Shaunavon - Day Two

We started the day earlier today so everyone could get home and prepare for the rest of the trials this week. (The Canadian Championship starts Thursday) The first dog left the post at 6:30AM. It seemed to stay cooler, longer today and there was a definite improvement in the hearing. It showed in most of the dogs, including mine. We changed the course to a right hand drive so there was less of a pull to the exhaust and instead of making a right hand turn after the crossdrive panels, we made a left hand turn to cross our course and then a straight line to the pen - another attempt at trying to beat the sheep on their pull to home. Apparently this is the norm in South Africa, as Faansie explained it to us. That way the dogs showed both sides of their turns at the panels. After the pen, we had one ewe with a collar (3 sheep total) and we were to shed one uncollared one.
Hemp was much better today and ran more like I had been expecting. I backed him off the sheep at the fetch and he made the panels. He had pretty good drives, especially his crossdrive which was tricky because the sheep took off running toward it and liked to go low. His turn up the course was difficult because the sheep wanted to go over him or back through the panels but he got them to the pen. Unfortunately, even though he listened very well at the pen, I wasn't able to get it done. I need more of a partner at the pen and Hemp is trying to be good and listen but he just doesn't get it and therefore, doesn't do his half without being told. I end up watching him and helping him more than paying attention to the sheep and we ran out of time with no pen or shed. He got a 63 which I felt was respectable outwork.
Laddie really did a nice job today and listened well and held his ground with the sheep. He walked when I asked him to and ran his butt off when I needed him to. I was low on the crossdrive but still made the panels. That was where my major points went but we had a good pen and good shed and ended up with an 89 - tying George Stambulic for 4th but we dropped to 5th because George had a better outrun, lift and fetch. His only major flaw with Kate was a missed attempt on the shed because she contemplated eating one on her way by.
Lisa Wright and Kate also had an outstanding run and was likely going to place until the new turn at the crossdrive panels. Kate was sure Lisa had gave her a wrong flank and took the one she was sure would save them both but it wasn't the correct one and cost them a big placing. They timed out at the shed.
The outstanding run of the day was Randy Dye and Sweep who is a son of Grant Musgrove's Zeus who is a littermate to Scott's Pleat. Randy smoked everyone with a 94 run to win the day!
George Stambulic and Kate won the overall Open.

Open 2
1. Randy Dye and Sweep 94
2., 3. (tie not broken)
Chris Jobe and Jill 91
Dale Montgomery and Ben 91
4. George Stambulic and Kate 89
5. Jennifer Glen and Lad 89
6. Dale Montgomery and Zip 88
7. , 8. (tie not broken)
Chris Jobe and Gwen 86
Peter Gonnet and Taff 86
9. Peter Gonnet and Jill 85
10. Joanne Zoerb and Bryn 84