Bluegrass 2011 Day Two and Three

I'm sorry that I didn't blog last night - I was a little sad and we decided to go out to my favorite Mexican restaurant (if you know me, you know I'll never pass up Mexican food because Alberta doesn't have any!).
Donnie ruled the day. He scored a 90 and won the open but it wasn't as easy as it sounds. He actually had a headstrong ewe who didn't want to play nice and he really had to work to keep her in line. He will run his second run on Saturday so we'll keep our fingers crossed that it's good enough to put him in the double lift - his mother, Star, handled by Alasdair MacRae, took second to Don in the first round.
Laddie had a decent run. Unfortunately, he thought he heard me whistle him down on the outrun and he stopped like a good boy. I don't know what it was but there are some birds around here that sound just like a down whistle. It lost him 6 points but he finished the outrun and had a nice lift after that. He brought them down nicely and had to put up with my wobbly lines. In the shedding ring, he was getting a little frustrated with the sheep and he tried to "bite" one (Lad doesn't really bite them unless they attack him but he's been known to chest bump one and get called off) but I yelled LIE DOWN and he just stopped dead in the middle of the sheep. It looked like a missed attempt and we lost alot of points. His second shed was fine and he got a nice pen with a 77.5.
I was worried about running Hemp again so Scott told me to run him with flow instead of line. I did and he did fine although we missed our panels but I thought things went well. He got his shed but he completely imploded at the pen. He had got himself hot in the head and just wouldn't quit slicing his flanks. He lost them behind the pen and then lost one up the field. I decided to retire. It made me disappointed because he has so much talent and he showed it on his really nice lift and fetch but couldn't keep it together by the pen. I've decided that he will be my number one work dog but number two trial dog. Laddie deserves the chance to shine more and I'll run him in Soldier Hollow instead.
June hasn't been doing as well on the nursery field and has been disappointing us. Reba had a bad run today because the sheep were really leaning on her in the nursery but she really had a nice one in the Ranch class.
Tam has been struggling with his fetch and drive but today in his nursery he did really well and got a 72! Scott was proud of him.
Bracken also got it together today and got her first leg in the nursery!
Laddie had a running sheep today and even though he finished it was very crazy.
Hemp and I ran better together today. I kept my whistles light and he responded positively. The sheep were very hard to lift and actually ran from the set out to try and run him over as he was walking toward them on the lift. It was some work getting down the field but he made the fetch panels and had a very good drive away and turn. His cross drive wasn't so bad but when he got across and in front of the panel he didn't hear my softer steady and he headed them twice so I didn't try to get the panel (especially since his two big grips have been on the turn). He was pretty hot when he got to the shedding ring (It was VERY hot and humid today). We had a missed attempt on the shed and timed out. It might not have seemed like a good run but I kept it easy and he responded and I was able to attempt a decent course - even if I did chicken out in the end.
I will get some pictures tomorrow - I promise!