger's Boylee Clancy, completely settled and happy in his new home, with their first pen

We had a great trial. Not necessarily the best results, but some really nice work from everyone. R penned with Sally on 78 to make the top 12 in the Open, Murphy and Bella both did some very nice work on difficult sheep, and Fred had the very flighty sheep walking like lambs in his Open run, but were unlucky with the first obstacle and timed out. Even Fly had a bit of a win- she tends to panic with very runny sheep, so we didn't expect much, but she picked them up well and brought them down the ground with quiet control. R retired early in all runs when she was still holding it together. She still sticks terribly on her clockwise cast though.

Our Fly


My dogs- well, we had fun. Pinky still won't come around off-balance when she thinks the sheep will take off (which these ones definitely would), and when I call her to me and then give her a flank, she shoots to the head, which caused us a cross or two. Definitely more work needed there. But she tried hard, so I was pleased. Queani was unfit, having just come out of season. Her first run was fairly average, her second was a total disaster when the sheep took off in two directions and she crossed. But she was stopping a little better, and her pick-ups were nice. She actually worked fairly well in the Open, but started limping as we walked to the pen, so I retired. I think she may have pulled a shoulder muscle.

Bill ran! I taped his broken toe so he couldn't splay it on the stony ground, and despite having come straight off six weeks rest and being at least a few kilograms overweight, he worked really well and tried his guts out. We penned in the Novice with the fastest time of the weekend (6.15 on a 12 minute course) but only scored 40-something, and penned again in the Open with a 78 to make the top 12. My favourite run, though, was the Improver. He picked the sheep up quietly and brought them down well, but just out of the D one crazy little hogget started breaking madly across the ground. Bill blocked and blocked, and then had to rework these three almost unworkable sheep back down the ground. I got him to bark and hustle, which isn't exactly orthodox but was fairly effective, and then when he started reworking them they stuck together better. We made it to the race, but that one little hogget just wouldn't cooperate and we timed out. As soon as the siren sounded, Bill flew in and nailed the difficult sheep on the nose. I don't think we got much of a score, but it was pure Bilby and I loved it.

Keen spectators: Torbay Badger (Fred x Tig), Tig, and Mike Scott


Torbay Badger, fetching them down the ground

Novice
1) Tim Foster Linthorpe Grace (collie) 83
2) Karyn Buller Badgingarra Barney (kelpie) 79
3) Sarah Somers Willeen Skye (collie) 64
4) Ivan Solomon Perangery Beck (collie) 63
5) Nan Lloyd Christies Driftz (collie) 61

Sarah Somers' Willeen Skye


James McGowen's 14mo kelpie, Binnaburra Kiwi, in her first trial


Boylee Clancy (Bellview Dale x Boylee Salt)


Linthorpe Wocka (Boylee Fred x Crowesdale Rose)






Linthorpe Percy (also Boylee Fred x Crowesdale Rose)

Improver
1) Ivan Solomon Perangery Beck (collie) 86
2) Scott Welke Badgingarra Doug (collie) 82
3) Sarah Somers Willeen Skye (collie) 79
4) Scott Welke Grassvalley Becky (collie x kelpie) 77
5) Tim Foster Boylee Minnie (collie) 72

Grassvalley Becky (collie x kelpie- Grassvalley Tod x Binnaburra Suzie)


Boylee Minnie (Dajara Woody x Boylee Sweetpea)


Linthorpe Shandy (Boylee Fred x Crowesdale Rose- littermate to Wocka and Percy)

Open
1) Ivan Solomon Perangery Jill (collie) 93 9:34
2) Ivan Solomon Perangery Danny (collie) 89 9:55
3) Nick Webb Morillo Bailey (collie) 88 8:22
4) Ivan Solomon Perangery Beck (collie) 87 9:41
= 5) Peter Gorman El Shamah Ellie (collie) 82 6:58
= 5) Grant Cooke Grassvalley Brook (collie) 82 7:57
= 5) Ivan Solomon Perangery Sasha (collie) 82 10:38
= 8) Gordon Curtis Nolan's Minnie (collie) 79 8:59
= 8) Wayne Hall Hudson's Tash (collie) 79 9:18
= 8) Scott Welke Grassvalley Becky (collie x kelpie) 79 no pen
= 11) S. Weaver Boylee Bill (collie) 78 8:23
= 11) Richard McGuire Ivanhoe Sally (collie) 78 11:20
= 11) Germaine Seymour Euroa Nan (collie) 78 11:50

Sunday morning emerged from thick fog, which lasted for hours after the sun was well risen, and due to the high entries the first runs of the morning were run in fairly poor visibility. Fortunately the judge, Wayne could see everything, and the dogs didn't seem to have any problems, but at times the sheep were peering around looking for the dog.





One of the early runs of the day- I think it's Willeen Skye?


Fortunately the fog did eventually clear into another bright warm day.

Germaine Seymour's Euroa Nan (Stoneridge Harry x Glenview Ruby)


Grant Cooke's Grassvalley Tod (Princes Tom x Grassvalley Lisa)


Richard McGuire's Ivanhoe Sally (Paton's Blaze x Woady Yallock Floss)


Grant Cooke's Pendalup Candy (Braiston Don x El Shamah Ellie)




Wayne Hall with Boylee Wal ( Avalon Bandit x Boylee Creamy)




One of Tony Boyle's recent litters. There are three or four pups from this litter available at the moment, basically for the price of their shots, so if anyone fancies a pretty cream/white border collie boy, line bred on Boylee Creamy, drop me a line and I'll put you onto Tony.



Nan Lloyd's new baby, Ramulam Pixel (Ramulam Feathers x Pomanda Lily)


Scott Welke's collie-kelpie cross pup (by Grassvalley Tod)- blue!



And after the trial, mucking around, one of Fred's granddaughters, Tim Foster's Linthorpe Stella (Linthorpe Percy x Linthorpe Grace), full-on and sheep obsessed but very promising at 11 months:






Best baby of the weekend: