Living it!: W-w-w-Wagin!

Lots of keen dogs, a dusty caravan and a little bit of free time?
It must be time for a trial...

So we started the trialling year with Central Districts' 3 sheep trial at Wagin Woolorama. The Woolorama is of course the biggest sheep-fest in the state, if you're into that sort of thing, and a good excuse for sideshow rides, soft-serve icecream and all the fun of an ag show anyway.

I usually like Woolorama for a few reasons: it's close to home, we can stay at a friend's place nearby, the sheep have a reputation for being "difficult", and even if the trial doesn't go well, we get to ride home in a car that looks like this:

That's Floaty the cow, who nearly induced heart attacks a number of times by attempting escape every time I got out to open or shut a gate. She very nearly made it on her final attempt, and was only foiled when I saw her floating down the main highway beside the ute. I was able to lure her back with sweet talk and the promise of a box of juicy treats from the numerous fruit vans at the showground gates.

Nan Lloyd and Badgingarra Angel (Badgingarra KB x Badgingarra Lace):

Torbay Badger (Boylee FredxTig):

Novice

1) Ken Atherton Kiwi Knight (NZHD) 84
2) Sam Weaver Boylee Bill (collie) 80
3) Rod Forsyth Binnaburra Wal (kelpie) 71
4) Rod Forsyth Binnaburra Milo (kelpie) 70

Swagman Frankie:

Bill, being rewarded for his efforts in the Novice with a nice bubble bath:

Fly:

Jandoree Molly:

Improver
1) Ivan Solomon Perangery Beck (collie) 81 + 87 = 168
2) Grant Cooke Grassvalley Moss (collie) 82 + 79 = 161
3) Tony Boyle Boylee Mustard (collie) 79 + 76 = 155
4) Wayne Hall Hudsons Tasha (collie) 82 + 63 = 145
5) Gordon Curtis Binnaburra Jess (kelpie) 81 + 51 = 132
6) Nigel Armstrong Yarralonga Darkie (kelpie) 57 + 26 = 83
7) Marianne Rogers Bellview Obie (Bernie- collie) 61 + X = 61
8) Jenny Atherton Badgingarra Tony (kelpie) 55 + Scr = 55

Badgingarra Toppie (Sunvale BrumbyxGrassvalley Sam, I think):

I think it's Yarralonga Darkie:

Open

1) Ivan Solomon Perangery Jill (collie) 83 + 84 = 167
2) Wayne Hall Hudsons Tasha (collie) 82 + 81 = 163
3) Grant Cooke Grassvalley Moss (collie) 82 + 74 = 156
4) Ray Sutherland Rocky Roxy (collie) 86 + 55 = 141
5) Ray Sutherland Christies Tammy (collie) 81 + 57 = 138
6) Tony Boyle Boylee Mustard (collie) 79 + 58 = 137
7) Ivan Solomon Perangery Beck (collie) 81 + 45 = 126
8) Grant Cooke Grassvalley Brook (collie) 68 + 29 = 97
9) Andrew Gorton Boylee Ella (collie) 71 + 24 = 95
10) Gordon Curtis Binnaburra Jess (kelpie) 81 + rtd = 81
11) Wayne Hall Boylee Wal (collie) 78 + rtd = 78
12) Gordon Curtis Binnaburra Tuff (kelpie) 67 + rtd = 67

Gordon Curtis and Jess:

Grassvalley Magpie:

Overall, we had a reasonable trial. I was a bit lacking in the dog department, since Queani has taken unplanned maternity leave, so I was running Bill in everything, Pinky and Muddy (yes, Muddy!) in the Novice amd Improver. Neither Pink nor Mud distinguished themselves- Pink I think made it to the race but striggled with the sheep, and Muddy crossed at least once. Bill did good in the Novice, but in the Improver/Open I think we got stuck at the bridge (along with a lot of other triallers) and only scored a 45.

Richard did okay with his lot, think he retired with Bella, got stuck at the bridge with Tess and Fly, and I can't remember what happened to Freddy. Fly was the success story of the trial for us, I think- she finally hit her straps and showed what she can do. I think she enjoyed having tough sheep, the sort she can really sink her teeth into (metaphorically, people, metaphorically!)

Fly again:

Boylee Fred:

The kids got a bit crabby on the last day... oh, alright, I got crabby on the last day, so we ended up going home early. But on the whole it was good fun for the whole family.
BabyK slept a lot:

When she wasn't slinging it with me out on the trial ground, disconcerting the menfolk...

Moss slept a lot, when he wasn't hanging out with Jean H's gang, or threatening to eat Frankie:

And J ate lots of icecream and shot lots of bubbles at Bill.

Boylee Penny:

The high jump pulled in the crowds, as usual. I didn't enter Muddy, because I couldn't be bothered and also because I'm starting to worry about his dicky joints as he gets older. But R entered Angus, and he won the Friday event. Disappointingly his gnat-sized attention span had moved on by Saturday, so the usual big guns took that title. But now he's shown aptitude at something other than barking, next year Spanky Angie is going to be doing some high jump TRAINING!

Badger and Mike Scott: