A Dramatic Friday "Trouble and the AHBA Ranch Course"

It's usually TGIF for Wayne.  But, this Friday was different. We had to have Trouble to the Vet by 9 am.  The AHBA trial handler meeting started at 8:30.  Wayne was a good sport and said he would take Trouble to the Vet.  The trial secretary put Wayne and Jet last in the running order.  They decided to run ranch first.  Good thing since each ranch run is 20 min.
Why did Troubie have to go to the Vet?  Gingivitis...little dog syndrome.  We had her teeth cleaned this year, but she will need them cleaned every 3 mos. probably for the rest of her life.  I saw her making a few slurpy noises at bedtime.  Like she was sucking saliva through a hole between her teeth.  Hmmmmm  "Trouble come over here."  Yikes!  One premolar was broke and hanging there.  Unfortunately, they had to pull three teeth.  Drama.  I hate drama.
Wayne made it back for the ranch trial and it was a "doozie."  The judge walked Wayne and another competitor through the course before they ran.  I gave every bit of information I knew about the course to Wayne to try to set him up for success. 

#1) About 40-50 goats and sheep in a back corral.  Sort 8 sheep into a holding pen.  This was the tricky part.  There was grass and alfalfa in this corral.  The sheep said "No Way Jose. We aren't coming out of there."  Yoko was 2nd up and I bet we spent some 12 min. of our 20 min trying to sort 8 sheep.  I finally put a large bunch of sheep and goats into the sort pen and then sorted out the goats and extra sheep.  What a time eater.

Really, the only tip I gave Wayne was...send Jet on an outrun to pick up the whole flock of goats and sheep and bring them like "gang busters" with the sort gate "open."  Pack the sort pen and sort the ones you want out once you get them in the sort pen.

The first words out of Wayne's mouth when Jet finished his outrun was "TAKE TIME."  OMG...I just about had heart failure.  Luckily, I promised to keep my mouth shut and commiserated sitting on top of a stack of Alfalfa with Kathy Simon standing next to me.  Again and again, I heard,  "Take Time, Jet."  Of course, when they got to the sort pen, no one wanted to go in.  Plus, Wayne, all 260 lbs. of him, stood right in the middle of the sort gate.  Poor Jet...his teeth were clicking heels and he was trying to push as hard as his 11 arthritic years would let him with Wayne urging him on.

Jet looking like a puppy with the large flock

Under the gun and Wayne knew it.  He was probably sweating bullets here.

Finally, Wayne moved himself out of the mouth of the pen.  Jet's tongue out was hanging by this time. He filled the pen with sheep and goats.   Unfortunately (novice handler) he didn't watch his dog and Jet went around the stock in the sort pen and pushed them on Wayne and a whole bunch pushed their way right by Wayne back into the big corral.  He sorted the best he could and counted.  ONLY 7 sheep.  The judge told him to move on with the 7 sheep.  Thank God for that.  Or I would be burying Jet that evening.

Wayne counting.  "Hey, take your shoes off."  hahaha

#2)  Take the 8 sheep out of the sort pen, stand at the handlers post and drive them across a wash up a rocky gully.  Continue to drive the sheep with them on the upper far side of the wash the length of the pasture.  Put the 8 sheep in a pen.

Jet keeping his sheep together while Wayne has his back to him.

Going across the wash...almost up the other side.  Wayne at the handler's post.

#3)  Sort 5 sheep from the 8.  (Wayne sorted 2 from the five since he only had 7 sheep). Take the 5 sheep down the alley way into the far arena.  Go to the handlers post.  Drive the sheep through a Y chute and then take them through two panels at the top of the arena.  When they make a left hand turn the handler goes to the pen gate to pen them.  I was amazed that Wayne did this with ease.  When Jet put them through the center panel he brought them pretty fast to the pen.  But, he saved Wayne's you know what and I think he knew it.

Jet bringing them through the Y chute (Wayne at the handler's post)

I couldn't believe they made the center panel.  Good going Wayne!

#4) Take the 5 sheep from the pen and back into the alley way and into the 2nd arena (the large arena).  Take the sheep to a 3 sided pen and noose one of the sheep.  Take the noose off the sheep and head to the center gate.
Wayne had already been given a 5 min. warning and here he is "walking" up the arena.  Like honey, "It's time to put the pedal to the medal."  He roped his sheep and then didn't get the noose off it's neck quick enough.  That ate some time.  I'm sitting on top of 30 bales of Alfalfa right next to the pen he was putting the lasso on the sheep.  Whoa...got the GIGGLES big time.  Then, he like wants to do this perfect take pen.  This is the only time I opened my mouth so he could hear me.  "Oh Dear...this would be a good time to RUN!"  And, run he did.

Wayne lasso's a sheep

Wayne laughing.  Sheep ducks it's head with the noose still on him.

RUN!  Only seconds on the clock!

#5)  Take them into the large center pen and then put all 5 sheep in pen #11.  The end.  Time 20 minutes.
Wayne made it!  He didn't qualify, but he got through a tough ranch course. "Whoo Hoo, dear."
And, Jet survived....barely.

Jet, tongue hanging, coming off a 20 min. course

Two tongues hanging...

Jet getting a well deserved cooling off

GREAT job, Wayne.   That high pressure job at Lockheed I'm sure helped you under a ton of pressure at your first ranch trial with very little preparation.  You were FANTASTIC.  Plus, you are a super GOOD SPORT.   One more week of lessons and you probably would have beat me :0)

P.S. Kilt won the ranch trial and her daughter Yoko came in reserve to her. 

Later that afternoon in the HTAD arena trial, Wayne was "right on"...he almost beat me with Jet.  When I ran Kilt I could feel everyone (the guys, including the judge) hoping I would screw up, so Wayne would beat me.  I didn't choke under the pressure.  Kilt won the HTAD with a 971/2 and Wayne came in Reserve High In Trial with a 95.  This is my favorite photo of he and Jet at the post.

On your mark, get set......GO!

How FUN....