Thank EwE Soldier Hollow

As we meander over to Meeker its a great time to reflect. The reflection brings fond memories of good times, good friend, good sheep, good camping, and great weather!




The trial course is not easy, but a fair challenge for all that are running. The sheep were extremely even but more settled early in the morning. The set out crew was flawless!
A quick recap of the runs...
Lane.. First run..
Outrun was tight.. Sheep were forgiving. He settled them good on the fetch. I overworked the sheep at the fetch panel causing them to lose trust in lane. Around the post the sheep were no longer settled.
The drive.. (Ummm I mean the catch) the robust fit ewes bolted up the drive the more we flanked the more they ran. Lane was clearly not sure how to handle the catch and release program. He had barely any brakes. We made it through the ragged drive ( lines ? Huh?) back to the shed which was fine .. We held the rope at the gate! Score .. No good! Could have been a decent run with drive points..we left the judge no option!
Lane 2..
Better.. There's my dog! He knew what he was up against and opened his mind for help!
We had a nice go around no running, good stopping, and all ears! 65 no pen.. Ok we weren't too far off! Pleased!
Soot 1.. Runs previous to us were struggling. Most dying out at the post. All the sudden the sheep had become pigs. Heat was soaring at high noon and the sheep didn't want to play.
We had a great start, good first drive, turned the corner and the sheep decided they weren't leaving the shade.. Damn bitches.
200 yard cross drive backward shoving, shifting, shading, they just sucked!
Shed ring 45 seconds call in on head for a cracker of a shed.. To not be called.. Sigh oh well.. It was one of those "fuck it" moments!
Soot 2.. Another solid go.. A leader with the will to escape.. Oh joy!
Soot tucked her and caught and tucked her and tucked her.
The final straw.. 5 ft from shedding ring she bolts for the exhaust.. Soot covers but jumps up to teach her a lesson... Yep.. Dq. I wanted to cry..likely the run good enough to advance.. But the dream ended quickly!
That's dog trialing.. Sigh
The trial was an overall great time except the grip that wasn't good!
The energy of trialers was high and competitive. The thousands of spectators are so friendly!
The "fair" portion of the trial was busy! We witnessed out first real "dog and pony" show.. Umm probably our last but I had to see the basketball playing pony!
Mark Peterson has gone above and beyond to put on a first class event, from the air conditioned hospitality room for trialers filled with cold water, beer, soda, snacks and tables and chairs! To a private bathroom for us ( no porta potty) ! Handlers chatting amongst each other on the balcony overlooking the field while sitting under umbrellas! Awesome!




The banquet .. Oh my gawd the banquet.. Prime rib, salad, garlic mashed.. Need I say more.. We over ate.. It was divine! We were all awarded jackets and run orders drawn for the big day! It was fun to share in the elites excitement!
It's all just so damn fun! Ron and I hope to be invited back again.
Thank you Mark Peterson, Deena Peterson, Howard Peterson, set out, judge, and all the rest of the folks that made us feel so special!!

Congrats to Allen Mills and Sis! The winner of the double lift finals! We were so proud to see that American flag raised!!!




Now onto Meeker.. Where I will once again start slaying butterflies!
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Confidence in EwE!

In preparation for Soldier Hollow and Meeker..(2 extremely difficult dog trials.)
I have been trying to throw as many scenarios at Lane (some to Soot but she's seasoned) as possible!

Just a little prelude on Lane, he was bred by us..sold as a pup and returned at a year old. I couldn't give the dog away, no one believed me he was gonna be great..I finally (after many false attempts by purchasers) said screw it..he's mine! I am so glad I did!!!! Qualified for the open finals this year and nursery finals..I'd say not to shabby for this kid!!


I have hauled sheep, I have worked hills, I have turned back, ( just in case) I have worked lambs, ewes, good sheep, and bad.
Today was no exception to the preparation..it was it..the ultimate test..
#1. Did I make a tactical error entering Lane instead of seasoned Sly?
#2. Have I prepared this young dog as best I can?
#3. Do we have confidence in each other as a team?
This is the field I used to test my (fate) mate!




I drove the sheep by trailer and dropped them on the set with hay out at the brush line. (Fortunately I have great sheep that will just stand and wait) (don't mind the orange snow fence there are trees planted there!)
I drove to the other end..popped Lane out of the truck and sent him.
I was ready for a battle, there is everything to look at here, brush, boulders, arenas, trees, pens, picnic tables...all of that disappeared as Lane sailed perfectly ( maybe 450 yards) behind the sheep. A magical response to every command..I was stunned.
The lesson I learned here is..have CONFIDENCE in him.
Whether we win or loose, whether he's great or so so..I am going to have confidence in him as I know he can do it! He's been a grand dog to train with a grand challenge ahead of him, I need to make sure my attitude about him matches his love for me!
Go Lane Go!




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Ewe Suck

Yep, that's how we roll! We put countless hours into putting on dog trials to make them suck.

From countless hours of mowing the field to dirt, buying supplies, picking up food supplies, porta potties, hand sanitizer, soap, cold jugs of water, lemonade, banana bread for handlers breakfast, homemade chocolate cake for dessert, preparing the sheep, allowing my lambs to be chased all over and run into fences by heinous dogs, opening our pool to everyone, having a big handlers dinner Saturday night..furnishing tables and seats at said dinner..yeah..we pretty much suck.

Hired judged, hired set out..course director..yeah we suck.
Shaded parking..flat rv parking..yep it all sucks.

What I think sucks? People complaining..

Just a few examples..

As Sharon Roman put it.."we all know you are not nice" ok..
(The above comment stems from a handler saying "you are so nice to let us ruin your lambs")(insert above)


As Suzanne Anaya put it..
"my dogs had 300 foxtails"..
"The outrun is trickery if you don't work on that field"
"I have no idea why the judge did this or that"
"It was too hot"
"My sheep broke forward on the outrun"- but my dog didn't cause it..
"There were red ants everywhere"

The funny bi-polar ism is "thank you for such a great trial"

Ok so here's the scoop..

We have been putting on dog trials for over 10 years..on this field..this field is not exclusive to me and my students. An outrun is an outrun, your dog either does it or not. This trial is run from my back pasture (opposite of the big New Years trial) last year my dog crossed over at my feet, that tells you how often I practice it.










Ron spent countless hours mowing the field to dirt..there are no fox tails, unless perhaps you turn your dogs loose in the evening to run like idiots into the places the mower can't go..in that case that's your problem.

The foxtails...




The judge..everyone has their day..sometimes we are wearing rose colored glasses..for every point lost, you will unfairly gain one at the next trial.

These were Rambouillet sheep..if they broke forward on the outrun ( I can only recall 1 time) perhaps your glasses are dusty..and maybe the dog was dirty..

The outrun..



There are a few ants..but saying everywhere is sensationalized..I went out to take a photo I could only find a red ant.


The ant is here somewhere..




Scoreboards..




Shade canopies




The sheep

So..folks..keep in mind at the next trial when you go to grab that glass of ice water or lemonade it might not be there. We do things that go the extra mile..but there might come a time when we just say "this sucks".

The end

Everyone needs a little RENDEZVOUS..(or not)

For 2 weeks every May (this is the 2nd. one at our place) The Manzanita mountain men (or something like that) put on a RENDEZVOUS...our landlord saved their bacon last year when they lost their place..he offered up ours :-)

The definition of a Rendezvous...It's a Living History  re-enactment of the fur trapping and trader era...

For two weeks they live like this.. and they refer to us as "FLAT-LANDERS"..hmmm (they are all from the city) we live in the mountains..but whatever..

They dress like this...

They have muzzle loader shooting competition, they have hatchet and knife throwing competitions. They are period correct in most cases and open to the public. We entered a "washer throwing" competition we held our own, but didn't advance to the next phase!

The dogs don't love the gunfire..in fact Bo the guardian is really bothered by it. He has come up with a plan...a "Temple Grandin" type plan to ease his anxiety..

Bo's way of "dealing" with gun fire

Although this is a very BIG inconvenience...the people are nice. In our view odd (But so are we) they are very passionate about their show..campfires burn round the clock, a lot of chatter amongst their small town of tents and teepee's.

No dog training can be done while this is going on..(they are in my field) so a break for the Canines and the Ewe's is never welcomed but sometimes warranted.

So if you are out and about in the area...you may want to stop in and take a look around..perhaps shoot a muzzle loader, throw a knife or a hatchet. You can also grab a bite to eat at POPO ANNIE'S canvas cafe!

Now you'll know when you hear me refer to rendezvous......it's interesting to say the least!

EWE-ta here we come day 3

We left out of calico ghost town bright and early.. Or shall I say we blew out of calico bright and early




We left good time behind and headed north. The wind, the damn Fucking wind, kept Ron holding on tight with 2 hands.




Our smooth moving plan b turned into a turbulent vessel only the people on the titanic would recognize. Ron of course got us there safely and he was exhausted. 450 miles in 50-60 mile an hour wind.. Not fun.




We found a gem of an RV park in Fillmore Utah that loves dogs! YaY!!!




The musher line dropped to keep the pesky canines at bay!




This was a dog walkers paradise! There was a huge field which opened to another field and another field and another field. Not a sticker, not a foxtail; I'm not sure who was happier the canines or the dog walker!!




The young ladies were getting a little bored.. Josie is now a common dog chained instead of having a play pen full of entertainment.. It's hard to be 7 months old!
28 degrees this am, it was crisp and beautiful out! All the dogs got a great run before departure!




Jesse settled in for another day on the road!




Captain Ewers much more relaxed today!
In 112 miles we will stop and go shopping at a cabelas type store called Smith and Edwards.. We are lacking a cheese grater and we have lost a pot lid! ( important shit)




Until later... Good bye and happy trails...
To be continued
Ps I am judging the trial so may not be much from me starting tomorrow but I will try!
Entertainment brought to you by The Canines n Ewers

EWE-ta bound day 2..

We stopped off at Calico ghost town.. A very dog friendly place we thought we had better get into costume.. Jesse thought it was the worst idea ever!

It's a fun old mining town..we felt right at home.



Lane was happy to know he owned a mercantile back in the day!

We went on a mine tour



Jessie's first time ever.. She was intrigued.. But not entertained at the stair climb out!




I cannot imagine being a miner..

After the mine tour we decided we needed some snacks.. We found comfort food, refreshments for us and for Jesse



Jesse waiting for her stuff!



Looking back down the hill




This place is just fun!
There is a very quiet rv park


We were the only rig there! Makes dog walking really easy! Quite a windstorm last night but it didn't stop us from making lobster rolls for dinner!!


So today we head north. Destination Fillmore Utah, that will get us within 200 miles of the trial site tomorrow!



To be continued...happy trails!


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EWE-ta here we come

Heading north to Tremonton Utah! A 900 mile jont one way! I'm not running I'm judging.. But I can run nursery 1 day! Ron is entered with Jesse; he had to scratch sly due to pregnancy that we just confirmed(yay)! Our fist day is short just to get north of traffic, first stop Calico ghost town! Old silver mining town with a huge empty campground, we will catch a ride on the train, a cold beer and cruise amongst the museums and shops!!

This will be us shortly



To be continued....



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Don't forget sometimes Ewe need to take a step back!

Just a quick training message...

This is a baby picture of Plaid

I know very hard to resist...

anyway onto the training...this is Plaid now

He grew up into quite the dog. He will be 2 in October...so where am I going with this? He's my topic for this week. I am training a lot of young dogs right now...(not all mine) but this is I think MY FAVORITE!

Sometimes though when he's working he doesn't change sides with the heads of the sheep on a fetch..and sometimes he likes to slice behind the sheep on a flank...Flaws?? Noooooo...He loves to drive...but also he's a good outrunner..(best of both worlds!)

So that said..the outrun (Outline) has been established ...this is how you do it...and it's good...going a nice distance independently from me..I'm happy (for now) The drive (outline) has been established (Ok you were born knowing how to drive and inside flank) Good that's done!! When I say done..I don't mean finished...I mean for now it's all in place....okay..so..where were those baby flaws??

Let me take a step back and "fix" those things..one those few items are "fixed" all the rest will fall into place.

I just want to remind people DON'T FORGET TO TAKE A STEP BACK...there is no problem and it's not a big deal to do this!! Everyone wants to get it bigger, instead of getting better...just a reminder ..

Sometimes we need to review the alphabet before spelling a word!!

That's all..Happy Herding!

Thank EwE..

 Zamora...oh how I love theeee..

It's one of our favorite trials...why?

The Slaven Family and the difficulty!

We have never camped at Zamora..but being we have no one to care for the wolf pack..off we go..700 miles. takes us 2 days..first stop Kit Fox Rv park in Patterson Ca. We found them to be very dog friendly... after negotiating a better spot (this is why Ron should check us in...) he can convince people to put us where we need to be...me, I am just grateful they let us in!

Chillin on the road at the RV park!

 The next day a short jont into Zamora..we arrived to the smiling face of Bill Slaven, who has graciously saved us a spot. (Camping is limited) Plan B is BIG...Bill gladly shows us where we are to park.

Parked

Not only did we have a great parking spot...but A DOG YARD.... (for those of you who travel with 12 dogs you know what I mean when I say YAHOOOOOO)

Fenced, gated dog yard

 Bill Slaven saved me at least 3 hours of pajama walking!

From the dog yard looking out... Home sweet Home!

Pathetic Plaid ..please don't lock me in here with "those guys"!

 Okay so we are there, we have camping, we have a yard...now let the games begin.

The dog Trial...79 dogs to the post for Open..

I think I am still coming down... from Zamora...(coming down??) yes coming down...it's a thrill ride...better than any ride at Disneyland by far. No matter how many times you have sent up that hill...the butterflies are still there!

The field -photo by: Gloria Atwater

 So there is the course...(it looks a lot easier from here) first it's the outrun...then my gawd the fetch! The sheep on the first morning really didn't think it was a good idea to come straight down..they went side to side trying to make the great escape!

We ran on yearling ewe's...I mean HUGE yearling ewes...(We don't grow them like this in So. Cal.) must be something in the water up there...these ladies could move...ditching and dodging the savvy border collie...a lot of times winning the game..

The game players

Relaxed and plotting their game..of DEFENSE

The sheep ran great...their heads had been shorn, however they had A LOT of neck wool...some still had odd peripheral vision...let me tell you in no way were they impaired...they knew everything going on behind them !!

We ran 4 Open dogs...(No one really cares about that) Soot was our star...Lane was a virgin on the hill, and had a tough time finding the sheep on day 1...day 2 he got there but ended up under them...never the less..he got around with a decent run and finished with his pen! Jesse ran good but felt there was trouble on the top and landed short on the outrun (the judge felt that was inappropriate) ...Sly ran a great course, but they had a snag at the post! (Ron's first time trialing her) ...anyway..that aside...it's a GREAT TRIAL!

The Young and the restless.. ok..The Nursery Poncho...gripped on the lift...ummmm Handler ran up field..(that would be me) when I say UP I mean UP... Lane..ran a great course! Suede: The biggest outrunner in the world...went wobbling and weaving up the outrun like he had never done one before...anyway after that he had a good course!

and Ps..I thought Michael Shearer did a great job judging...it's a long marathon of judging!! 

We had a big BBQ Saturday night where Ron grilled steaks for 10...(we can create a handlers dinner anywhere!) Everyone enjoyed the music, drinks, food, and camaraderie.

Here is a list of results in case you are interested..http://www.norcalsheepdog.org/results/ZamoraResults2013.pdf  

We had a great time...The dogs were all great up and down the highway...Thank you Bill & Joan Slaven, Peggy & Michael...we really appreciate the dog trial and all your hard work!! Hope to do it again next year!!!

Next Stop...Rio Vista..where we will challenge the young Canines N Ewe pack again!

Perhaps "Phil" is a liar..

Last week spring was in the air...70 degree temps..grass coming up in abundance...

This week...well..not so much

Good morning!

Some of us were more amused than others

Snow...let's be puppies!

Wilbur pig decided to hunker down

I felt guilty doing this..

So I thought I'd try this

Hiking up a steep hill on 4 paws is much easier than 2 muck boots!We need a sled!

The dogs thoroughly enjoyed their hike

C'mon Mom don't sit down let's go! (Berri)

Alright alright

Soot way in the back debating on whether to stay on the hike or not (she hates hiking)

I suppose Soot would rather be back here

Luxurious kennels for daytime loafing!

Josie would rather be here..

5 month old Josie..enjoying play time in the winter wonderland

I admit it is very beautiful BUT..

At the end of the day I much preferred to be here

Ahhh.