Plumb Lucky Trial - Day two Ranch and Novice

We didn't have dogs in either of these classes so I just have the placings

Ranch 1 (unofficial)
1. Alasdair MacRae and Sara
2. Mondy Houge and Gus
3. Wyat Fleming and Victor
4. Allen Hickenbottom and Molly
5. Marilyn Terpstra and Gem
6. Bob Johnson and Ralph
7. Lyle Lad and Sid
8. Janice Moor and Cass
9. Robin Reasoner and Hawke
10. Bob Johnson and Jay

Ranch 2 (Unoffcial)
1. Alasdair MacRae and Sara
2. Alasdair MacRae and ?
remaining placings to come!

Novice 1 (unoffcial)
1. Shane Hall and Sadie
2. Kathleen Owen and Johnnie
3. Bob Towner and Zephyr

Novice 2 (unofficial)
1. Bob Towner and Zephyr

Plumb Lucky Trial - Day two Open Ranch

OK, I will do my best on updates but days are past now and I can't remember as many details. Friday was another beautiful day and the dogs performances perked up. Donnie and Tuque ran in Open Ranch.

Scott and Don at the post

Don had some trouble on his first outrun but was clean on his second one. Tuque was clean on both of her outruns and has clearly mastered that part of the course. Don ended up in third place in his second go with a smooth run.

Don on the fetch

Interestingly enough, first place went to his older brother Rex handled by Alasdair MacRae.

Open Ranch #1 (unofficial)
1. Alasdair MacRae and Fox
2. Alasdair MacRae and Hanna
3. Lyle Lad and Gin
4. Larry Moore and Tib
5. Peg Anderson and Spot
6.Lyle East and Jiggs
7. Alasdair MacRae and Rex
8. Gary Westbrook and Jay
9. John Wentz and Chuck
10. John Cleveland and Shep

Open Ranch #2 (unofficial)
1. Alasdair MacRae and Rex
2. Deb Cleveland and Jewel
3. Scott Glen and Don
4.Alasdair MacRae and ?
5. Lyale Lad and Gin
6.Linda Myer and Gnat
7.Gary Westbrook and Jay
8. Rose Anderson and Buzz
9.Scott Glen and Tuque
10. Nancy Duly and Jip

Bad reception

Hey everyone! I'm not forgetting my duties but I am having only on and off reception and can't get a full blog done. I will update completely on monday. Quick up date - Maid won open yesterday, Roo was 7th. Donnie was 3rd in open ranch and Tuque was 3rd in Nursery. Horrible rainy weather. MUD!

Plumb Lucky Trial Nursery Day One

Leeton, Mo. The weather has so far been with us as it is a beautiful day with a light wind - going in the right direction. Today's trial didn't start until 4PM and was only a single nursery class. The sheep are Katahdins and it is a rolling green grass field. An added distraction for the dogs was the addition of some curious guinea fowl who were prowling the trial field.

Guineas on the trial field

Unfortunately, they did confuse one dog who left on his outrun only to come in behind the birds and try to bring them towards their handler. Scott is splitting up his nursery dogs so today he only ran Jess and Whiskey. (I know, I've never mentioned Whiskey - update in a minute) Jess was keen to start her outrun but was a little confused by the hills and came in too early on her outrun. She did stop every time Scott asked and even gave ground but just couldn't understand that if she'd look a little further up she'd see them. She crossed over and picked up the sheep from the other side. The sheep lifted to our left and stayed on the left side of the fetch line, missing the panels (a common problem with the young dogs).

Jess on the fetch

Around the post and then a wobbly line to the drive panel. The drive panel was made but Jess was again confused on the crossdrive and as the sheep started to go low she froze. By the time Scott and her were working together again the sheep had missed the panel and they were on their way to the pen. She did a nice job at the pen and Scott closed the gate on them before the time was up.Penning with Jess

Whiskey - (belongs to us - out of Dal Kratzer's Tib, mother of National Champion Star and his Shep) was also uncertain about the hills on the outrun. However, Whisk did look up enough to see the sheep and managed to pick up his sheep on the same side he was sent. Again there was a fetch to the left of the line and missed panels.

Whiskey on the fetch

His turn around the post was good and his line to the first panel was on but there was some wobbling in front of the panel. Finally, he got them through and then had a nice line on the crossdrive until he hesitated right in front of the crossdrive. All was well though and he did make the panels but unfortunately, the time ran out just as Scott was closing the pen door so there were no points for that.

Whiskey

Alasdair MacRae dominated the day with 3 dogs in the top 5.
Nursery Day one: (unofficial) 18 dogs
1. Alasdair MacRae and Fox
2. Alasdair MacRae and Hanna
3.4. (tie not broken) Alasdair MacRae and Fox and Rose Anderson and Buzz
5. Lyle Lad and Jig
6.Rose Anderson and Jing
7. Mike Goracke and Sam
8. Emile Ludeke and Ladd
9. Mickey Welsh and Bo
10. Wyat Fleming and Victor

Travel Day

Dare I say, "On the Road again" or is that too cheezy? Well we are anyway. It's a windy day in Montana but we are making progress. We had our first potty break and everything went as planned. It might not seem like a big deal but with this many dogs you have to plan everything.

The whole kennel out for a break

We also have the added complication of 4 pups but they all went along with the program and we managed to get everything done in less than an hour. We are using a chain tie out for many of the dogs and the veterans get a quick free run. All four pups ate, drank and did the unmentionable in their x-pen so we will be good to drive on for many more hours. We barely had time to enjoy the beautiful scenery before we packed up and headed on our way.

Packing up

XE Hemp

XE Hemp

Right now Hemp is my second open dog. This will be his first year in open but he's starting to show skills that may make him my main open dog. So far he has been proving to have enough scope to make a big course dog.

Hemp spotting sheep

His mother is the same Alta-Pete Megan owned by Grant Musgrove that you have many times heard me brag on. She is also the mother of Scott's Maid and is a full sister to Scott's Pleat. Hemp often shows signs that remind us of Pleat (good and bad) and definitely favors that side of his family in most of his work. However, his nice flanks come from his father, a local dog named Dale that was owned by Randy Dye. Dale is a son of Norm Close's 2005 Canadian National Champion CV Joe.
Scott put the first two months on Hemp and then I took over from there. He was not an easy dog to train. His first year in nursery was limited to only a few small trials because we were not getting along. At one point I was ready to sell him but that seemed to be the moment he turned around and his second nursery year was much improved. By the time he got to the Bluegrass he was consistently placing in nursery and open ranch. The judges noticed and voted him the Most Promising Nursery Dog. Years before, this honor had been bestowed upon Pleat who later, went on to win the whole trial. I can only hope it bodes well for Hemp.

Hemp training in Tehachapi, California last summer

After the Bluegrass he competed in the Thistledew trial in Michigan where he scored a perfect 30 point drive in the open ranch class. Normally the award for best drive is given to an open dog but in this case the drive in the open ranch was the same as the open so it was given to Hemp.

This winter we have been working on his shed and starting his look back and trying to improve upon the basics. The Plumb Lucky Trial in Missouri on April 18th will be his first open trial.

Hemp

Lacy's Lad

Lad is my main open dog .

Lacy's Lad

I received him as a 7 week old pup and did most of his training, however Scott put the first month and a half on him when he was a year old.
Lad's line on his mother's side is very familiar to me and I have owned more than one dog from that side of his pedigree. His mother, Meg, was bred by Paul Hackett of California and made a name for herself with Tom Lacy, winning more than one open trial. Meg was often in the top 10 in USBCHA points. Now retired, she lives a quiet life with Diana Rollings in Colorado. Karen Lacy (now Thompson) bred Meg to Randy Munford's Vic.

Vic and Randy Munford in Virginia

Vic is an import who once qualified for the Irish National team. His father was Vic Morris' Mac (a son of Butcher's Mac) who was the 1994 English National winner and the Reserve Supreme winner the same year.

Lad's grandfather, Vic Morris' Mac

Laddie is an extremely biddable dog, almost to a fault but as his confidence is building and he is getting to know his job better, he can be trusted more and more to make his own decisions.

Lad at four years old

He had a strong nursery year, winning 8 of his classes including a day at the Bluegrass. He ended that year with a Reserve Nursery Championship in the Canadians and was also voted the most promising Nursery dog at the 2007 USBCHA Nursery Nationals.
Last year was his first year in open and although he was his usual biddable self, his lack of confidence cost him a first round win in the Bluegrass open trial. He often doubts himself on the outrun and lost 12 points that time. He ended up in 10th place in the first round which was very respectable but those lost 12 points would have tied him for first!

Lad training in Tehachapi, California last summer.

Lad just turned 4 this spring and we have been working on his confidence. Hopefully it will show and he will have a stronger second year in open.