Washington update

Hi all,

Unfortuently we did not have internet at the hotel while we were in Washington. We are home and are picking up the trailer to head out to the One tree trial. The drive was great and the weather was nice and cool for trialing. After the first day my neck got better and I was able to drive the second leg of the trip. We had a great time.

Others didn't have as much fun.
This poor guy never saw us coming and never had a chance. We are still looking for his head.

The field was small but very tricky with rolling hills and the Macdonalds add some extra tricks like this maltese cross. I had only seen this done in videos. Luckily I grasped the concept and mastered it both runs.

The open class had 60 dogs running in it. This meant very early mornings. Which is not something I really enjoy.
Saturday we ran on a mix of Barbs and Barb crosses. Most of the course was straight forward. The sheep took some convincing the get through the Maltese cross and penning them proved to be difficult.
Saturday we ran mid morning and got an 85. Isla ran good and was listening. She seems to be back to her old self. Finished up 9th.
Sunday the course and the sheep changed. The sheep were Scotties and hair crosses. The course had a blind cross drive, Maltese cross and a single. That's right folks a blind cross drive. And actually a little bit of the drive away was blind as well. Needless the say I was shaking in my boots. We ran 4th around 6:30 Am. Had a great run but never got the single. We scored a 92. Our score held on all day to take 1st place.
So the good news is we are now going to run at the USBCHA finals. Isla now has around 18 points.

Ready set go!!!

My mini trial Marathon begins today. Lisa and I are picking up Jenny on the way to Washington. First time I have ever been to Washington. I am very excited get to meet new people and see some different dogs work. Unfortunately I woke up this morning with a giant crink in my neck and I can only turn my head to the left. Lisa may I have to drive part way this morning and I will take some of her fancy muscle relaxers.
Here what my you get to look forward to.
Washington June 25-29
Ian and Joanne's June 30-July 2
Irricanna July 3-4
Calgary Stampede July 5-6
The good news is I got an air card so now I can blog on the road. I am very excited.
Stay tuned for Washington Hy jinx.

I love this!!!

If only dog handlers were treated like Rockstars.

Together again

Last weekend I headed down to Lethbridge to watch the AAC regionals I mostly went to see Finn and visit with friends. I had Bracken and Craig in tow. Jenn took some family photos. Finn is so much bigger than my two. Not sure what Jenn is feeding him.

Craig and Finn were best of friends.

Bracken on the other hand really wanted nothing to do with he long lost brother. If you look closely you can see her lip curling up.

I have said all along that Bracken is very much like her mother. She is so stoic and always acting so mature. Not to mention the party police.

Much different than her clown of a brother

Thanks Jenn for all the great pics.

What have I done

Ask some of my closest friends I can not say no to anyone. I get my self in some very sticky predicaments because of it. This week I said yes to two things that I may live to regret.

First I told my sister that I would take care of her dogs for almost two weeks. My mom will no longer take care of them because they always runaway on her. Jade and Luna are city dogs who love their parents very much so much they will do anything to get to them. Which includes scaling six foot chain link. Along with food and dog beds they can with bark collars. Oh good they jump,run and bark. Notice the big heavy canvas tarp on the top of the run. Day 1 almost over hope it works. Oh I almost forgot they are also terrified on thunder. Weather this week is suppose to be hot an humid which translates into evening thunderstorm.
Regret #2
I have a rancher that brings his dog for lessons. He phoned and said he had a sheep he needed to get rid of and would I like to take it maybe I could use it as a doggin sheep. A Dorper ewe lamb from last year.

I don't think it is going to make a doggin sheep. What Trevor neglected to say was that this little lady thinks she is a person.

Craig thought she looked like fun. To much fun so Lamby had to go back into the field. Petting Zoo's beware I will be phoning you!

ASCA trial

We packed up and went to Stettler to an ASCA trial. I rarely run ASCA as I don't usually have time with my other trial schedule. For some of my students and friends this was their first trial ever. So I decided to go for moral support. I also entered Isla for fun. The weather was cold, cloudy and rainy. It could have been better but we had a good time anyway.

The pups had a good time trying to get to China

True stockdog style Isla and Risk

Apparently this was the first ASCA Ranch Dog trial in Canada. The trial was on cattle. I didn't enter Isla mostly because of my fear that she would be to crazy and get her self hurt in the pens. Jerry entered Jed though. As Jed is very proficient on cattle. It was a 30 minute course. Looked like lots of fun. Start off in some smaller pens and moved out into a large 10 acres pasture and then back into some sorting pens at the end. You had the option to ride a horse, quad or walk. Jerry chickened out and picked the quad.

Marnie was the official ranch trial photographer and would go to any length to get her shot.

Marnie and Chase

now for the brags.

Jed won the ranch trial and also got his started ducks and sheep titles. He also won the most promising started dog award.

Isla now has her Open sheep and ducks titles. She also come home with the high scoring sheep run award as well as winning the high combined award for the weekend
Marnie and Chase became the first Spanish Water dog the get an ASCA title. Finishing her Started ducks in beautiful style. The Spanish Water dog was just put on the breed list for ASCA this past month thanks in part to Marnie's perseverance.

Raven got a leg in their started dogs. I helped Diane out and ran Raven on Sunday.

Famous last words

Got home late last night from the Paxton Valley trial. Holly and Len are the cutest couple in Paxton Valley. Len is the only non-doggin husband I know that will pitch in to help set sheep when the help doesn't show up. They run a great show and have Lee to back them up when people don't tow the line. Who knew Little sweet Lee could yell like that. I love trialing in British Columbia so refreshing. Those BC girls really know how to have fun. Below is a pic of the field. The sheep are set at the back fence by the trees.On Saturday morning Holly gave me some tips on the field. "watch that draw at the bottom of the hill it really draws dogs in" Me being me said "Ah pish Isla is a good outrunner she would never cross" How wrong was I both times in the Open she almost crossed over. I stopped her in time and gave her a look back and a redirect. The good news is her look back rocks. The bad news is my Scottish hill dogs is now officially a flat lander.

Sunday my dad and Lisa (wife/girlfriend/it's complicated) showed up to watch me run. To bad Isla didn't put on her best show for them but they had fun. Ok Lisa had fun. She could fit right in here. Dad on the other hand really like the food. Lisa took this pic of Isla and me coming around the post.

The weekend was not a total loss we finished 4th overall in the Pro Novice. 30 dogs ran Pro Novice.