Sunday, The Final Games

These were our Scottish games neighbors.  How much sleep do you think we got on Saturday night?  hahaha.  They played bagpipes and drank Scotch and Whiskey into the wee hours.

Jet was ready on Sunday...maybe TOO ready :0)  We were first up both days in the morning.  Things worked for us on Sat., but Sunday when Jet went to pick up his sheep, you would have thought the sheep had seen a GHOST.  I never could get them settled.  It was a very disappointing driving run.  I believe he may have placed 6th in that competition on Sunday because his afternoon run was much nicer.  $$$ stopped at 5th place.  I screwed up and left out part of an obstacle on the obstacle course. 

 That COST us big time.  Tired Suzanne.

 

Kilt actually came in 6th on Sunday for the obstacle course.  She was just thinking about settling down when the show was over.  This was about the only picture where she is a decent distance off her sheep.  For the most part, she bulldozed them around the arena.  She was over the top with excitement.  The announcer said, "Kilt isn't a dog that likes to "lollygag" her sheep around a course."  LOL  That's an understatement.

Sat. afternoon, Yoko was doing fairly well until about 50 bagpipers close to the arena started piping LOUDLY.  Her eyes got as big as SAUCERS!  It was hard for her to hear me.  Sunday she was pretty burned out from all of the excitement.  I always call her my loose eyed dog.  What a JOKE.  I couldn't get her to flank for nothing.  I saw bits of her mother.  She took a few cheap shots that could have DQ'ed us.  I was waiting for a "thank-you."  Since I didn't hear it, we continued on.  I think she did a nice job at the Maltese cross and at the trailer.  The only time I saw any 'displacement' type behavior was in her last class on Sunday.  The sheep had run to the exhaust some 3 times on her and she was under BIG GUNS pressure from them.  She stopped and nibbled on something in the dirt.  I'm sure she was wishing she was back at Jalama Beach playing in the surf.  A few "come on, Yo's" and she got back to work.  She got lots of HUGS.  I praised the heck out of her for every class :0)  I knew she was in over her head.

In this particular competition, it serves you well NOT to retire, no matter how horrible you feel your run is going,  because your competitor may get DQ'ed on their next run.  These sheep will jump back into set-out in a heartbeat.  AM and PM driving runs were combined and AM and PM obstacle runs were combined for monetary awards, medals and plaques. At the end of the weekend, it's the OVERALL winner and reserve winner who get the silver belt buckles.

The winners

Overall Champion:  Stephanie Summers with TAM

Reserve Champion:  Me and JET

I learned alot watching Stephanie handle this weekend.  Even my husband was dually impressed along with me.  Stephanie ran Kate and Tam.  Both dogs team up with her wonderfully.  She does something I have only seen one other handler do.  She NEVER takes her eyes off the sheep heads.  When her dogs are coming round the post and her back is to her dog, her dog is taking "every" whistle while she watches those sheep's heads.  I used to watch Robin Penland do this, too.  I've got some homework to do! :0)

Anyway, it was a TIRING, but very fun weekend.  I will only enter 2 dogs next time...that's fer sure.

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