tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-141508712024-03-13T13:34:20.730-07:00Collie NationA (mostly) photo blog of my dogs, the dogs of friends, dogs that I think are pretty ... yeah, mostly photos of dogs.Kristihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11610438225632697524noreply@blogger.comBlogger178125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14150871.post-15341102990211362332015-09-26T23:38:00.000-07:002015-09-26T23:42:56.184-07:00USBCHA Finals - Last Day!It's the last day of finals. What a great event it's been! Major shout outs to Geri Byrne and Amy Coapman, and their team of cheerful, hardworking, pink-shirted volunteers. The hospitality team delivered delicious snacks with a local flavour (including Maple Bacon donuts!), the results team had scoresheets printed out so quickly, the information booth patiently answered all of our questions (and some of them were real crackers), and the exhaust teams did a great job clearing off the sheep (and some wrecks!).<br />
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I missed the first run of the day, but I understand it was a lovely one from Elizabeth Baker and Ross. It sounds like their pen was completed just after time ran out - bummer! This team did win best shed. Derek Fisher and his young Nell went next. His turnback was lovely, and he had a nice shed going, but there was one stubborn uncollared one (codename: The Huddler) who had buried herself deep amongst the collared ewes. He was unable to sort her off and timed out at the shed.<br />
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Amanda Milliken and her young dog Howell, had a good run as well, and it would put them in 3rd. Howell was a nursery dog last year, so his accomplishment on the big field is particularly impressive. The next team, Libby Nieder and Derby, weren't able to get out to the second lot of sheep.<br />
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Two-time national champion, Scott Glen and his reliable Don were next up. They had a solid run, and while they had some trouble with the shed, having to re-shed after wily ribboned sheep joined with their uncollared comrades, they did complete the shed and then penned. They would be the score to beat and spoiler alert: no one did. Huh. I should have put that later in this post. That's just bad journalism.<br />
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Ron Enzeroth and Mick had a good run as the heat really rose. Again, the sheep were very difficult to shed and they timed out in the ring. Louanne Twa and Gus, a son of Scott's Don, were next up. Gus had a nice first gather but got a little lost on the turnback, ultimately crossing. He brought his second group down the fetch, but by then, his first group had drifted to the exhaust pen. Gus couldn't see them, and after a few attempts to send him out there, Louanne retired the run.<br />
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Always a crowd favourite, Tommy Wilson and Kate went next. Kate, too, had some trouble with her turnback, but I'm not sure if they crossed. They had a nice shed and pen, and ultimately would finish in second. There I go again, giving away the results. Wow. Not good story structure.<br />
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Bill Berhow and Cley were up next, and Cley had trouble getting out to the second set, so Bill retired the run. Norm Close and Craig suffered a similar fate: the curse of sheep-same-colour-as-the-ground. Fernando Alves and Lexi were the third team in a row to suffer from the curse.<br />
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Lee Lumb and her flashy tri, Gus, went to the post next. He had an absolutely gorgeous first gather, with a superb fetch. He had some trouble on the turnback, crossing and going left. He brought the second group down on a lovely line, but similar to the other Gus, his sheep had drifted all the way to the exhaust pens, and he wasn't able to bring them back so Lee retired the run. <br />
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Ellen Skillings and Jill were up next. I think they missed one of the fetch gates. Shed was decent, and they timed out at the pen. Amanda and Monty were next. His first fetch was a little straight to start, but he eventually found the line towards the panels. Gorgeous turnback and no trouble bringing his two groups together but I think he missed the fetch panels. Drive is fine, and into the shedding ring. It takes a long time but they get it, and the pen. They would finish 3rd. Monty recently had some medical issues, and it's great to see that he was able to get back into condition to complete this 30 minute course.<br />
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Lasoya Lerma and Blazin' Beau had an absolutely immaculate run up to the shed. In fact, this team would win the trophy for Best Drive, and finish with a score of 417, which put them in 5th with no shed or pen. Bev Lambert and Nan had trouble with the first fetch and then had more trouble with the turnback. Drive was a bit wobbly, and they timed out in the shedding ring.<br />
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Last run of the day was Faansie Basson and Molly. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waiting patiently for their turn.</td></tr>
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They had a nice first gather, then a decent turnback. The drive was lovely, crossdrive line was nice, and they were just a touch low at the crossdrive panel, with maybe 4 sheep missing the panels. Then, some of the sheep came back through the panels. Those sheep were jerks. Into the shedding ring, and this team is getting it done! Unfortunately, with only two uncollared sheep left to shed off, a collar makes a break for it and rejoins the shed group. They have to reshed with only 4 minutes left. They make a big cut, and then one by one, sheep are coming off! Some of them are kind of orange! He's down to two, but there isn't going to be enough time. <br />
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Congratulations to Scott and Don, the 2015 USBCHA champions.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2015 USBCHA Champions, Scott Glen and Don</td></tr>
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So that's it for us and blogging the finals! The dogs are ready to go home and have baths to remove all the dust from their coats. It's possible that Lou has melted.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lou has melted. Wick is so over this. The tri guys remain way too happy.</td></tr>
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Thanks for reading, thanks for your kind comments, and thanks for understanding that this blog will go largely dormant again as typing is super hard. :-)</div>
Kristihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11610438225632697524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14150871.post-45681565881194213152015-09-25T23:17:00.001-07:002015-09-25T23:17:26.473-07:00USBCHA Finals - Day 5Today, the action was limited to 42 dogs on the big field. It was semi-finals day, and at the end of this, the 17 dogs running in the finals would be known. Some dogs have been relegated to begging for attention.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Please take us to the sneeps. Pleasepleaseplease!</td></tr>
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I have resisted for 4 days, but today, I couldn't help it. I busted out the selfie stick. Yes. It happened. Victims were numerous. Luckily, I have an accomplice, and he loves the selfie as much as I do.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Derek and me. We love us the stick.</td></tr>
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Others were astounded and horrified at the appearance of a telescoping phone holder.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"You're doing WHAT?"</td></tr>
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I don't even know what it's called when your selfie is photobombed.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Selfie plus photobomber</td></tr>
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The paparazzi were all over the appearance of the selfie stick. </div>
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Some folks were awfully good sports about posing for the stick<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These are my people, this is my tribe.</td></tr>
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The kids humoured us elders and posed. I'm sure she is rolling her eyeballs when recounting the story to her more-cool-than-me friends.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and Katy</td></tr>
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Even the sheep heard that there was a selfie stick in the tent. This gal literally ran into the tent to get in on the fun.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lana, Bridget and Mich jump right into action.</td></tr>
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Oh yeah, the dog trial. The course had a time of 15 minutes, and you needed all of it. The shed was any two unmarked and the single had to be a collared sheep. Dogs early in the day had trouble with the outrun. There were several crosses, and some dogs got lost at the take pens and had to RT. As the day wore on, the dogs were running out better, but the wind picked up, affecting some dogs on the fetch. The sheep were remarkably even and responded well to a dog who applied just enough pressure to keep them trotting along. Pens weren't easy and required patience and teamwork. It was great to watch! Elizabeth Baker and Ross won the day with a beautiful run. </div>
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My friend and coach, Lee Lumb, is in her first Finals double lift with her gorgeous young dog, Gus. My partner in shenanigans, Louanne, is also in with her prodigy-artist, Gus Twa. I think I need to get a dog named Gus! Here is the run order for tomorrow. Good luck to everyone!<br />
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1. Elizabeth Baker and Ross<br />
2. Derek Fisher and Nell<br />
3. Amanda Milliken and Howell<br />
4. Libby Nieder and Derby<br />
5. Scott Glen and Don<br />
6.Ron Enzeroth and Mick<br />
7. Louanne Twa and Gus<br />
8. Tommy Wilson and Kate<br />
9. Bill Berhow and Cley<br />
10. Norm Close and Craig<br />
11. Fernando Alves and Lexi<br />
12. Lee Lumb and Gus<br />
13. Ellen Skillings and Jill<br />
14. Amanda Milliken and Monty<br />
15. Lasoya Lerma and Beau<br />
16. Bev Lambert and Nan<br />
17. Faansie Basson and Molly</div>
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Kristihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11610438225632697524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14150871.post-69139565967956685422015-09-24T23:48:00.003-07:002015-09-24T23:54:56.899-07:00USBCHA Finals - Day 4Today, I started with a drive through the Modoc Wildlife Refuge. It's only a few minutes out of town, and on the way to the trial site. I picked up Rebecca, the wife of one of the judges, and we did a little vehicular birding. According to the website, the area is a haven for migratory wetlands birds. It has been very dry, though, and there aren't as many birds as normal for this time of year. Still, we saw a Sandhill Crane, many ducks, some kind of goose that wasn't a Canada Goose, a bunch of raptors, possibly a young eagle, and some quail sporting fantastic head gear. Oh, and pheasant. Definitely worth the little trip off the beaten path.<br />
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After birding, I picked up a coffee and a sausage sandwich and headed over to the Nursery field, where the top 34 nursery dogs were running back. I won't lie, I really was choked that we weren't running. All year, we had this event as our ultimate 2015 goal. However, as the sheep got heavier and heavier, I perhaps was a little less choked. :-)<br />
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The first run I saw when I arrived was Brian Cash and Neal. I first saw this team at the Bluegrass this year, and it's fantastic to see how positive and polished Neal is now. They laid down a smoker of a run that, combined with his round 1 score, had them in 2nd for almost the whole class.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Good job, buddy."</td></tr>
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As I said, the sheep got heavier as the day went on. Lee Lumb and Bella really worked hard to get a grumpy bunch around, but when they stalled out at the driveaway panel, she took offence and grabbed a hock.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bella</td></tr>
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Another District 10 team, Gord Lazzarotto and Drift, did their best with tough sheep. Great job, especially for his first time to the finals!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gord and Drift</td></tr>
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On the big dog field, Lee and Gus laid one down! 154, which was the second highest score of the round ... and that's without a pen! Can't wait to watch them in the semi-finals. Such a lovely team!<br />
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Speaking of lovely, the lovely Norm Close and Craig had a solid run that will advance them to the next round. Norm may be the nicest man in this sport, and I will always cheer for him. He was the judge at the first trial I ever ran at, and I will never forget his kindness, his warm smile, and his little bits of advice. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Norm and Craig</td></tr>
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After the last dog ran, and some administrative things were dealt with, it was time for the ABCA AGM. I am so impressed with the amount of emphasis this registry places on the health and welfare of the dogs. The BAER clinic at the trial was paid for by the ABCA and 78 dogs were tested. A health foundation has been created to encourage research into health issues affecting our breed. Finally, the ABCA has created an informative brochure aimed at puppy buyers looking to purchase a pup from responsible breeders. The brochure, among other things, makes recommendations around health checks for breeding stock, number of litters produced by a bitch, and red flags that indicate you might be looking at a high-volume breeder (puppy mill). It's odd when I am told by kennel club people that working dog breeders don't care about the health of the dog. I think the ABCA members take their stewardship of the breed very seriously, and as well as preserving the working ability that makes the border collie a border collie, they have been instrumental in researching health issues affecting our beloved breed. Anywho, enough about that.<br />
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The last item on the agenda was the induction of two members into the ABCA Hall of Fame. The criteria for consideration is "Breeders/Handlers- should have a record of outstanding contributions to the working Border Collie breed of dog in North America. These contributions should be both national and regional in nature."<br />
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The first induction, sadly, is posthumous. Vergil Holland's contribution as both a breeder and handler is long and storied, and his passing this spring left an enormous hole in the herding community. On a personal note, when I first got interested in herding all those years ago, I bought his book, Herding Dogs: Progressive Training. I met him at the Bluegrass last year, and I wished I'd brought my book so he could have autographed it. I was going to ask him to autograph it this year, but sadly, he passed before the 2015 Bluegrass. His wife wrote a lovely speech, which was delivered with eloquence and emotion by Lyle Lad. I don't think there was a dry eye in the house when she was done. He was a legend in the community and he is missed.<br />
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The second inductee, of course, is Alasdair MacRae. No individual has had a greater impact on our sport here than Alasdair. He has set the bar so very high, and in doing so, has brought up the quality of training and handling. His list of trial wins is terrifying, his knowledge as a breeder has created a line of dogs that has produced an enormous number of top trial and work dogs, and the work that he has done quietly and without fanfare has contributed to the growth and improvement of various associations, including but not limited to the USBCHA and the ABCA. I am so very lucky to call him my mentor and friend, and even though he told me once that I was a statue, and statues don't win trials (he's right), I adore him and am so very glad that I could be there on this night when his contributions to our community were recognized.</div>
Kristihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11610438225632697524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14150871.post-55677931207634364972015-09-23T22:35:00.000-07:002015-09-23T22:35:18.534-07:00USBCHA Finals - Day 3Day 3 brought us the second half of the Nursery class and another day on the Open field. District 10 did great on both fields. Lee Lumb and Bella sit fourth in Nursery after the first round, which is excellent as the championship is cumulative over two rounds. Louanne Twa and Gus Twa are sitting in fourth as well in Open, with one more day to run. Top 40 go through to the semi-finals. Gus will be there!<br />
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Today was spent driving from one field to the next. On one drive from the nursery field to the open field, I heard a helluva racket. I thought it might be my rooftop box, but no, it was my tie-out cables. They were still attached to my wheel. Luckily, my dogs were not attached to the cables. Deep breath. Serenity now.<br />
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For the first time since he has been competing at the USBCHA finals, Alasdair will not have a dog in the finals. I am deeply disappointed for him, and for me, because he is an absolute artist at the international shed and I love watching him. While I am certain he is upset, he has remained unfailingly funny and self-deprecating, and really an example of how one handles oneself with grace.<br />
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Tonight, we had the USBCHA AGM. I went largely because there were sandwiches, but I have to say, it was quite interesting. Member input is being sought on a number of topics, and there was lively conversation during the meeting. There also was a salami flower on the cold cut tray. It was glorious.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yw27ShsZoAA/VgOHxxOfQoI/AAAAAAAABoQ/Si3QmDtqVzI/s1600/IMG_1255.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yw27ShsZoAA/VgOHxxOfQoI/AAAAAAAABoQ/Si3QmDtqVzI/s320/IMG_1255.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mindy models the rare salami flower.</td></tr>
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Tomorrow, I will go to the Modoc National Wildlife Refuge, in hopes of seeing some interesting birds. There is a driving route, so it's the kind of birding that I like. Drive-by shooting. :-) Then I'll return to the field to cheer on the baby dogs and the last set of Open dogs. I might buy some more stuff too. There is much stuff to buy. <br />
<br />
Finally, thank you for all your kind words. I obviously am disappointed that we weren't able to get the sheep around the course, but I'm also enormously proud of my orange dog, whom I bought at the end of last year. It feels like I've had him forever, and he has been a lovely addition to the pack.<br />
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Thank you to Patricia for the lovely photo of our first time to the post at a USBCHA finals. I hope it's the first of many! <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-81AqnvRdSmo/VgOK12ToKxI/AAAAAAAABoc/-L0lYLCayno/s1600/bar-post-alturas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="432" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-81AqnvRdSmo/VgOK12ToKxI/AAAAAAAABoc/-L0lYLCayno/s640/bar-post-alturas.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo - Patricia MacRae </span></td></tr>
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<br />Kristihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11610438225632697524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14150871.post-29544312724508599122015-09-22T22:06:00.001-07:002015-09-22T22:10:19.724-07:00USBCHA Finals - Day 2<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #999999; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: large; font-style: italic; line-height: 22.5px;">“You’re off to great places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting, so get on your way!”</span></blockquote>
Today WAS a great day! We went to the post at a USBCHA finals event! After waiting around all day and watching, planning, strategizing and obsessing, it was finally our turn.<br />
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The outrun is about 300 yards up a slight hill, and the sheep ran yesterday on the Open field. Nursery dogs are running on 4 sheep, course time is 10 minutes. It sounds like a lot, but the sheep are not easy to pen, and most teams are using the entire time.<br />
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We walk to the post and I can tell that Bar has no idea where the sheep are. He is looking left and right and, most worrisome, at exhaust directly behind us. Gulp. I set him up on my right and he is still scanning the field, looking everywhere but straight up the field. I wonder if we can be DQ'ed for loitering? Finally, he looks sort of the right direction and I send him. He's off! He's flying! He's going to cross?!? I blow him down and he flips around and looks at me, puzzled. We're done already? I re-flank him and while he doesn't bend, he does correct his trajectory and the rest of the outrun is acceptable. I blow an extra away whistle to keep His Orangeness out. <br />
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He gets behind his sneeps, who barely look up, so tasty is the grass on which they're set. This may be THE BEST GRASS IN THE HISTORY OF GRAZING. I am not loving these sheep. I blow a walk-up, then another, and then a few all mushed together. Getupgetupgetupgetupgetup! And the sheep start drifting. Phew! The first half of the fetch is unremarkable. The sheep pull left and right a bit, but nothing that can't be corrected. A few flanks and they are through the panels. Now they are approaching the post. They are trotting, Bar is trotting, this is looking good. And then it isn't good.<br />
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The sheep break for exhaust, and Bar swoops in front of the gate. Slowly, he brings them out, only to have them swirl around and break for it again. This happens twice. Maybe three times. It's so hot out. Finally, he moves them out of the corner, and back onto the field. It's like pushing string. Now we're starting the drive. They are trotting again, thank God. As they near the driveaway panel, they are breaking right, so I flank Bar over and he heads them. This is not how I pictured this run going! Now the sneeps are coming back, and they seem to be aiming for the judge's table. I like the judges, they seem like nice people. I must not let the sneeps harm them! Flank the Bar, sneeps swerve to avoid the table, and they are now grazing off to the side. That's enough for me, my little dog has done the best he can today, and I won't ask him to continue failing. I thank the judges, and call him off. He seems relieved.<br />
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So that concludes our nursery career. What a ride it's been! Dog a l'Orange is so different from Rex, and even Lou. He is brilliant and sensitive, and clever and concerned. He is a baby who works like a dog much older. I must remember that when he does baby dog things. Like today, when he said to me "I can't do this yet." He will soon. Soon, when sheep lean on him, he will have the skills to deal, to lean back and move them. We are on a journey together, this orange dog and me. We will enjoy every moment. We enjoyed today. We celebrated today. He got 1/4 of a quesadilla. Life is good for the baby dog.<br />
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Rex would like you to know that life is not good for him. He has not worked sneeps in over a week, and it's not looking like he will be working them here. He consoles himself with regular dust baths, and torturing the dogs at the adjacent campsite by running around, tail over his head. Lou spent quite a bit of the day in an air conditioned travel trailer, so all is right in his world. Wick is bored out of her skull but she is pleased with the number of intact male dogs in the handler's parking. At 16, she remains a testicle whore. I am proud of her. Keeping the dream alive.<br />
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I am now free to shop all the things, to shoot (with a camera, silly) all the things, and to eat all the things. I will cheer on District 10, cheer on out-of-district friends, and maybe even engage in a dance off. More about that later. Now I am going to hug my dogs until they pull away in terror. Today was the best day.Kristihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11610438225632697524noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14150871.post-58733734809068547632015-09-21T23:26:00.002-07:002015-09-21T23:36:11.730-07:00USBCHA Finals - Day 1Today was the start of the 2015 USBCHA finals. The first 37 Open dogs ran today, so it was a true day off, as I only have the one Nursery dog.<br />
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I wake up early (for me) so that I could walk and feed the dogs, go to Starbucks (yes, there is one!) and find the field in time to watch Tricia and Cap lead off the day. The feed and walking thing went well, as did the Starbucks thing. Where it goes a bit off the rails is driving to the field. It appears that the sun is rising ON THE ROAD, and my windshield is smeared with the ten thousand bugs that hit me when we drove through Klamath Sunday night. The result is that I literally can not see a thing. <br />
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I pull over and pondered my predicament. Was there a way to go east without actually going directly east? Could I just make a series of right turns? How long does it take a sun to rise? Who would build a road that is on the sun's path? After hemming and hawing for a minute, I decide to unroll my window and stick my head out. Safe? Probably not. But it gets me to the part of the road that curved and without the sun directly in my eyes, I could sort of see through the bug smear. "Hey Siri, make a reminder to clean windshield," I bark out. Siri responds with her trademark "I'm sorry, I don't know what that means." Fantastic.<br />
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Arrive at the trial field in plenty of time. What a gorgeous field! Such lush grass, gentle hills, green as far as the eye could ... what the blankety blank am I driving over as I'm pulling into the handler's parking? The smeary windshield is now covered in dust, making it hard to see, so I pull over and step out. Ah. Lava rock. Of course. Well, that's why I have a Suburban. This, incidentally, is what I say before I embark on something unwise with my truck.<br />
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The key to driving through a field of lava rocks is to drive just a touch faster, so that you're not lingering on the rocks. My truck approves of this plan. Man, it's dusty. Let's find the Raptor. We drive throughout the trailer park, but no sign of the Raptor, mobile home of Tricia and Alasdair. Drats. Pull into what I would consider day parking if I were doing the signage. Step out of car and immediately step in mud. What the what? <br />
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Pull on the Dubarrys, hop out Lou D Dog, and we wander over to the field. There are people standing on the field. Peeps for sneeps! We make it two strides onto the field before I am stopped and told that no dogs, not even retired ones, are allowed on the field. Tie Lou to the fence. He looks angry. This may cost me a leash.<br />
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Find Tricia, have brief chat around strategy, give Cappy a good luck pat, and settle under handler's tent to watch the run. Cap gives it a valiant effort, and just as he comes through on the shed, time is called. Damn. There won't be another national championship for Cappy, but he ran his heart out, and he has nothing to prove. We head back to the trailer (which was not there earlier ISWEARTOGOD) and give Cap all the snuggles in the world, and 1/4 of a sweet potato. He's earned it.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-g-59TBmmMUU/VgDyF64zzeI/AAAAAAAABn0/oelHQxv_s8k/s1600/DS4_4611.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-g-59TBmmMUU/VgDyF64zzeI/AAAAAAAABn0/oelHQxv_s8k/s400/DS4_4611.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tricia and Cap at the post</td></tr>
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<br />
Go back to the field and watch some more runs. The sheep are leaning on the dogs a bit, but aren't on the fight. Looks like the 13 minutes is about the right amount of time. Penning will take time - the sneeps seem very comfortable with people, so hands will have to use their dogs to pen. This will probably work to Bar's advantage, as my jumping, flailing, and stomping at the pen has proven less than effective. Use the dog: what a novel concept.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-A8wS5-IRcXQ/VgDyOvHa0mI/AAAAAAAABn8/ZG7Oa4ocuVQ/s1600/IMG_1217.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="217" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-A8wS5-IRcXQ/VgDyOvHa0mI/AAAAAAAABn8/ZG7Oa4ocuVQ/s400/IMG_1217.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What a pretty field!</td></tr>
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Would love to see more dogs but T and I have an appointment at the Surprise Valley Hotsprings Spa. It's a charming place literally in the middle of nowhere, as evidenced by Google Map's complete inability to find it. The GPS in the truck is equally confused. There is yelling. Things are said that can't really be taken back. We keep driving, and arrive back at the trial field. Rage. Recalculating. Finally find a road out and we're on our way.<br />
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While T gets a massage, I enjoy the healing waters of the hot springs. While it is hard to swim in a hot tub, I do a reasonable synchro swim routine. Then I float. Then more synchro. This is kind of boring. I should have brought my knitting. Power through a Vanity Fair from 2013. OK, time to go back to the field.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-b9qHKO85nF4/VgDx7qRUNMI/AAAAAAAABnk/ahS2jomF3zk/s1600/IMG_1220.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-b9qHKO85nF4/VgDx7qRUNMI/AAAAAAAABnk/ahS2jomF3zk/s400/IMG_1220.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Surprise Canyon Hot Springs</td></tr>
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Under the handler's tent again. The hamburger person has left for the day. Disappointing. Absent food, there is nothing left for me to do but chat loudly with peeps, some of whom I haven't seen in years. I have a hat. It is blocking people's views. The hat is sent to a chair to think about its selfish ways. Free mango juice. Not as good as a hamburger, but it's free.<br />
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And just like that, the last run pens, and we clear out. Rex makes sure that he has three more good rolls in the dust before we return to Alturas and our hotel. Stop to fill up with gas (it's a dollar more a gallon here than in Washington) and clean the bug smear on the windshield. Go to Subway, get some kind of meat-on-bread. Wick is bored out of her skull and tells me in no uncertain terms. I throw a ball into the room and that placates her for a minute. Her dinner is my peace offering.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bN11RUbPNFU/VgDx-rbpleI/AAAAAAAABns/blxnhrRf81s/s1600/IMG_1228.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bN11RUbPNFU/VgDx-rbpleI/AAAAAAAABns/blxnhrRf81s/s320/IMG_1228.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rex has always wanted to be a slate blue collie. There will be no bed time for the poodle tonight!</td></tr>
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Still no in-room wifi. LTE on the phone, so it looks like it will be a week of tethering. One last walk of the dogs, and it's time to go to bed. Handler's meeting on the Nursery field at 8:15. That I do not know where the Nursery field is causes me some distress, but I am confident that this can be resolved by driving around in sad circles. Bar runs 36th tomorrow, which I figure will have him on the field around 2. It will be hot, but not unbearable. I feel we are as ready as we'll ever be. His last few practices have been good, he has been very positive, and he is taking his steadies and stops. I am very excited for our run. I have my outfit selected. Bar has narrowed his choice of collars to four. I hope he can decide before his run. I am hoping he goes for the extra blingy one, but will leave the decision to him.<br />
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This time tomorrow, I hope to be celebrating a good run with Dog a l'Orange. It is very like me to run well at big events. It is very like Bar to move sheep in a thoughtful yet deliberate manner. It is very like the hamburger guy to come back for Day 2. Signing off from Main Street, Alturas, CA.<!------>Kristihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11610438225632697524noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14150871.post-67198019978146921572014-01-07T23:39:00.001-08:002014-01-07T23:39:43.527-08:00The year that was, 2013 edition2013 was a great year for the dogs and me. It was also a year of transition, as both of my older dogs eased their way into semi-retirement. In April, Lou ran his last field trial with me, and gave me two good runs. How I will miss running my big white dog! We will still putter in arena trials, but at 11, Lou doesn't have anything left to prove, and I chose to retire him from the big outruns while he still looked good. :-)<br />
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Wick ran at her last Nationals. At about 13 years of age, Wick really hasn't shown any signs of slowing down, and that's how I want to remember her - an ageless machine. At the AAC Nationals, she did lots of wonderful things, including two clean, fast Jumpers runs, and a massive opening in Gamblers 2. She, like Lou, isn't completely retired. I'll still run her a few times in a weekend, in events where she can run and bark a lot (like Jumpers and Team). <br />
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That means the heavy lifting falls on the shaggy shoulders of Rex D Dog. He had a breakthrough year, where we finally started to team up on the trial field. Thanks to a LOT of private lessons with the MacRaes, I think that we've turned the corner, and I'm confident that 2014 is going to be a good year for the poodle. In agility, Rex continues to be a delightful partner who runs with such joy, and such a lashing tail, that it really doesn't matter how we place. Still, despite having no expectations, he earned a Steeplechase bye to Cynosports, he was part of the Northwest Regional DAM Championship team, he completed several titles in both AAC and USDAA, he is qualified for 3 out of 4 events for Cynosports 2014, and he did well at some really fun seminars. We're for sure going to Cynosports in California, and we hope that we continue to amuse and entertain his fans.<br />
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As I am wont to do, I've made a video summary of The Year That Was. I am very worried that the 2014 year-end summary will be 6 minutes of Rex waving at the camera, so I have vowed to take more video of all three dogs just doing dog things. Really, no one wants to see 6 minutes of waving!<br />
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<br />Kristihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11610438225632697524noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14150871.post-37530376018825121562013-10-08T22:58:00.001-07:002013-10-09T22:40:35.566-07:00The RexoverHe is a good dog. He really is. And he tries very hard. But he was naughty. Some would say overindulged. He went from a talented sheepdog to an unholy terror. He chased, he buzzed, and yes, he gripped. It needed to stop, or we would have to quit herding.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DAUCvpdrCGc/UlTmt95XvwI/AAAAAAAAAVE/9HAvXFE0Ads/s1600/DS4_3786.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DAUCvpdrCGc/UlTmt95XvwI/AAAAAAAAAVE/9HAvXFE0Ads/s640/DS4_3786.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">But I'm a sheepdog! We can't quit!</td></tr>
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Luckily for us, we met up with Alasdair and Patricia MacRae, who saw enough potential in Rex that they took us on as a project. Starting with a clinic in October of 2012, and throughout the winter and spring via video lessons, we worked on the most basic of stock dogs commands: Lie the EFF Down. And lie down I now know means "an absence of motion". It does not mean a near-imperceptible hitch, nor a slight turning of the head. It doesn't mean four steps more, just let me finish this flank. And it certainly doesn't mean one last lunge at a hock. <br />
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You may wonder how, after running a dog in Open for 8 years, I did not know this. The answer is that I was blessed with a dog who did actually lie down in an absence of motion kind of way, even though he probably should have been kept moving. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KxvT6Xi54AU/UlTnP_jfAXI/AAAAAAAAAVU/WySJAU50gWU/s1600/DS4_3104.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KxvT6Xi54AU/UlTnP_jfAXI/AAAAAAAAAVU/WySJAU50gWU/s640/DS4_3104.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's true, I'm a gift from God.</td></tr>
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By the late spring, I thought I had a good handle on him, so we went to Colorado to meet up with the MacRaes. I still remember the feeling of despair when I whistled a lie down at the top ... and then on the fetch ... and another ... and another ... and each whistle seemed to make him run harder. So I guess my good handle on him only worked in Canada? We spent three days working on "absence of motion" lie-downs. It was hot, the ground was hard, and there were times when I thought, "You know, he's not a bad agility dog. Maybe that's all he'll be." But there were glimmers of hope, and when he did stop, when he did listen, he looked pretty. He looked like a sheepdog. It wasn't time to quit yet. I left Colorado feeling more determined than ever to see this through.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JYQpbGmtVvs/UlTpHTkYXnI/AAAAAAAAAVg/Y3bkDZhujHI/s1600/Photo+2013-06-23+11+09+03+AM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JYQpbGmtVvs/UlTpHTkYXnI/AAAAAAAAAVg/Y3bkDZhujHI/s640/Photo+2013-06-23+11+09+03+AM.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I looked like a show pony in these boots.</td></tr>
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We came home inspired, and continued to work on our drills. We did trial a little, and as predicted, our lie-down was almost non-existent at Bowden, though it held up for the Calgary Stampede. As the summer went on, and our friends went to all kinds of fabulous trials, we stayed at home and walked. Slowly. We stopped, then flanked, then stopped, then walked some more. We scratched from Meeker (sad!!). We tortured our friends with requests to video our walking drills. We taught Wick to pick up the cones when we were done.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6kDtckfBKDQ/UlTqh_chxtI/AAAAAAAAAVs/c5o6PAxO0qw/s1600/DS4_3783.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6kDtckfBKDQ/UlTqh_chxtI/AAAAAAAAAVs/c5o6PAxO0qw/s640/DS4_3783.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seriously, enough with the sheep!</td></tr>
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In August, after competing at the AAC Nationals in agility, we went to Medicine Hat to meet up with the MacRaes. The first day of the clinic, we worked in an arena. Would the lie-down hold up this time? It did! Of course, this was in an arena, so let's not get too excited. The next day would be in a field, and we could see if we really had a handle on him. Unfortunately, the next day, I was sick as a proverbial dog, so we spent that day in a darkened hotel room, dreaming of lie downs. By the following day, I was somewhat better, so we toddled off to the field for a lesson.<br />
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I don't remember much about that day, except I do know that Rex lay down in the big field. I was told that he looked pretty good! Truthfully, it was a bit of a blur, and I was glad that I didn't have to run up the field, as that just wasn't going to happen. But I drove home, very excited with our progress. Or maybe I was feverish. Still not sure on that one.<br />
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September passed, and then it was Holly's Paxton Valley trial. At her spring trial, he was a hard to hold, and we retired 3 of our 4 runs. We were cross-entered in PN and Open. Would his lie-down hold up? Would he be able to keep it together? Could I keep it together? <br />
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Oh wow, was he ever on fire! And did it ever feel good! Every lie-down, every flank, he took. He was biddable, eager, not-insane ... he was perfect! And when I closed the pen gate, I knew that it had all been worth it. My sheepdog was back.</div>
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His Open run later that day was lovely, with the mistakes being mine. On Sunday, in his PN run, he was even nicer on the fetch, losing only 2 points on his outwork. We lost 9 on the drive because we missed the driveaway panel, but that was sheer operator error (me!). In his Open run, he had another good one going, but the sheep were getting pretty frisky in the shedding ring, so I decided to retire. There was no need to press my luck, and I didn't want to set him up to fail.</div>
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Four runs, four good efforts from my dog. Four beautiful outruns, four lovely lie-downs at the top. Four decent fetches, four decent drives. Wow. Just ... wow.</div>
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I am still on cloud 9 and I am sure that I am annoying the hell out of everyone on Facebook, my friends, my co-workers, strangers on the street, my barista at my local SBX. I really should stop grinning, but I can't. My dog is back! I have a sheepdog! We can go to trials next year! Yippee! I know I have a lot of work to do this winter, and that he is far from fixed, but I also know we've turned a corner, and we will never go back to where we were.</div>
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I must thank the MacRaes, especially Patricia, who demonstrated remarkable patience with me, who were so generous in sharing their knowledge and skill, and who believed in this weird little dog when everyone else had written him off. With them, I laughed, I yelled, I walked (and we're walking, and we're walking) and sometimes, I even ran up hills. I know there will be more walking, and less standing like a statue in my future. I look forward to it, and to the places where my little black dog and I will go. In the words of George Elliot: It's never too late to be what you might have been.</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="450" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/76400543" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="800"></iframe>Kristihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11610438225632697524noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14150871.post-54139008189831164912013-06-14T12:11:00.000-07:002013-06-14T12:12:56.864-07:00Gone to the dogsWe've finished a whirlwind three weeks of dog sports. It started with the USDAA NW Regionals in Auburn, then we went to Falkland for Holly's excellent Paxton Valley Sheep Dog Trial, and finally, we finished up with the AAC BC/Yukon Regionals. That's a lot of dog sporting in a short time!<br />
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Rex's DAM team partners (The Perfect RX: Chili and Chocolate) had some great runs and we WON! That's right, we are the 2013 USDAA NW Regionals DAM Champions!<br />
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That's the good news. The bad news ... we had to fit 9 dogs and their handlers on a podium. And Rex, while small, is still a solid 42lbs. He also isn't used to being carried. Therefore, this happened.</div>
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Let's move on, shall we?</div>
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Wick qualified to run in Performance Grand Prix and Performance Speed Jumping. To say she went nuts in PGP would be kind. It wasn't good. Her steeplechase, however, was very good! I thought it might be good enough to get her through to the finals, but alas, it wasn't. </div>
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Oh well, who wants to run in a finals anyway. :-)<br />
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Wait, what's that? Rex wants to run in the finals? Well, despite taking a bar in round 1, Rex squeaked into the finals as the last qualifier.<br />
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Due to a lot of fast dogs going off-course, Rex came 6th and earned a semi-final bye to the thing we're not going to in Tennessee. Oh, and he won $23! And a pretty pale blue ribbon!<br />
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Well that was fun! So unpack the truck, do some laundry, and repack the truck, then we're off to Holly's Paxton Valley Sheep Dog Trial! This was the first trial in which I wasn't running Lou <sad>. Therefore, I cross-entered Rex in Pro Novice and Open, so I could have four runs with him.</sad><br />
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Rex worked his heart out, and while we had some glitches, he is doing miles better. I think he's just a little bit away from becoming a good sheepdog. Any deficiencies, it's not for lack of try!<br />
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And back down the mountain, some more laundry, and then we had the AAC BC/Yukon Regionals. I was so happy that it was located just 30 minutes from home. The dogs were happy that they could chill at home too. We even had a house guest.<br />
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The first day of competition was a little messy, but by Sunday, my dogs really came through. As she does most every year, Wick got a placement in Jumpers. This year, it was a 3rd, behind two fast Kelpies. She is a couple years older than most of her competition, and it's nice to see that, at 12.5 years of age, she can still get 'er done.
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When the runs were over, both dogs qualified, so we'll be continuing our adventures in Alberta this summer. As I've said before, this will be Wick's last Nationals. Next year, they're going to be in New Brunswick, and I think she will be too old by the time they come back to the west. Of course, who knows with Wick - she doesn't seem to understand the concept of aging.<br />
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Seriously, you've made it that far in this post? Wow. That's a lot of scrolling. Um ... here's another video. Thanks for reading/watching/scrolling!<br />
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Kristihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11610438225632697524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14150871.post-45946972696089507552013-04-29T15:04:00.000-07:002013-04-29T15:04:23.685-07:00GratefulFor 8 years now, I have been walking to the post with my good dog, Lou. But over the last winter, I noticed that he was slower to get up, that his outruns had a cantering component to them now. My big dog who used to sound like a thundering horse going up the field, was starting to break down.<br />
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We went to the vet, and x-rays showed that his right hip was an arthritic ball. Well, that would explain the lack of rear-wheel drive I'd been seeing. :-( I've put him on cartrophen, and tomorrow, we will do stem cell therapy. Still, I have to accept that his big field days are over. He is a large dog, and he turned 11 this past March.<br />
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How lucky I have been to have run this dog for 8 years! And for 8 years, he literally carried me out there. I had never run in a field trial before I got him, and after 2 trials in Pro Novice, we started running in Open, where we ran for 7 years. He always brought me the sheep, he took every flank, even the wrong ones, and did his best to do what he was told. There were trials when he would have been better off shutting out the ineffectual shouts and whistles of his person, but that is not how he rolls.<br />
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Once a year, he would cross over on the outrun. He usually ran literally over my feet, so there was no opportunity to redirect. Also once a year, he would ring the sheep on the driveaway panel. These infractions were so small compared to his handler's errors, that they were filed away as anomalies and never discussed again.<br />
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We ran in three CBCA championships, we have been to most every trial on the West Coast, we even flew to Kingston, Ontario, to see how the eastern dogs do it. Lou and I have made so many wonderful friends during this journey, and even folks who didn't like him as a working dog would admit, perhaps grudgingly, that he was a pretty nice dog to have around.<br />
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Lou will still run in the odd small arena trials and he will still putter around Rose's front field, where for whatever reason, he takes none of my whistles and just meanders around, taking the sheep hither and thither. He will still be under the handler's tent, politely asking for a bite of your sandwich. But the actual running, that will fall to Rex. He has very large paw prints to fill, and it would be unfair to compare him to Lou (though I do, often, and he always comes up short). While Rex is a lovely little dog, he is not the king. Enjoy your retirement, buddy. You've earned it.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="450" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/gMMV2G-pnfQ" width="800"></iframe>Kristihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11610438225632697524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14150871.post-41647098091543595362013-03-13T23:37:00.002-07:002013-03-13T23:42:22.870-07:00In like a lionSo far, March has been a very damp month. I don't know why I'm surprised. I've only lived on the Wet Coast for my entire life. Still, my penchant for hyperbole makes me say thing such as "Bloody hell, I'm going to build an ark" and "Great, now I'm all pruney." I won't complain on Facebook, though, as the photos of snow banks make me realize that being a bit pruney isn't the worst thing in the world, weather-wise.<br />
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In truth, we've managed to get a lot done for all the rain. First, Lou celebrated his 11th birthday! <br />
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I am largely in denial that my big beautiful border collie is now a senior citizen. He is still keen to work, but I think his days of field trials are over. I'll try him one more time at Lee's Stirling Acres trial in April. It seems fitting, since my first trip to the post was at Lee's trial in 2006. </div>
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On the other end of the aging spectrum is The Wickens. I am not sure that she's a dog at all. My friend has always maintained that she is a Terminator, sent back through time to terrorize squirrels and warn mankind about ceiling fans. Whatever she is, she's still running strong at 12+ years of age. </div>
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In a few years, I suppose all I will have in either herding or agility is this:</div>
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In fairness to Rex, he's turned out to be a nice little agility dog (bark! bounce! barkbounce!!!) and I think he's very close to being a good sheepdog. My puppy will be 6 in May. I am not sure how all these dogs can be getting so old when I am still 23. Or so.<br />
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Rather than lament the fleeting nature of youth, I shall reflect with fondness on the fun Wick and Rex had just this past weekend! No need to dive back to the halcyon days of 2007 - oh no! The second weekend of March, 2013, we went down to Argus Ranch and ran at the Red Hot Rovers USDAA all-tournament trial. Wick and I ran with our friend and teacher, Wendy, and her rocket dog, Phoenix. While the girls didn't qualify in PVP (stupid off-courses!) we had a lot of fun. Rex ran with Wendy and her little red dog, Chili, and Stefan and his good border collie, Chronos. We stayed largely on course (glares severely at Rex) <glares at="" rex="" severely="">and actually managed to place 2nd out of 21 teams in DAM - yay!</glares><br />
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And with fond reflection comes gratuitous dog videos, set to music that may or may not have anything to do with the content of the video. 'Cause you know what? I like AC/DC. There, I said it!<br />
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And why Pink? Why not! It's only the best colour, like, ever.<br />
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Kristihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11610438225632697524noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14150871.post-25502905662294001702013-01-03T21:02:00.003-08:002013-01-03T21:05:26.579-08:002012, and the world didn't end2012 was another crazy year of Dog. In my defence, the world was meant to end, so I wanted to squeeze every last, glorious moment out of it. <br />
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All three dogs competed in some sort of Nationals. Wick and Rex each showed well at the AAC Nationals in Nanaimo, and Lou and I crossed off the Kingston Sheep Dog Trials (and CBCA championship) from our bucket list.<br />
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Wick also completed, after nearly a decade of futility, her ATChC. In true Wick fashion, she made a liar of me, earning that final Q on a dreaded teeter gamble. She even got a gamble at Nationals, and earned a 3rd place in one of the Jumpers runs. This year, Wick is coming up 12 or perhaps a smidge older. I thought that the 2012 AAC Nationals would be her last hurrah, but it seems that Nationals in 2013 is in Alberta. So yes, for the THIRD time, I will say: it will be her last Nationals. And again, she will probably prove me a liar!<br />
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Lou, my good, faithful sheepdog, had some nice moments himself. He certainly held up his end at the Stampede, while I let my end fall in a spectacular fashion. He competed in a couple of field trials, and while he did ok, he seemed to be struggling a bit on the longer outruns in Alberta. I probably won't run him on the big fields anymore, which hurts my heart. Watching my big handsome dog thunder up a hill is one of my favourite sights of all time. I won't have him struggle, though, as he is too good a dog to go out like that. He's still got more than enough pep for smaller field trials and arena trials, so he's not going to be retiring completely!<br />
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Rex, my perpetual puppy... what can I say about Rex? He is a brave, crazy, happy, silly dog who both delights and frustrates me. He had a great agility year, qualifying for Nationals when I thought it impossible (did I mention my dogs like to make liars of me??), he got himself into all Masters classes by the summer, and he gave me 4 great runs at Nationals (and two horrific Gamblers runs but that's a handler thing). On sheep, he showed signs of brilliance and signs of lunacy. Still, he really tries his heart out for me on sheep, so I need to try harder to get him out on sheep more, to practice in a constructive and meaningful way, and to appreciate my dog for who he is, rather than resent him for what he is not. This dog is a reflection of my soul - in 2013, I am going to like what I see! Rex won't quit on me, and I won't quit on him. <br />
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We put a lot of kilometres on the truck, we took ferries, and planes, crossed bridges and climbed mountains, in pursuit of all things dog sport. We made new friends, reconnected with old friends, spent a lot of time laughing, we made memories to last a lifetime, and we're keen to do it all over again! Here's a look back at the year that was, Collie Nation style.<br />
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Kristihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11610438225632697524noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14150871.post-47005985313398767722012-11-13T17:49:00.002-08:002012-11-13T17:50:27.086-08:00Washington road tripWe headed down to Washington on Friday for a couple of hours of lessons with Scott Glen. The topic: penning. In the history of sheepdoggery, I do not know that there is a more inept penner than I. Of course, in the past, I've blamed my failure to pen every year at Calgary on my dogs, but since they've started to livestream the event, that lie will no longer hold up. Thus ... two hours of penning lessons.<br />
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Scott was very patient with me, and he's also got a great sense of humour. He actually got Lou to bend on a close at hand flank, something that dog hasn't done in about 5 years. And then New Rex came out with his fancy stops and pace and shizzle, and he did well too. He even got right underneath the lamb's nose as she was grazing, and that lamb still has a nose! My god! Have we turned a corner?<br />
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As much as I would have loved to stay at Fido's Farm for the weekend, it was off to Elma, for the RAT agility trial. I haven't run USDAA in, like, forever. I want to say it's been 6 years, but it might be even longer. Wick was entered in the tournament classes only because I can't remember where she was in the titling program from 6 years ago. Rex was entered in everything because I knew he must be in Starters.<br />
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It was quite a successful weekend for both dogs. Wick had a nice run in Steeplechase, or Performance Speed Jumping, or whatever it's called, but she had an off-course. She also ran a really nice Grand Prix, but got called for a refusal on the 3rd from last obstacle. Drats!!!<br />
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Rex did quite well too. He Q'ed all of his Starters games classes and got a Steeplechase Q to boot! That was pretty cool, especially since we had a big bobble in that run. Thank goodness for running a-frames! He missed both DWs in Standard, so I'm going to have to figure out how to fix that. Still, he was fine with the tire, didn't jump the chute, and overall exceeded my expectations.<br />
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Best part of the weekend was seeing people I haven't seen in, well, 6 years! Also got to meet a lot of people I've only known through Facebook. Oh, and thanks to my Nexus card, there were no border line-ups. A pretty good weekend altogether!<br />
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Here's a mash-up of most of Rex's runs. Thanks for reading!<br />
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Kristihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11610438225632697524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14150871.post-69758699086069126452012-10-27T23:13:00.001-07:002012-10-27T23:13:24.511-07:00National Hug a Sheep Day 2012October 27 is National Hug a Sheep Day. Did you hug a sheep? I did. :-)<br />
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<br />Kristihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11610438225632697524noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14150871.post-69198422743259465352012-10-08T22:07:00.001-07:002012-10-08T22:07:19.136-07:00USBCHA FinalsThe dogs and I went down to Klamath Falls, OR, to watch the 2012 USBCHA Finals. What a great venue, with tough sheep, stunning views, and volunteers who made sure every detail was covered. Awesome vendors too,<br />
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We cheered on friends, laughed way too much, and when the dust cleared (literally - it was wicked dusty), the champion was Patricia MacRae and the handsome Cap. Because, you know, it would be a shame if the title went to someone NOT named MacRae. But Cap had much the class run of the finals, with the only clean turn-back, nice fetches and a decent drive. Congrats!<br />
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I took loads of pics, as the light was just dreamy. Here are some of them - thanks for reading!</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/xUFHjMk2LWU" width="640"></iframe>Kristihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11610438225632697524noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14150871.post-64227069428975995452012-09-01T10:01:00.000-07:002012-09-01T10:01:58.959-07:00Wasn't that a party - herding versionPart two of Doggy Palooza involved flying to Kingston, ON, to run Lou in the Kingston Sheepdog and CBCA Championship trials. Two days after AAC Nationals. Yeah, seemed like a sane thing to do. As I once told Amanda, when I'm lying on my death bed, I probably won't be thinking, "Gee, I sure wish I'd spent more time at home, resting." So onto Kingston!<br />
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First of all, big shout-out to WestJet. They were super about letting Lou check in at the very last minute (we hung out at Tim Hortons at YVR for an hour). I was a bit nervous about flying Lou, but he didn't seem fizzed at all by the experience. When I picked him up from oversize luggage at the Ottawa airport, he looked like he just woke up from a nap .. which he probably did. :-) Grabbed a rental car and hit the road just in time to enjoy a torrential rain storm. I thought I left Vancouver behind?<br />
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Got to the trial field around 10pm. Everyone was settled in for bed, so after a quick run, and a bit of dinner, off to bed we went (despite the fact that it was only 7:30 back home). My roommate, Lee, was up early with Chica, so we set the alarms for 5:30 (that would be 2:30 am back home!). <br />
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Lou ran later in the day, and he had trouble moving his group along on the crossdrive. His outwork was lovely, and he only needed a few whistles to bring them to my feet. I believe he lost 4 on the outwork. Unfortunately, he timed out at the crossdrive panels, so we lost a whole lot more than that on the drive!</div>
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That evening, prior to the CBCA AGM, Lee and I decided to have a quick bath in the St Lawrence river. Now I can mark off the bucket list "bathing in an iconic Canadian river". Actually, it was quite nice, and very clean. We weren't the only ones bathing in the river either. Who knew I could be so outdoorsy!<br />
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Lou spent a lot of time playing in the river too. Here he is, showing off his very best "Handsome Rugged" look.<br />
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Our second run was marginally more successful than our first, in that we completed the drive. We missed both panels and never really had a line. I think we got more points for our shed than our drive! Oh well, whaddyagonnado. (Answer: drink wine and eat kettle corn).<br />
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For that second run, I wore the fascinator that Amanda made. She made one for each of the woman handlers. I love mine, and it's now framed for posterity.<br />
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I borrowed Lee's crook. I didn't want to deal with the hassle of flying a crook (even the HKSS), but Lee flew with three dogs, two pieces of luggage and a crook. Lee = crazier than me.</div>
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The sheep were easy to shed, though it could be tricky to put them back together once shed!</div>
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Thanks, Lou. It's been a helluva ride.</div>
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Now that Western Canada had been shut out of the double-lift, we were content to drink. (photo by Robin French)</div>
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Really enjoyed watching the double-lift finals on the Sunday. Felt really bad for Dawn Boyce, who went to the post in a pretty pink shirt and hat, and then the skies opened.</div>
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There were heavy casualties in the hander's tent. Here is just a partial body count.</div>
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When it was all done, Amanda and Roz won. As an extra bonus, Amanda won a mountie. This caused much excitement.</div>
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And then, just like that, Doggy Palooza 2012 was done. Nothing left but to pose for a few last pics, get on a place and reunite Collie Nation.</div>
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Lou says he could stay here a few more days.</div>
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I'm really glad that I went to Kingston and experienced the spectacle. Mark that off the bucket list. Now to plan the next bucket list trip. Hmm, how tough are those Meeker sheep anyway ... I'll bet Rex would like them ....</div>
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Oh yeah, here's a slideshow summary of the trial. Thanks for reading!</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="480" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/_BKx5Nll-w0" width="853"></iframe>Kristihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11610438225632697524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14150871.post-4009615853319405962012-08-16T17:35:00.001-07:002012-08-16T17:35:49.096-07:00Wasn't that a party - agility versionIt seems like a lifetime ago, but I suppose it was only a few weeks back that we were loading up and heading to Nanaimo for the AAC Nationals. At the risk of sounding like a Pollyanna, everything was perfect! The ferries were on time, the weather was gorgeous, the hotel was as wonderful as I'd remembered it, the site was great ... getting nauseous yet? :-) But seriously, I can't think of much that I would change. From the fantastic volunteers to the friendly judges, everything was just spot-on.<br />
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This was Wick's third Nationals. My only goal was to get a placement in one of the Jumpers rounds. Wick is a really good Jumpers dog, but at the last two Nationals, we've had absolute trainwrecks in Jumpers. On Saturday, our goal was met, when Wick ran a nice clean Jumpers 1 and placed 3rd in her class. Because she is such a good jumpers dog, I wasn't surprised so much as relieved. But when she got the gamble in Gamblers 2, plus a ton of opening points, and earned a 9th place ribbon (yes, they give placements to 10 - wahoo!), I was totally and utterly floored. Two gambles in a month? After almost a decade of futility? Just ... wow ...<br />
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Speaking of wow, Rex blew me away at Nationals! That he qualified was a huge surprise, and I had zero expectations of him. Boy, did he bring it! On the first run of the day on Saturday, Standard 1, he went clean and 20 seconds under time! Holy #$@! Then he went clean in Jumpers 1! This is a dog who seems to be stuck in Advanced Jumpers, for goodness sake!<br />
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On Sunday, Rex had another surprising performance - only one bar in Jumpers 2. Filled with enthusiasm, after waiting for what seemed like hours, Wick and I took to the course ... and promptly blew up. WTF? I think we had at least two off-courses, one my fault and one hers. Arrggh! So much for a podium finish for the Wickens. Both dogs ran well in Standard 2. Each had a refusal on the same jump - perhaps a handling issue? :-) So when all was said and done, Rex ended up out-pointing Wick by 10 - whodda thunk? Wick finished 16th of 34 dogs in 16" Vets, and Rex was 36th of 84 dogs in 22" Regular. And I, I was bloody happy with both of them. <a href="http://birenheide.com/nats2012results/aggregate.php3?thistrial=20120803&thistrialtext=Aug%203-5,%202012;%20Nationals,%20AAC" target="_blank">For complete results, click here.</a><br />
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And here's a video of some of the highlights of our time in Nanaimo. Next up - the Kingston Sheep Dog Trials!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="480" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/omP9P3WLcpU" width="853"></iframe>Kristihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11610438225632697524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14150871.post-4489509391002198842012-07-30T21:26:00.002-07:002012-07-30T21:26:17.118-07:00Let's do thisIt's here - doggy palooza! First up is the AAC National Agility Championships, in Nanaimo. Wick and Rex are competing, which is nice as they are at opposite ends of their careers. For Wick, this is her third, and probably last, nationals. For Rex, this is his first of what I hope are many nationals. But who knows, I said that AAC Nationals in 2010 were Wick's last nationals, and I was wrong about that!<br />
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After the AAC Nationals, we come home, do a quick bit of laundry, and then Lou and I are off to Kingston, ON, for the Kingston Sheep Dog Trial and CBCA Championships. Like Wick, I think this will be Lou's last CBCA Championships. Like Wick, that's what I said last year LOL! What is it about my old dogs refusing to get old? Well, whatever it is, I'm glad for it!<br />
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So as I sit on the eve of doggy palooza, I am reflecting on how blessed I am to have three great dogs who love what they do. Looking forward to seeing all my friends from near and far. Let's do this!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/qYI8IKHiaz4" width="853"></iframe>Kristihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11610438225632697524noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14150871.post-40244732850811204132012-07-23T23:30:00.001-07:002012-07-23T23:30:15.904-07:00What a long strange trip it's beenThe quest for ATChC is finally over! On Sunday morning, under grey skies, Wick got the last Q she needed to finish her ATChC. Ironically, it was on a teeter gamble (the teeter being her least favourite obstacle EVER). Whatever, we'll take it!<br />
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She had a very good weekend overall. Her first Gamblers run was such a disaster, I wanted to retire her right there and then. She seemed to understand that I was less than pleased with her efforts, so she stepped it up, and hit for the cycle (Qs in each of Standard, Jumpers, Snooker, Gamblers and Steeplechase). At Nationals next week, we'll have to run 2 Gamblers courses, but after that, you'll never again see us in the stinkin' gamblers ring!</div>
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And the obligatory music video.</div>
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<span id="goog_1540863246"></span><span id="goog_1540863247"></span>Kristihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11610438225632697524noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14150871.post-25121551252959511092012-07-12T22:59:00.001-07:002012-07-12T22:59:46.894-07:00Life is a highway - part 2On the Sunday, the World Stock Dog Championship started. I suppose it's worldly in that there were both Canadians and Americans competing. Anywho ... Lou was up first for me. He had a good go, and then, as in previous years, I sucked at the pen. Watch, wince, do not do what I do!<br />
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Rex was wild! I mucked up the top end and had to give him some very fast flanks to make the obstacles. By the time we turned the post, he was pretty jazzed. Then he ate one, and I plucked the fleece out of his mouth (to the delight of the crowd) and we did the walk of shame out of there.<br />
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On the second day, Rex went first, and he ate one again, though not as dramatically. That dog definitely needs more time on sheep than the 10-20 minutes a month that he typically gets. Too much agility, not enough sheep ... DQ. We'll be ready next year - promise!<br />
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Lou had a more difficult set than on Sunday, and they did lots of stomping and stalling. However, he got them going and then there we were at the pen again. I tried not to be as much a spazz as on Sunday, but I don't know that I was successful. One ran in the pen, and then another, and I really thought the third one was going to run from the far end of the arena into the pen. She didn't ... jerk. Still, two in the pen is (sadly) a career high for me. Maybe next year, I'll actually <i>close</i> the pen?<br />
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For another year, then, we were spectators for the finals. Before it started we watched some Stampede events like Cowboy Up.<br />
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And of course, how can you not watch Team Penning?</div>
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Then it was time for the finals! <a href="http://phantomridgebordercollies.blogspot.ca/" target="_blank">Louanne Twa</a> was up second, and she and Meg lay down a smoker! She was the leader until that darn Dale Montgomery ran. For the 7th time, he won the $10,000 first prize. Louanne and Meg were reserve, and she also won the stock trailer - yay! The princesses were very happy with the result.</div>
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And thus ended another great road trip. Good times, good dogs, and good friends. Yeah, we'll do it again next year. :-)</div>
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<br />Kristihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11610438225632697524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14150871.post-7198505666389726122012-07-12T22:03:00.000-07:002012-07-12T22:03:24.109-07:00Life is a highway - part 1Another road trip is in the books! For the 5th year, the dogs and I loaded up and headed east for some great Alberta trials. First stop was the Wild Rose Classic in Bowden, AB. In what is now a tradition, a tornado rolled through nearby Olds the day before.<br />
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But by the time the trial started, the storm had passed.<br />
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The dogs didn't run great. Lou wouldn't take a flank to straighten out the fetch. The drive was a bit wonky too. My timing was a bit off, and Lou was clearly rusty. Still, he had some nice moments.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">Rex had a nice outrun and lift, but absolutely no brakes on his fetch. It was dead straight but oh my goodness was it fast! Managed to get something of a handle on him for the drive, but I was mostly training on him, and didn't really care about the panels, because I was going to get my point across. We ended up in the shedding ring in the middle of a lightening storm (because shedding with Rex isn't scary enough, let's add the possibility of death).</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">The next day wasn't much better. Rex still had no brakes so I left the post to meet him on the fetch. The little rotter saw me coming and ran FASTER - who does that? Lou drew up late in the day and the sheep were heavy. We missed the drive away panel so I retired the run. Then we were off to Calgary for the Stampede!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">Saturday was a day off, so I took the dogs to the Southland Park off-leash dog park. It's 80+ hectares of doggy fun, complete with river access. Rex and Lou found the water and stayed in it most of the 2 hours we were there.</span><br />
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Then it was a quick trip to the Stampede on a very hot Saturday. We watched the dancing at the Indian Village.</div>
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I made a couple of new friends. :-)</div>
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And generally played tourist. Look, a sheep!</div>
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<br />Kristihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11610438225632697524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14150871.post-72571777778795821962012-07-03T14:57:00.001-07:002012-07-03T14:58:59.253-07:00It's Stampede time!<div style="font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 10px 0; padding: 0;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/voteforbear/7469308380/" title="26/52, Time to cowboy up"><img alt="26/52, Time to cowboy up by voteforbear" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8026/7469308380_3b8daea2df.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="margin: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/voteforbear/7469308380/">26/52, Time to cowboy up</a>, a photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/voteforbear/">voteforbear</a> on Flickr.</span></div>
We're off to Alberta for the Wild Rose Classic, then the 100th Calgary Stampede. This is my 6th year going, and I think I've tried every kind of deep-fried food they have. :-) Who knows, maybe there will be something new and disgusting to try!<br />
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I hope it's summer in Alberta, because it sure isn't here on the coast. Blech.Kristihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11610438225632697524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14150871.post-89491040591619686622012-06-12T12:59:00.001-07:002012-06-12T13:30:49.569-07:00Two good dogsWell, Collie Nation has returned from the BCYR 2012 Agility Regionals with some very good news - they both qualified! This is Wick's 5th or 6th time qualifying, and I fully expected her to make it (though after Sunday's performance, I was a bit worried!), but Rex, who has only be trialing for a year, and who may not know all of the equipment yet - I was absolutely thrilled that he pulled one off.<br />
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In addition to qualifying, each of the dogs earned an individual placement in Jumpers. Wick came 2nd in Jumpers 1, and Rex, the dog who often forgets how to do a tunnel, came 4th out of 68 22" dogs in Jumpers 2. <falls down="" from="" shock=""></falls><br />
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We've about 50 days before Nationals, and there's a lot we need to practice. But before that, there's the matter of a few sheepdog trials, including the Calgary Stampede. Wick gets to sit those out, but Lou and Rex, get ready to switch gears - set focus on sheep.<br />
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Here are a couple videos from the weekend. Turn down the volume, my dogs are LOUD!<br />
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Wick:<br />
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Rex:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/AUvd4FjmnI4" width="640"></iframe>Kristihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11610438225632697524noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14150871.post-62175418770004895982012-06-06T00:08:00.001-07:002012-06-06T09:04:47.470-07:00Motivational thoughts before Regionals<div style="font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 10px 0; padding: 0;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/voteforbear/7158884075/" title="DS4_3558"><img alt="DS4_3558 by voteforbear" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7081/7158884075_ca805515ea.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="margin: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/voteforbear/7158884075/">DS4_3558</a>, a photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/voteforbear/">voteforbear</a> on Flickr.</span></div>
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Whether or not you win this thing, you’ve got to decide how you’re gonna walk out of here when it’s all said and done. Because the game is going to go on ...and there’s only one rule you’re going to need to know about: “There are no second chances.”<br />
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There’s only this moment and the next moment. Every one of those moments is a test that you get to take ONE time and ONLY one time. So, if you see an opening, tear into it! If you get a shot at victory, make DAMN sure you take it. SEIZE that moment!<br />
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That moment is a crossroads where everything you want will collide with everything standing in your way.<br />
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You’ve got momentum at your back. Fear and doubt are thundering like a freight-train straight at you. And all you’ve got – the only difference between making history and BEING history - the only thing — the ONLY thing you can count on at any given moment is YOU!<br />
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It’s you versus “them”<br />
… you versus “no”<br />
… you versus “can’t”<br />
… you versus “next year”, “last year”, “statistics”, “excuses”<br />
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It’s you versus “history”<br />
… you versus “the odds”<br />
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It’s you versus “second place”<br />
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The clock is ticking. Let see what you’ve got.Kristihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11610438225632697524noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14150871.post-23600684455631259902012-06-02T08:26:00.001-07:002012-06-02T08:26:41.637-07:00When bad things happen to good dogs<div style="margin: 0 0 10px 0; padding: 0; font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.6em;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/voteforbear/7316906758/" title="Rex's world goes dark"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7213/7316906758_626627afd3.jpg" alt="Rex's world goes dark by voteforbear" /></a><br/><span style="margin: 0;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/voteforbear/7316906758/">Rex's world goes dark</a>, a photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/voteforbear/">voteforbear</a> on Flickr.</span></div><p></p>Kristihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11610438225632697524noreply@blogger.com0