Out of 84 dogs run in each of 2 trials, the BorderSmith dogs had 4 placings. Running as if on a string, Mirk placed 11th in open #1, and finished brilliantly with a shed, pen, single ending for 7th place in open #2.
Star came out firing in open #2 with his usual flawless outwork, and marched stompy, Suffolk lambs through all the gates. He made a tricky shed look easy, then settled in for a quiet and steady pen, timing out on the single for 13th place.
Buff, owned by Mandy Schaftel, just keeps getting stronger. Arriving from the East last summer, this was the best he's ever run for me, and it was plenty good. He is a smooth character at every phase of work, listens intently with plenty of cha-cha along the way. Another opportunity lost when we timed out on the single, Buff finished right behind Mirk in 8th place.
2 dogs top ten and everybody in the points at an 84-dog trial. Good Boyz!
12th in the double lift finals is a credible finish, and the fact that Mirk did it at the 25th running of this venerable sheepdog trial was icing on the cake for me. Not to be outdone, little Star-man was awarded the "Cowboy Lift" award for his work at top in the preliminaries.
This Western trial was another example why running on range ewes is so difficult. The trial tested our dogs and separated those with power from those without. Mirk ran on Sunday better than he has ever run for me at an exceptionally pretty trial site.
In what amounted to tough conditions at the Kelly Creek Sheepdog Trial in Huntsville, UT, Mirk and Star both finished top 5. The sheep were difficult, and the drive, set on the knife edge of a burm, was difficult to transverse. It was a great trial, and my dogs ran well.
In unrelenting wind and rain, Star had another top-ten finish placing 8th on Sunday on the Hill Field at one of my favorite dog trials. He completed the split, pen, single finish and ran like steady-Eddy from the blind outrun on. With this placing, my nursery dog has now accumulated well over 40 open, qualifying points for the USBCHA National Finals.
The hill field at Zamora is renowned for it's treachery, because there is so much room for things to go awry when they do. This year was made tougher by inclement weather, and the use of just 3 head of sheep per run.
Mirk has never handled so well for me as he did in open #2, taking every whistled command on the head of a pin. Over 500 yards long up steep, rolling hills, the 20 pt. outrun eluded him and he was relagated to 8th place in the standings, but 1st place in my esteem.
29 month old Kensmuir Star finished 2nd in open #2 besting over 80 other dogs. Remembering the route from open #1, he ran out without any hesitation whatsoever to land perfectly on balance and gather his sheep with relative ease. He had just 5 points off to my feet, and all of them off the fetch. Beyond that, he handled like a rally car in Monaco, and made the single look easy.
In open #1, both Taddymoor Mirk and nursery dog, Kensmuir Star finished top ten out of 64 dogs run in the open. Mirk placed 9th, Star 3rd. On day 2, Star showed maturity beyond his youth to best 60 dogs and place 3rd again. With the open placings, he not only qualified for the National Nursery Finals, but likely garnered enough points to become eligible for the open finals as well.
Running against 50 dogs from around California, Mirk was one of a handful that did not disqualify or retire either day during the Porterville Fall Driving Trial. In fast-changing, inclement weather over freshly plowed ground with the consistency of stiff oatmeal, on sheep that would rather fight than move, it was tough sledding and big-dog Mirk proved tough enough. Timing out at the pen on Saturday, he finished 7th. He was one of the few on Sunday to finish the course getting his shed and the pen.
Taddymoor Mirk worked beautifully on the hill field at the Sonoma Sheepdog Trial held in the heart of California's world famous wine country to finish 10th among 78 of some of the best dogs and handlers in North America. Kensmuir Star placed 7th out of 14 nursery dogs in what will be his first of 2 eligible nursery years, and only his second dog trial. He was just 18 months old at the time of this trial
Shown here with the judge, Gary Westbrook and trial promoter, Jennifer Ewers, Kensmuir Star won the first day's nursery division at Jennifer's On the Border Sheepdog Trial. At the tender age of only 15 months and barely a year after I received him as a 10 week old puppy, this 2-year nursery dog obtained one of 2 required legs toward qualifying for this year's USBCHA nursery finals.
Price started his year off right with a 9th place finish out of 60 dogs at the Snowbirds on the Border Sheepdog Trial. Run on a small course using obstinate range lambs, Price showed his mettle around the course and finished strongly with a beautiful shed and pen. Photo credit: Amanda Milliken
Back-to-back open wins at the Rim Rock Ranch Sheep Dog Trial with Price. Shown here receiving the high-combined trophy belt buckle from the judge, Jack Knox.
At the Porterville Fall Driving Trial, Price was 10th in the first trial and 2nd on day 2. Price was one of only 3 dogs to get a score both days on sour, stompy sheep and finished 2nd in the high combined. Out of 50+ dogs, about 30 disqualified or retired each day.
|
