Monday, March 26, 2012

Kinloch Wynn

Scott's first nursery dog this year is Diane Pagel's Wynn.
Diane Pagel's Wynn
Wynn was bred by Angie Driscoll from Kinloch Sheepdogs in Wales and was imported along with his sister, Kiwi, by Diane when they were 8 months old.  Both pups were sent directly to Canada to our kennel.
Wynn in training at Alta-Pete Farm
Wynn has been with us ever since while Kiwi is sometimes in training with us, and sometimes goes home with Diane to her Delta Bluez kennel in Washington State to get practical farm experience.
Wynn's father is Bobby Dalziel's Joe, a winner of over 80 open trials in the UK.
Wynn's sire, Bobby Dalziel's Joe - photo by Angie Driscoll
 Joe has also won the Scottish Nationals twice and the International Supreme.
Wynn's dam is Angie's Meg. Meg is a US bred dog from Geri Byrne in Oregon.  When Angie moved from Alberta, Canada back to the UK, Meg went with her.
Angie Driscoll's Meg, mother of Wynn - photo by Angie Driscoll
 Meg is a littermate to Derek Scrimgeor's Fleece who twice placed fifth in the English Nationals.  Meg herself has won several open trials (the first one when she was only 2 years old) has run in three Welsh Nationals, and ran on the Welsh team in the 2010 World Trial.

Nursery Dog Wynn
We are excited to have Wynn in North America and we are hoping he will follow in his father's famous footsteps.  He is a bold worker who gets better all the time as he gains training and experience and we are hoping to breed a bitch to him at the end of his nursery year.  Wynn's first trial will be the Happy Hollow Sheepdog trial in Russellville, MO on April 28-19.

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Heppner 2012 Day Two


Scott ran much later in the day today.  The sheep were heavier and hungrier and were getting difficult to push around.  Most dogs seemed to run into trouble on the drive away line.  June was good and  bad.  Scott said that her outrun, lift and fetch were better than yesterday and the start of her drive line was great.
June- photo by Diane Pagel
 He was feeling really good about her because she was having no problems moving her sheep.  However, the trouble started with a little low hock grab as she was getting near to the pressure of the drive panels.  She survived that and had a good crossdrive and third leg of the drive. On the shed,  as she came through, she grabbed one on the nose.  Not needed, but at least it was on the nose and probably was the only reason she wasn't called off.  However, she had to re shed and appropriately she lost alot of points for the grips.
June re-doing the shed - photo by Diane Pagel
 It is only fair that if a dog isn't called off for a grip, they are hit hard enough in their score that they can't win the class. They did get their pen and June ended up with a 75 and was in a 3 way tie for 8th place.
June and Scott at the pen - photo by Diane Pagel
 Scott said he wasn't unhappy with her.  Her run around the course was very good and she didn't lose her temper when she gripped.  She simply thought that it was needed.  Scott will work on her gripping only in the correct places.
Donnie ran well today but drew a rogue ewe.  She really didn't want to play well with the others and kept trying to go off on her own, eventually leading the others with her.  On the fetch, the sheep had been pulling to the same side, for every run, both days.  This ewe, decided to make a switch and skipped over to the other side making all the sheep miss the panels.  Donnie got them back under control but had more problems with her on the third leg of the drive.  When she took off away from the other sheep, it got messy and Don found himself holding her with the other 3 sheep behind him.  He had to turn back to pick them up and then finished his drive, shed and pen.  His final score was a 78 and he was also in a three way tie, this time for 4th place.
Lavon Calzacorta and his Tess handled the sheep properly and won the day with an 85, with Patrick Shannahan doing well again, this time with Riggs, and getting a second place.  Another run worth watching was Norm Close and Blaze, who had a 73 with no pen.  
The good news is that Scott was pleased with both of his dogs.  They both need to review when a grip is needed and when it is not but other than that, they performed well and it paid off with June winning the overall on her first open trial and Don winning the second overall!


Heppner Open Day 2
1. Lavon Calzacorta and Tess 85
2. Patrick Shannahan and Riggs 82
3. Francis Chai and Chime 83
4./5./6. Diane Deal and Zorro 78
            Jo Ferguson and Gage 78
            Scott Glen and Don 78
7. Jim Cooper and Sweep 76
8./9./10. Ruben Cardenas and Vangie 75
              Karen Child and Jim 75
              Scott Glen and June 75


Overall Champion: Scott Glen and June
Reserve Champion: Scott Glen and Don


Saturday, March 17, 2012

Heppner 2012

Once again I am left to mind the home fires while Scott attends the Heppner, OR St. Patrick's day trial.  I would love to see this trial some day but we have too many customer dogs here to take on the road yet, and lambing has just finished up.  Scott traditionally goes to this trial and then heads to Washington State to give a clinic and lessons at Fido's Farm.  I have to rely on hearsay  since I've never seen it but I've been told the sheep are always difficult so maybe it's best I stay home and get a little more training under my and my dogs' belts before we start our trial season.
Scott uses this trial as a test to see how his dogs are going to work in a trial situation after a winter at home.  It shows him what he needs to work on, and what is working well.
Don ran fairly early in the day.
Don - photo by Diane Pagel
 He had a good outrun and fetch.  He made all his panels, but Scott said he was a little off on his crossdrive line.  He felt that he should have given Don his sheep a little bit more and relaxed on his control of him.  Don did what he was told but taking command of his sheep wasn't as easy with Scott holding on to him tightly.
Don convincing a ewe to move - photo by Diane Pagel
 He had a good shed
Scott and Don shed two off - Photo by Diane Pagel
 but didn't make his pen.  Scott took some good natured ribbing about not finishing, with several people telling him he should go back and watch his own penning videos! Don ended up with a 74.  Scott knew that with some of the real good handlers still to go, that the run was likely to fall in the standings and shortly after, Patrick Shannahan with Andy laid down an 85 that held through the day to win.  It was pointed out on facebook that there just couldn't have been a more appropriate  person to win on St. Patrick's day.
This was June's first open trial.  I was very nervous about her first walk to the post.
June fetching her sheep - photo by Diane Pagel
 June has often expressed her disagreements with sheep with her teeth and since the Heppner sheep have a reputation, I was worried.  Scott had worked all winter on smoothing her out but she can have sharp, quick movements that upset sheep so I kept my fingers crossed that she would remember her training.  I shouldn't have worried!  She was a very good girl.
June turns her sheep around Scott and the post - photo by Diane Pagel
 Her outrun was good, and her lift wasn't perfect but she got them coming and Scott said she stopped when she should and she moved them when she should.  Her eye never held her back and she was brave with the sheep.
June and Scott pen the sheep - photo by Diane Pagel
 She ended the day with an 80 and was second in the first round earning her first 9 points as an open dog.
Tomorrow they go again.
Many thanks to Diane Pagel for scores and pictures and to Monique who put me out of my misery early on and gave me a June update on facebook!

Heppner St. Patricks Day - Open (52 dogs)
1. Patrick Shannahan and Andy 85
2. Scott Glen and June 80
3. Maggie McClure and Lil 78
4./5. Francis Chai and Loon
       Vickie Close and Gael 77
6./7. Angie Unitz and Butch
       Lavon Calzacorta and Gus 76
8. Scott Glen and Don 74
9. Ray Coapman and Jill 72
10. Diane Pagel and Nan 67

Friday, March 9, 2012

Nan

Scott's  alternate dog is Nan.
Nan
Nan is a quiet, biddable dog who's pedigree might surprise you. Her father, Debbie Bailey's Ben, comes down  a long line of tough dogs, including Dale Montgomery's Huck, Lorne Smith's Hemp (grand father to Scott's Pleat) and, ABCA hall of fame dog, Dodie Green's Soot.  No slouch himself on the trial field, Ben has also been a successful stud dog siring several quality open dogs.
Debbie Bailey's Ben, sire of Nan - photo by Christine Koval
 Her mother, is RC Tomlinson's Dat, out of his good bitch, Penny and Jim "The Bomber" who goes back to Templeton's Roy.
Right now, Nan is a dog without a class. Scott was planning on running her in Nursery classes last year when, 2 months shy of being ready to trial, she broke a bone in her foot.  So she sat out most of her Nursery year.  Scott did throw her in the Fetch Gate Nursery trial last June and on her first run, she came up a star and won it.  However, after that her lack of training showed through and the couple other times he ran her, she was over her head.
Nan holds a single
 There was a possibility of Scott running Nan as his second open dog this year but it was deemed that with her lack of training and experience last year, she should start back at the bottom and work her way up. June will run as his second open dog instead.  Nan will start in the Pro-Novice classes and if she proves herself ready, she will create a dilemma for Scott and force him to choose between her and June in open for next year.
Nan catches a run away ewe
 We are hoping to breed Nan to Scott's Don this summer if we can find someone to whelp out the litter for us while we are on the road.