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

Alba Jess

The last but not least of Scott's nursery dogs is Jess.

Alba Jess

Jess is owned by Terry Sheaffer of Michigan and was bred by Alasdair and Patricia MacRae. Jess' father is Alasdair's imported Nap. Nap and Alasdair have won multiple open trials together and were on the US team at the World Trial last fall. Jess' mother is Alba Lynn - a daughter of Stu Ligon's Nick. Nick's pedigree is nothing short of royalty in the US trial world. His mother was Alasdair's great Nan, the only dog to win both the ISDS Supreme Championship and the USBCHA National Championship. Nick's father was Alasdair's Ben, also a USBCHA National Champion and Nick's littermate is Bill, a 3 time USBCHA Champion. On her mother's side Lynn is a half sister to the 2007 Scottish National champion and the 2006 Supreme brace champion. Lynn herself placed 5th in the 2008 USBCHA Nursery Nationals handled by Tricia MacRae.

Jess working sheep at Alta-Pete Farm

Jess started her training with Scott this winter and has proven to have a good outrun like her father. She will start her trialing career at The Plumb Lucky Trial on April 16th.

Jess