Dog Brag
We went to a sheepdog trial this weekend mainly for our 2 year old boys; Grant and Lee. They each got 3 runs in ProNovice and 3 runs in Nursery.
ProNovice is the lowest class we can start dogs in since we have both run in the highest class; it had a 150yard outrun, and short drive (push sheep away from handler about 75yards) and then pen the sheep. Nursery is for dogs under 3 years and has a course the same size and the next level up from ProNovice; 200 yard outrun, 100 yard drive, 100 yard cross drive (push sheep from one side of field to the other), and then pen the sheep.
In ProNovice there were 40-45 teams running each of the 3 runs.
Day 1: Grant was 1st and Lee was 2nd
Day 2: Grant was 4th and Lee was 10th
Day 3: Grant was 9th and Lee was 1st
In Nursery there were 6-10 teams running and placing well earns a qualifying leg for our national finals.
Day 1: Grant was 3rd and Lee was 1st (2 dogs qualified for nationals)
Day 2: Grant was 2nd and Lee was 4th (2 dogs qualified for nationals)
Day 3: Grant was 2nd and Lee was 1st (1 dog qualified for nationals)
Both boys got better ( and more excitable through the weekend). My wife and I got better at handling our boys trough the weekend. Lee's last run in ProNovice we only lost one point (out of 80) during our run.
We have 4 dogs qualified for the nationals this year (trial year Aug 1 - July 31). Peg (13 year old grandma) who I retired this winter, B.J. (10 year old mom), Nell (10 year old aunt), and Lee (2 year old). We won't be going. I get just enough vacation for us to qualify but not also travel to the finals; and we host a trial annually on the third weekend in Sept which this year is the same time as the nationals in Carbondale CO.
ProNovice is the lowest class we can start dogs in since we have both run in the highest class; it had a 150yard outrun, and short drive (push sheep away from handler about 75yards) and then pen the sheep. Nursery is for dogs under 3 years and has a course the same size and the next level up from ProNovice; 200 yard outrun, 100 yard drive, 100 yard cross drive (push sheep from one side of field to the other), and then pen the sheep.
In ProNovice there were 40-45 teams running each of the 3 runs.
Day 1: Grant was 1st and Lee was 2nd
Day 2: Grant was 4th and Lee was 10th
Day 3: Grant was 9th and Lee was 1st
In Nursery there were 6-10 teams running and placing well earns a qualifying leg for our national finals.
Day 1: Grant was 3rd and Lee was 1st (2 dogs qualified for nationals)
Day 2: Grant was 2nd and Lee was 4th (2 dogs qualified for nationals)
Day 3: Grant was 2nd and Lee was 1st (1 dog qualified for nationals)
Both boys got better ( and more excitable through the weekend). My wife and I got better at handling our boys trough the weekend. Lee's last run in ProNovice we only lost one point (out of 80) during our run.
We have 4 dogs qualified for the nationals this year (trial year Aug 1 - July 31). Peg (13 year old grandma) who I retired this winter, B.J. (10 year old mom), Nell (10 year old aunt), and Lee (2 year old). We won't be going. I get just enough vacation for us to qualify but not also travel to the finals; and we host a trial annually on the third weekend in Sept which this year is the same time as the nationals in Carbondale CO.
