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jdarling
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We've got a very active -- pretty large -- group of people who like to get together and work dogs. I'm looking for some ideas for "fun day" type of stuff ... where we just get together ... work dogs ... eat lunch ... drink ... relax. What do you all do with stuff like this? We've got several different arenas to use, with runs and chutes, etc., and other big wide open areas. We've done a potato bar pot luck that was a huge hit ... at another event, we did a raffle drawing that was a lot of fun ... over the holidays, I did one where I made up Pina Colada jello shooters ... etc. Just looking for more ideas. What do you guys do? Food ideas, fun training stuff, sheep relays, drink recipes ... whatever ...

 

Thanks!

Jodi

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You could try a team event. First handler does the outrun, lift and fetch, second handler the drive, third handler the shed and pen. Sheep are brought to a cone near the post and dropped there for the next dog to take over.

Other stuff:

Penning at a distance: pen gate is propped open, handler must work them in while standing at the post.

Set it up so that each handler has to gate sort his/her own group out from the flock before proceeding with the run. We specified two ewes and two lambs at one trial. Alternatives: a black sheep, a hair sheep, like that.

Have the sheep go through a chute set up at right angles in front of the post. You stay at the post.

Settle the sheep in a ring, catch and flip one of them.

Use two or more adjacent fields with offset gates: stand on the hill where you can see everything, direct the dog from your feet, through all the fields, and bring the sheep back the same way.

Armchair shedding at a distance. Sheep, the whole flock, should be at least 100-200 yards away. While sitting in your chair, preferably with a cooler in your hand, line them out, call your dog in, drive the one group away from the other.

Silent gathers are always interesting.

 

A

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Wow Andrea, those are great ideas! We have multiple gates with paddocks between two pastures and have thought about doing the stand on a hill to direct your dog through all the gates and bring the sheep back thing. I think it would be loads of fun. Distance shedding and penning would be a blast too!

 

J.

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There was supposed to be a cow dog get together this weekend in NC but alas, it was canceled due to weather. I like going to these types of things. Would have got to meet some of the members of this board. I hope they reschedule.

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We once did a blind-folded trial run. You pair up the handlers - one gets blind-folded & the other has to tell them what commands to give. I think the handlers in the crowd had alot of fun with it to. The dogs, on the other hand, thought it was a very silly exercise.

 

gail

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Yeah, I love that one too Julie. I actually do that where I keep my sheep. The middle field has a pond and is wooded. The far field has a dip in it, so the sheep are effectively hidden and provide a blind outrun. None of the gates are in line, so the "fetch" has multiple dog legs. I got the idea from reading about what hill dogs are often required to do to go from the home farm up onto the hill to bring in the flock.

Shedding at a distance is courtesy of Scott Glen. Louise and I added the cooler and chair refinement.

Another idea: the "W": four gates (or cones) in a row, 7 yards apart, about where you would place the fetch panels. Bring the sheep through the first gap, drive back through the middle and home again through the far gap.

A

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One more. Shedding again. This one works on the same principle as musical chairs.

Take turns shedding in a shedding ring. Start with the whole flock. Draw for position. Modified international rules ie you STOP the ones you want to keep and let the chosen ones go. You must let go 1/2 the flock and keep 1/2 the flock, within a sheep or two: your friends will tell you if you did. (Yeah, you might have to count). Or, if you don't have enough sheep for that, you must not let more than two-three go until that's not an option because of the number of sheep remaining. The shed off sheep are no longer in use but can be allowed to hang out in the vicinity for added interest. Rejoin disqualifies you. Next person comes up to shed, same rules. Etc. The first one who can't get it done within the allotted time is eliminated. Last one standing is the winner. I haven't worked out all the details on this but I think it would work.

The Le Mans: set up four or five drive panels around the field. You stand in the middle and can't leave the post. Option: you can pick where you set your cone. You must do a drive through each panel (ie no pull-throughs) but can start at any panel. Once you settle on a direction, you must continue either clockwise or counterclockwise through the panels. Judged on points/time. I HAVE done this one. It's fun.

A

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