Wednesday, April 28, 2010

A bit of agility



Not much sheepdog trialling for a few months, while everyone's busy with seeding. But that's meant I've been able to sneak away from the farm and enjoy spectating at an agility trial or two. In this case, the WA State Agility Champs...

Jaqui Howle and her youngster, Cuba:


















Jaq's eldest agility dog, the very zippy Jade:





























Sue Hogben and Gwaerfeyn Dan:













Emma Papworth and Noonbarra Phoenix, winning the Novice Agility final:


















Mac's DiscoDiva revealing her secret weapon (is this what we'd term "performance enhancing"?):

Thursday, April 15, 2010

What Queani's been doing


She's been conspicuously absent from trial reports lately, hasn't she? Hasn't been helping out much around the farm either. My best performing 3 sheep dog, my only serious utility dog at present, where the bloody hell is she?


Well, let's just say that she's looking less Lara Bingle and more Octomum at the moment.

And what's that lurking in the garden?

Yes, you. Show yourself!


It's one little Princess (known as Feisty): 


And her four big brothers:

The Flash


Spot

Tippy

And Chub (also known as Maverick II for the amount of time he spends "putting his feet up", just like his big half-brother):

The Flash, with Chub putting his feet up in the background:

The Flash, Spot and Fiest:

The Flash and a Feistybottom:

Eating us out of house and home:

Monday, April 12, 2010

Tarwonga 2010

Rod Forsyth and Binnaburra Wal (Yarralonga Darkie x Ramulam Sam):


First yard and utility trial of the year...

With Queani doing the stay-at-home-mum thing and Bill's force-phobia, I'm without a proper utility dog at the moment so I found it a bit hard to get excited about trialling this weekend. Of course I had Muddy, and R let me run his Bella, and that kept me out of trouble.

Tom and Bill sulking (next year, Thomas!):


It was typical Tarwonga autumn weather- cool nights, warm days, and typical Tarwonga sheep- crazy Dohnes. The yard course was very simple, without a drafting race, but gate positioning in the Open made it a little more challenging, particularly for the unlucky handlers with early runs.

I find Tarwonga a really difficult trial to get any decent photos- I really need a tripod and long lens to get anything decent from the paddock work, the yard shots always feature clouds of dust and the panel railings rather than the dogs, and there's only so many photos you can take of dogs jumping or backing. So I had to make do with "around the trial" shots of dogs and people instead. Luckily there are lots of good looking dogs available.

Ken Atherton spraying the yards to keep the dust down:


Badgingarra Pete and Neil Kristiansen pose for the usual "dog jumping" action shot:


R ran a few young dogs- Bonnie watched her big siblings, Jess and Milo, in action and then had a go herself, Fly did fairly well, especially in the yards, but lost her head in the Open utility when she scored some tough sheep (not helped by hormones), and Jim had a good run too.

Jim, with a very early morning run:












Jim:"Who says Scottish border collies can't back?!"





But it was R's old team (plus Tess) that gave him the best runs. Fred and Charlie both made the Open Yard final, placing 5th and 6th, with Charlie's almost perfect run stuffed by handler error. Fred and Tess both made the Open Utility final, and despite a bit of bad luck in the final runs, Fred came 3rd.

Kate was really excited to be attending her first utility trial!


She wore glamorous outfits


Socialised with interesting people,


And slept.


J doesn't really get excited by trials any more. He's more interested in high-powered vehicles these days.




Tarwonga Yard and Utility Trial
9th-11th April 2010


Nan Lloyd's Kumbark Caleb (Skyblue Titch x Nukenullup Lara):


Farmers' Class

1) Jenny Whitelock Boylee Murphy (collie) 33

Jenny and Murphy (Boylee Popeye x Boylee Mouse):



I'm not sure who's happier with their partnership, Jenny or Murphy. It's fantastic to see him looking so healthy and joyful. We loved Murph to bits, but knew he'd be perfect for someone else. I think Jenny might be it!



Novice Yard

1) Nigel Armstrong Yarralonga Voss (kelpie) 48 + 42 = 90
2) Ken Atherton Badgingarra Tony (kelpie) 47 + 42 = 89
3) Neil Kristiansen Badgingarra Pete (collie) 47 + 39 = 86
4) Karyn Buller Badgingarra Barney (kelpie) 47 + 32 = 79

Nigel Armstrong and the very spunky Voss (Yarralonga Darkie x Yarralonga Maggot)- winning the Novice in his first ever trial:




Neil Kristiansen and Badgingarra Pete:


Badgingarra Cody:



Novice Utility

1) Ken Atherton Badgingarra Tony (kelpie) 75 + 65 = 140
2) Karyn Buller Badgingarra Barney (kelpie) 68 + 62 = 130
3) Marianne Rogers Bellview Obie ("Bernie", collie) 71.5 + 55 = 126.5
4) Karyn Buller Gus (kelpie x collie) 62 + 53 = 115

Open Yard

1) Nigel Armstrong Yarralonga Darkie (kelpie) 44 + 50 = 94 - runoff 48.5
2) Neil Kristiansen Badgingarra Casey (collie) 49 + 45 = 94 - runoff 48
3) Gordon Curtis Binnaburra Jess (kelpie) 43 + 50 = 93
4) Ken Atherton Ramulam Gus (collie) 44 + 47 = 91
5) Richard McGuire Boylee Fred (collie) 43 + 46 = 89
6) Richard McGuire Yarralonga Charlie (kelpie) 43 + 43 = 86
=7) Andrew Gorton Boylee Ella (collie) 40 + 45 = 85
=7) Rod Forsyth Binnaburra Milo (kelpie) 40 + 45 = 85
9) Neil Kristiansen Badgingarra Pete (collie) 45 + 35 = 80
10) Hayden Harries Olboa Ben (NZHD x collie) 43 + 34 = 77
11) Nigel Armstrong Yarralonga Blue (kelpie) 40.5 + 36 = 76.5
12) Hayden Harries Mac's Magic (collie) 42 + 19 = 61

Open yard winner Yarralonga Darkie (Sunbeam Spicer x Yarralonga Ice):




Nigel's other Open Yard finalist, Yarralonga Blue (Ballysheehan Greg x Ramulam Jade)- Charlie's full brother:


Open Utility

1) Neil Kristiansen Badgingarra Casey (collie) 92 + 82 = 174
2) Gordon Curtis Binnaburra Tuff (kelpie) 69 + 83 = 152
3) Richard McGuire Boylee Fred (collie) 75 + 74 = 149
4) Ken Atherton Ramulam Gus (collie) 68 + 80 = 148
5) Gordon Curtis Binnaburra Sam (kelpie) 77 + 61 = 138
=6) Marianne Rogers Bellview Obie ("Bernie", collie) 64 + 68 = 132
=6) Gordon Curtis Binnaburra Jess (kelpie) 82 + 50 = 132
8) Hayden Harries Olboa Ben (NZHD x collie) 66 + 61 = 127
9) Rod Forsyth Binnaburra Milo (kelpie) 66 + 58 = 124
10) Ken Atherton Badgingarra Tony (kelpie) 59 + 58 = 117
11) Ken Atherton Kiwi Knight (NZHD) 80 + Ret = 80
12) Richard McGuire Pendalup Tess (collie) 73 + LS = 73

Neil Kristiansen's Badgingarra Casey (Princes Tom x Grassvalley Sam):














R and Boylee Fred (Boylee Pepper x Boylee Creamy)- oldest dog competing, but he's still holding his own:


Ken Atherton and Ramulam Gus (Boylee Doug x Branga Spec):




Rod Forsyth and Binnaburra Milo (Binnaburra Tuff x Binnaburra Tina):






Milo and Bonnie's sister, Binnaburra Jess
(Binnaburra Tuff x Binnaburra Tina)




Our support crew:
Mac's Gem, all grown up (Boylee Fred x Pendalup Tess):


She still has the blue eye wedge... and oh dear, those shameful ears.


Gem's slightly more attractive half-brother, Elvis (Boylee Fred x Fly):



It's a hard life- Gem and Esme (Grassvalley Tippy x Boylee Ella):


Yarralonga Charlie (Ballysheehan Greg x Ramulam Jade) resting up before his run:

Some 'atmosphere':
The gallery:




Boylee Quinn (Bellview Dale x Boylee Mustard)


Binnaburra Jonny (Whites Tex x Ramulam Samantha??)


The look of love- Johnny with Gordon Curtis:


Yarralonga Echo, a hopeful for next year (Yarralonga Blue x Yarralonga Delta):



Binnaburra Basil (Binnaburra Tuff x Ramulam Sam)


New trialler Greg Dorrell and his koolie Bundy, before their Farmers' run:


Badgingarra Gem (Badgingarra Jock x Nukenullup Hannah):



Neil K's new monster dog-mobile:



Neil's dogs looking less impressed tham I was:


Mayanup President Andrew Gorton and the custom made podium, courtesy of the kind sponsors:


Gordon Curtis telling Jenny Palm, Nan Lloyd and Karyn Buller about his run- "the sheep were THIS big...":


The end of the day: