Soldier Hollow 2011 - Day One

I love the Soldier Hollow trial. Good people, lots of people, good food and a good time. However, today, the Alta-Pete dogs don't have good scores! We are hoping our next runs will change it. Actually, the dogs are not running so bad.
Laddie drew up 5th in the morning and did a really nice job. I've had alot of compliments on his run. He slowed up a little on his outrun so I gave him two blows over but the set out crew told me he did a really nice job at the top (thanks to Anna Guthrie and Connie Fontaine for doing such an outstanding job up top) He got ahold of the sheep and didn't rush them down the course. Made his fetch panels and had one challenge him around the post but she wasn't serious and changed her mind when he walked up on her.

Lad and I turn the post

Then we had a nice drive away but just in front of the panels they looked like they were going to bust up the field. I flanked him fast but it was too far and they shot the other way and missed the panels. We had a nice turn though and stayed on the crossdrive line. We made the crossdrive panels but had a very off line 3rd leg. I just couldn't get them on the line but we had a good shed.

Laddie and I doing a nice shed

We only had a minute to make the pen and it just wasn't enough time but I was glad to have had a chance to hold the rope of the pen which I haven't done at Soldier Hollow in about 5 years!

Look, Ma! I touched the pen rope! (FYI it's a heavy gate)

We had a 67 which was nice for a while and then the real handlers showed up and we dropped off the board.
Scott and Donnie's run started out really nice.

Don on the fetch

A good fetch and they made the panels. Nice turn around the post and made the drive panels dead on. His crossdrive was a little low

Don on the crossdrive

and he barely missed the crossdrive panels. A good third leg of the drive

Donnie on the way to the shedding ring

and he had over 3 minutes to get his shed but the sheep didn't settle and alot of time was eaten up there. He finally got the shed but didn't have enough time to get the pen. His final score was a 73.
Scott is up early with Maid tomorrow and Laddie is 35 which runs about 4:30PM. Keep up on the scores and twitter at http://www.soldierhollowclassic.com/