the finals, what NOT to wear/do

[kelpiegirl]

I made it down to watch the finals on Saturday. It was BLOODY hot. I mean, I had a wardrome malfunction trying to use the porto- potty (jeans STUCK to me), and I was SWEATING (I have a moral problem with this, unless I am working), right through my shirt. I was G.L.A.D. that the dogs had some water to cool off in. At one point I went up to one well known handler to chat, not realizing that he was standing behind the black tarp for a REASON! I learned that this is THE event and the tension in the air was THICK. I also learned that Lucy, after a long car ride, was not well able to handle both seeing sheep, and hearing whistles. She made yodel sounds. So, we stayed clear of the field, until she calmed down. Lucy was a bit nutty, and a lady came up, and asked if I was having trouble with my dog, and would I like to put this prong collar on her? WHAT??? OOOooookay. Um, no thanks. I simply cannot believe the caliber of the dogs running. David Henry, not sure which dog- the primarily white male, had this unbelievable exchange between he and a ewe at the pen, and it was a thing of beauty. It was caught on video tape, I heard. When I first got there, I saw this jet black smooth as silk dog running- Sly. WOW. Some dog. I also noted the far away sheep, well, didn't really ever see them at the set out area, but I remember remarking to someone, if I sent Lucy on an outrun like that, when she were 1/2 there, I would say "don't worry, trust me, they're out there!!!". It was work. Also, the cross drive by the same dog that David Henry poeticised (is that a word?) was incredible. That dog was in landscape, not portrait form- meaning, he had those sheep on such a great line from so far behind, one would need a landscape option on the camera. WOW.

 

Well, that's all I can remember for now....