Finality Sheepdog Trial

Joe Evans and Mich Ferraro hosted their first trial at Finality Farm. It was a beautiful setting, with about a 300 yard outrun and an uphill course. The sheep were katahdins, but not your ordinary katahdins! These sheep were bought by Mich and Joe specifically for having the trial, and were from 3 different flocks. The sheep had never been in a pen, and it showed from how few pens occured during the trial.

3 sheep were run for the Open class, course was 8 mins with a right hand drive, with a pen, shed. The first day the pen was set at a difficult angle, so that on the approach to the pen, the dog had to cover the comebye side, then try and whip around to the away side to cover that side. I think there were 4 pens in the first Open class, most of them 1 point pens, and either 1 or 2 sheds. The sheep did not necessarily like each other and were willing to split and run, making for a difficult go round the course.

I ran 2nd with Ben, and usually if you run early, the sheep are pretty good. NOT! Watching my group being set out, I saw one keep trying to break back to the set out. Sent Ben, and after he picked up the sheep, sort of, they never stopped running! When they turned the post they bolted to the right, where the exhaust was over a little hill, even tho they had not been in the exhaust. The one sheep just ran one way, then the other, then another way. Ben kept it fairly under control all around the course and made all his panels, but lines were not great, never did get them in the pen.

Nick I ran later in the day. Knowing that penning was next to impossible, I knew I had to have a good go around the course. Nick listened extremely well, his drive was beautiful, we had a 74 out of 100 pts. We had lost only 6 points when we got to the pen. Cheryl Jagger won the class with Spot, with a 75, and I was 2nd with Nick with the 74.

The 2nd day of Open, the scores were actually lower! They did turn the pen, so the dog only had to cover one side, but it didn't make much difference. A few more pens than the day before, but not many, mainly 1 pt pens.

I ran Ben first again and we had a good go around the course, again couldn't get a pen and had a score of 68.

Ran Nick later in the day, I had signed up for a 50-50 raffle for the finals with Nick. We were divided into teams of 5 handlers and I guess I was last to go on my team. A team member came over to me before my run, to tell me that our team was in the lead and we just needed a score from Nick to win, the pressure was on! I actually had forgotten about the 50-50, but it was a good thing they reminded me, as i would have retired with Nick, so save time for the running of the trial. Nick had a sheep that wanted to bolt, came around the post and it took off, Nick caught it and then it ran again and he caught it again, but got around the course, again no pen, with a score of 62. My 62 helped our team win the 50-50 raffle, way to go team!

I forget who won the 2nd day of Open, but it was won with a 69, I was 2nd with Ben with the 68.

It was fun trying to work these sheep. And I've never heard so much cheering for Open handlers, by Open handlers if someone actually got a pen :-)