North Carolina State Championship

It's been a long time since we have been to the North Carolina State Championship, otherwise known as Dr. Ben's, and we are glad to be back. When we were last here, Laddie was 9 weeks old and Donnie's father still lived in Ireland and Don wasn't even a twinkle in his eye.
Now we are back and hope to do as well as the last time (Scott won it with Pleat).
Today, Friday, was just nursery. It started out very warm but a nice cloud cover cooled everything down as evening approached. The sheep are katahdins and the field is a terraced hill that confuses most of the nursery dogs.

The field

Add to that a pasture on the right hand side with some donkeys and a pony that distracted some of them. Tam saw the pony and crossed over to try to bring it to us. After he got to his sheep, he ran one of his best runs but unfortunately, he also had a difficult pen with the sheep outrunning him around it.

Tam on the fetch

Bracken was outstanding, with the exception of her outrun. She was sent to the right, but she also tried to bring the pony in the neighboring pasture.

Scott trying to get Bracken to look up the field

When she realized she couldn't get to it, she followed the fence line all the way up and then came down the field to get her sheep. She couldn't see them because of the terraces, but Scott's whistles got her to them and then she walked them as nice as could be around the field.

Bracken's fetch

Even with her bad outrun, she got a 67 and a 7th place.
Reba also looked great today.

Reba on the fetch

She needed one shout out on her outrun and then she too walked them around with one bobble at the pen. She received a 77 and 3rd place.
Our star was June. She had a clean outrun to the left and a little craziness on her first couple flanks on the fetch but then settled down and, pretty as you please, moved those sheep and penned them right up.

June

She won it with an 81, and got her second nursery leg!
Tomorrow we run open and pray for less heat and humidity.

NURSERY 1 (16 dogs)
1. Scott Glen and June 81
2. Marianna Schreeder and Lass 79
3. Scott Glen and Reba 77
4. Chuck Dimit and Chad 75
5. Maureen Robinson and Hellbender 71
6. Nancy Schreeder and Nick 67
7. Scott Glen and Bracken 67