The Next Trial

We are currently in Michigan at the home of Terry Sheaffer.

Scott working in Michigan

We've had the week off from trialing so we have been dodging raindrops and getting the dogs geared up to go again. The last trial showed us where we needed improvement and what needed fixing.
Some, ahem, needed more fixing then others,

Laddie waits his turn to work

But most of the dogs just needed a tune up.

Scott working nursery dog, Sleat

We will be leaving tomorrow to head down to Harrodsburg, Kentucky to the Shaker Village Trial. The temperature is supposed to hover in the mid sixties but they are expecting rain all weekend and some thunderstorms on Friday. However, I don't think they are planning on the horrible downpour they had last year and I just can't believe it could be any worse than Plumb Lucky! (knock on wood) There are 67 open dogs and 18 nursery. Friday they will run Pro Novice, Ranch and Nursery I. Saturday will be Open I and Nursery II and Sunday will be Open II and the top five combined open scores will go to a double lift late Sunday afternoon.
I will once again try to post scores and pictures as soon as the classes are done but if I get bad reception again, I will save all the info and post it on Monday.
Wish us luck!

Plumb Lucky Placings

Here's the official top placings in every class...

Open 1: (55 dogs)

1	SCOTT GLEN	MAID	92
2	LYLE LAD	JUSTE	90
3	LYLE LAD	TELL	89
4	ALLEN HICKENBOTTOM	VIC	89
5	ALASDAIR MacRAE	LYN	88
6	ROY TABER	BISCUIT	88
7	SCOTT GLEN	ROO	86
8	ALASDAIR MacRAE	STAR	85
9	BOB SALMON	SCOTT	84
10	LINDA MEYER	BESS	83

Open 2: (54 dogs)

1	SCOTT GLEN	DRIFT	95
2	ALASDAIR MacRAE	STAR	88
3	MARILYN TERPSTRA	QUEEN	85
4	THAD FLEMING	BILL	81
5	MIKE GORACKE	JOSEY	81
6	DON RUSSELL	BEN	79
7	PEG ANDERSON	SILK	79
8	LYLE LAD	TELL	79
9	ROSE ANDERSON	SHEN	78
10	ALLEN HICKENBOTTOM	MEG	77

Nursery 1: (18 dogs)

1	ALASDAIR MacRAE	FOX	84
2	ALASDAIR MacRAE	HANNA	83
3	ROSE ANDERSON	BUZZ	80
4	ALASDAIR MacRAE	MOLLY	80
5	LYLE EAST	JIG	71

Nursery 2: (21 dogs)

1	ALASDAIR MacRAE	HANNA	79
2	ROSE ANDERSON	BUZZ	76
3	SCOTT GLEN	TUQUE	76
4	LINDA MEYER	FAITH	74
5	LYLE LAD	SID	68

Nursery 3: (19 dogs)

1	ALASDAIR MacRAE	MOLLY	81
2	ROSE ANDERSON	BUZZ	77
3	ALASDAIR MacRAE	HANNA	74
4	MICKEY WELSH	BO	73
5	LINDA MEYER	FAITH	72

Nursery 4: (17 dogs)

1	SCOTT GLEN	TUQUE	78
2	SCOTT GLEN	SLEAT	75
3	ROSE ANDERSON	BUZZ	74
4	ROY TABER	CRAIG	72
5	ALASDAIR MacRAE	FOX	69

Open Ranch 1: (35 dogs)

1	ALASDAIR MacRAE	FOX	82
2	ALASDAIR MacRAE	HANNA	80
3	LYLE LAD	GIN	78
4	LARRY MOORE	TIB	78
5	PEG ANDERSON	SPOT	76
6	LYLE EAST	JIGS	75
7	ALASDAIR MacRAE	REX	75
8	GARY WESTBROOK	JAY	74
9	JOHN WENTZ	CHUCK	74
10	JOHN CLEVELAND	SHEP	69

Open Ranch 2: (35 dogs)

1	ALASDAIR MacRAE	FOX	82
2	ALASDAIR MacRAE	HANNA	80
3	LYLE LAD	GIN	78
4	LARRY MOORE	TIB	78
5	PEG ANDERSON	SPOT	76
6	LYLE EAST	JIGS	75
7	ALASDAIR MacRAE	REX	75
8	GARY WESTBROOK	JAY	74
9	JOHN WENTZ	CHUCK	74
10	JOHN CLEVELAND	SHEP	69

Ranch 1: (32 dogs)

1	ALASDAIR MacRAE	SARA	66
2	MONTY HOUGE	GUS	64
3	WYATT FLEMING	VICTOR	62
4	ALLEN HICKENBOTTOM	MOLLIE	60
5	MARILYN TERPSTRA	GEM	60
6	BOB JOHNSON	RALPH	55
7	LYLE LAD	SID	55
8	JANICE MOORE	CASS	54
9	ROBIN REASONER	HAWKE	53
10	BOB JOHNSON	JAG	49

Ranch 2: (31 dogs)

1	ALLEN HICKENBOTTOM	MOLLIE	76
2	BOB JOHNSON	JAG	71
3	ALASDAIR MacRAE	SARA	70
4	ALASDAIR MacRAE	ALBA COLL	66
5	PEG ANDERSON	PIP	63
6	MIKE GORACKE	SAM	63
7	SAM SMITH	TREY	62
8	TRICIA MacRAE	ALBA BEN	61
9	BOB JOHNSON	RALPH	59
10	MONTY HOUGE	GUS	58

Novice 1: (7 dogs)

1	SHANE HALL	SADIE
2	KATHLEEN OWEN	JOHNNIE
3	BOB TOWNER	ZEPHYR

Novice 2: (7 dogs)

1

BOB TOWNER

ZEPHYR

Youth: (1 dog)

1

CARRIE HUSBAND

SKEET

Plumb Lucky Trial - Day Two Open

The second day of open wasn't any dryer but our trial hosts were outstanding. They have one of the most hospitable trials and any thing you need they will give you.

Thad Fleming, our tired but hard working trial host

We love this trial for that reason. And thank goodness for their big tractor that could pull all trucks and campers out of the mud whenever you were ready to leave.
Maid's second day did not go as well as the first. Most of the way around the course she was good and her shed and pen were good but she had a running group of sheep and a hard rain again and it started to wear on her. On the third leg of the drive she buzzed the sheep. She didn't make contact but the judge punished her by only giving her 8 points for her drive. Unfortunately, that took her out of the running for the overall buckle.
Roo slashed again at the top and never quite settled down again. He headed the sheep on the crossdrive so Scott retired him.
I still don't want to talk about Lad's run. Not sure what's going on there.
Hemp ran outstanding, however a miscommunication kept us from placing. He had a good outrun and lift and I didn't even need to blow a whistle on his fetch until after the fetch panels. He made both panels but as he went through the crossdrive panels I blew an away whistle to start him back to me. Scott said the way I blew it, it sounded funny and he knew Hemp would take the wrong flank. I thought he was being stubborn and so I made him circle again - thinking I was training. I didn't realize the dog had tried to be good and I was waisting all those points! Anyway, after that, he had a good shed and pen and got 71 points.
Because Scott didn't score very high on the first day with Drift, he knew he was going to have to really lay one down to win the overall buckle donated by Deb and John Cleveland.

Drift lifting with the Leeton cemetery in the background!

Alasdair MacRae had it just about wrapped up with Star until Scott and Drift went to the post. He knew as he stepped up there he had to get a 95 to win it and that's what they got! It was a beautiful run and Drift couldn't have worked much better.

Drift on the fetch

Thanks again to our hosts, the Fleming family and their hard working sidekicks the Clevelands

Scott accepts the over all open buckle
L-R Allen Hickenbottom, Scott, Wyatt Fleming, Thad Fleming and Mike Schragel

Plumb Lucky Trial - Open Day One

MUD! RAIN! It was a mess. Most of the day was a hard rain, with a short sunny break in the afternoon. We give a big thank you to the worker's at the trial who were wet and covered in mud but never complained or stopped working.

Wyatt Flemming, the trial host's hard working son, covered in mud

Scott's Drift started the open class in a big down pour. He ran a nice run but had a leader sheep that was looking for some shelter and didn't care if the other sheep came with her. He listened to Scott's instructions and got her around the course in good fashion but she didn't want to go into the pen and lead the others around and around until there was only one point left when she went in. Drift ended up in 15th place.
My Hemp ran at the worst part of the morning. Horrible thunder and some lightning (it wasn't striking near us so I did go to the post during it). I can confidently say that Hemp is NOT afraid of thunder. He worked pretty good in his first open trial and was listening to everything I said until... the crossdrive panel when a reoccurring problem cropped up and he headed his sheep and brought them back to me instead of putting them through the panels. Then the run fell apart and he sliced at the pen and although he had a calm shed he looked at the sheep behind him. He didn't place but got a 67 for a score.
I don't want to talk about Laddie's run. Let's just say he wasn't listening.
Roo had a good run except he crashed the sheep at the top. It was very disappointing since we thought he was over that old habit but it came back again at this trial.

Diane Pagel's Delta Bluez Roo

However, the rest of the run was good enough that he placed 7th in the trial and with 60 something dogs in the trial this was nice.

Roo and Scott shedding

Maid really did well on the first day of open. The rain was really coming down when they went to the post

Maid in the rain

but she listened so well that they made all their panels, got their shed and pen and ended up winning the first day!

Maid winning the first day of open

Plumb Lucky Trial - Nursery Two, Three and Four

Ok first an apology. I'm missing the placings for Saturday and Sunday trials. I know what our dogs did but I'm embarrassed to say I don't have the top 10 scores yet. I will get them this week from the hard working Deb Cleveland who is the secretary for this trial. She promises to email them to me and then I will post them here. My excuse is that if you could see the rain and mud here you would understand and most of the scores are not being left up after the classes because of the mess. Anyway, I'm going to stick with that story. I figured I'd get the information posted on how our dogs did now, and then get the rest of the placings up this week.
As for the second nursery, Scott ran Tuque, Sleat and River. River didn't really get going on his run. Scott was setting him up for his outrun and didn't notice that someone was walking on the course. When he sent him River had focused on the person and never found his sheep.
Sleat had a good outrun. Her drive didn't go so well though and she missed all her panels. Tuque was the star in this class.

Susan Gilbert's Tuque

She had a set of sheep that were very difficult. They gave the set out person all kinds of trouble and just tore down the field. Tuque tried to hold them back and even tried to head them but stopped every time Scott asked her to so she never got off line. She made her panels and her pen - Scott had to keep her way off the pen because the sheep were so touchy but they went in. When all was said and done she was 3rd in the class and got her first leg to qualify for the nursery nationals!
The third nurseries were held on Saturday and Scott ran Jess and Whiskey again. Whiskey improved alot but when Scott noticed he wasn't going to get a leg he just used the run for a training round. Young Jess, unfortunately had a flock of Guinea fowl on the course for her run and did a nice outrun on them. Of course they weren't the right kind of stock so Scott called her off when she didn't want to leave them to look for the sheep.
The final nursery trial was on Sunday and went the best of all the days for us. River, Sleat and Tuque ran this time. River got out to his sheep this time but was uncertain about the set out person and he crossed over. He was strong around the course which was good to see but he didn't get a very high score. Sleat did much better and ran a pretty good course. She placed second and got her first leg towards the Nursery Nationals! Tuque really stood out at this trial.

Tuque qualifed for the Nursery Nationals

With another difficult set of sheep she controlled them well and placed first in the class! She is now qualified for the Nursery Nationals.

Plumb Lucky Trial - Day two Ranch and Novice

We didn't have dogs in either of these classes so I just have the placings

Ranch 1 (unofficial)
1. Alasdair MacRae and Sara
2. Mondy Houge and Gus
3. Wyat Fleming and Victor
4. Allen Hickenbottom and Molly
5. Marilyn Terpstra and Gem
6. Bob Johnson and Ralph
7. Lyle Lad and Sid
8. Janice Moor and Cass
9. Robin Reasoner and Hawke
10. Bob Johnson and Jay

Ranch 2 (Unoffcial)
1. Alasdair MacRae and Sara
2. Alasdair MacRae and ?
remaining placings to come!

Novice 1 (unoffcial)
1. Shane Hall and Sadie
2. Kathleen Owen and Johnnie
3. Bob Towner and Zephyr

Novice 2 (unofficial)
1. Bob Towner and Zephyr

Plumb Lucky Trial - Day two Open Ranch

OK, I will do my best on updates but days are past now and I can't remember as many details. Friday was another beautiful day and the dogs performances perked up. Donnie and Tuque ran in Open Ranch.

Scott and Don at the post

Don had some trouble on his first outrun but was clean on his second one. Tuque was clean on both of her outruns and has clearly mastered that part of the course. Don ended up in third place in his second go with a smooth run.

Don on the fetch

Interestingly enough, first place went to his older brother Rex handled by Alasdair MacRae.

Open Ranch #1 (unofficial)
1. Alasdair MacRae and Fox
2. Alasdair MacRae and Hanna
3. Lyle Lad and Gin
4. Larry Moore and Tib
5. Peg Anderson and Spot
6.Lyle East and Jiggs
7. Alasdair MacRae and Rex
8. Gary Westbrook and Jay
9. John Wentz and Chuck
10. John Cleveland and Shep

Open Ranch #2 (unofficial)
1. Alasdair MacRae and Rex
2. Deb Cleveland and Jewel
3. Scott Glen and Don
4.Alasdair MacRae and ?
5. Lyale Lad and Gin
6.Linda Myer and Gnat
7.Gary Westbrook and Jay
8. Rose Anderson and Buzz
9.Scott Glen and Tuque
10. Nancy Duly and Jip

Bad reception

Hey everyone! I'm not forgetting my duties but I am having only on and off reception and can't get a full blog done. I will update completely on monday. Quick up date - Maid won open yesterday, Roo was 7th. Donnie was 3rd in open ranch and Tuque was 3rd in Nursery. Horrible rainy weather. MUD!

Plumb Lucky Trial Nursery Day One

Leeton, Mo. The weather has so far been with us as it is a beautiful day with a light wind - going in the right direction. Today's trial didn't start until 4PM and was only a single nursery class. The sheep are Katahdins and it is a rolling green grass field. An added distraction for the dogs was the addition of some curious guinea fowl who were prowling the trial field.

Guineas on the trial field

Unfortunately, they did confuse one dog who left on his outrun only to come in behind the birds and try to bring them towards their handler. Scott is splitting up his nursery dogs so today he only ran Jess and Whiskey. (I know, I've never mentioned Whiskey - update in a minute) Jess was keen to start her outrun but was a little confused by the hills and came in too early on her outrun. She did stop every time Scott asked and even gave ground but just couldn't understand that if she'd look a little further up she'd see them. She crossed over and picked up the sheep from the other side. The sheep lifted to our left and stayed on the left side of the fetch line, missing the panels (a common problem with the young dogs).

Jess on the fetch

Around the post and then a wobbly line to the drive panel. The drive panel was made but Jess was again confused on the crossdrive and as the sheep started to go low she froze. By the time Scott and her were working together again the sheep had missed the panel and they were on their way to the pen. She did a nice job at the pen and Scott closed the gate on them before the time was up.Penning with Jess

Whiskey - (belongs to us - out of Dal Kratzer's Tib, mother of National Champion Star and his Shep) was also uncertain about the hills on the outrun. However, Whisk did look up enough to see the sheep and managed to pick up his sheep on the same side he was sent. Again there was a fetch to the left of the line and missed panels.

Whiskey on the fetch

His turn around the post was good and his line to the first panel was on but there was some wobbling in front of the panel. Finally, he got them through and then had a nice line on the crossdrive until he hesitated right in front of the crossdrive. All was well though and he did make the panels but unfortunately, the time ran out just as Scott was closing the pen door so there were no points for that.

Whiskey

Alasdair MacRae dominated the day with 3 dogs in the top 5.
Nursery Day one: (unofficial) 18 dogs
1. Alasdair MacRae and Fox
2. Alasdair MacRae and Hanna
3.4. (tie not broken) Alasdair MacRae and Fox and Rose Anderson and Buzz
5. Lyle Lad and Jig
6.Rose Anderson and Jing
7. Mike Goracke and Sam
8. Emile Ludeke and Ladd
9. Mickey Welsh and Bo
10. Wyat Fleming and Victor

Travel Day

Dare I say, "On the Road again" or is that too cheezy? Well we are anyway. It's a windy day in Montana but we are making progress. We had our first potty break and everything went as planned. It might not seem like a big deal but with this many dogs you have to plan everything.

The whole kennel out for a break

We also have the added complication of 4 pups but they all went along with the program and we managed to get everything done in less than an hour. We are using a chain tie out for many of the dogs and the veterans get a quick free run. All four pups ate, drank and did the unmentionable in their x-pen so we will be good to drive on for many more hours. We barely had time to enjoy the beautiful scenery before we packed up and headed on our way.

Packing up

XE Hemp

XE Hemp

Right now Hemp is my second open dog. This will be his first year in open but he's starting to show skills that may make him my main open dog. So far he has been proving to have enough scope to make a big course dog.

Hemp spotting sheep

His mother is the same Alta-Pete Megan owned by Grant Musgrove that you have many times heard me brag on. She is also the mother of Scott's Maid and is a full sister to Scott's Pleat. Hemp often shows signs that remind us of Pleat (good and bad) and definitely favors that side of his family in most of his work. However, his nice flanks come from his father, a local dog named Dale that was owned by Randy Dye. Dale is a son of Norm Close's 2005 Canadian National Champion CV Joe.
Scott put the first two months on Hemp and then I took over from there. He was not an easy dog to train. His first year in nursery was limited to only a few small trials because we were not getting along. At one point I was ready to sell him but that seemed to be the moment he turned around and his second nursery year was much improved. By the time he got to the Bluegrass he was consistently placing in nursery and open ranch. The judges noticed and voted him the Most Promising Nursery Dog. Years before, this honor had been bestowed upon Pleat who later, went on to win the whole trial. I can only hope it bodes well for Hemp.

Hemp training in Tehachapi, California last summer

After the Bluegrass he competed in the Thistledew trial in Michigan where he scored a perfect 30 point drive in the open ranch class. Normally the award for best drive is given to an open dog but in this case the drive in the open ranch was the same as the open so it was given to Hemp.

This winter we have been working on his shed and starting his look back and trying to improve upon the basics. The Plumb Lucky Trial in Missouri on April 18th will be his first open trial.

Hemp