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Video from the Calgary Stampede


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Here's some video from the Calgary Stampede. This is Lou's first run on Sunday. We were the first dog up in the third group, and there are a couple thousand people in the stands, the music's playing - it was so cool to step out into that ring!

 

 

On the first go, only 20 of the 75 dogs got at least as far as completing the chute, and only 5 or so penned. Lou's efforts in this run put him 18th, and the grin didn't come off my face all night! :rolleyes:

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You couldn't figure it from watching us? :rolleyes: If you saw our next day's go, you would REALLY wonder what course we were doing. Looked like an EKG reading!

 

Actually, it got very confusing if your sheep broke during the execution of one of your obstacles. Was hard to remember where you were and what plane you had to break in order to get to the next obstacle.

 

Sunday:

Stampede_Sunday.jpg

 

Monday:

Stampede_Monday.jpg

 

Finals was the old-style course. Through the barrels, round the post, back through the barrels, counterclockwise around the top barrel, through the chute, pen.

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Lotta grips.

 

These are range ewes and they haven't been worked very much. If you tried to zip them around, they would turn and fight. If you stood your dog, they would stomp but not charge (but they wouldn't move). If you lay your dog down in their faces, they would charge. If you recalled your dog back to you, you were toast 'cause the sheep figured "hey, if we stand here and stomp, the dog leaves". I had the advantage of going in the last group, so got to watch 40+ other dogs run, and it was clear what didn't work. For the chute, where 24 dogs timed out, you needed to give them a straight approach, rather than taking them from the post into the wall, then trying to turn them (at least, that was my theory), so I let them drift to the end of the arena and tried to walk them against the boards towards the chute. I probably shouldn't have let them go that deep, but oh well.

 

Really cool sheep, very even. Much different than the dog-broke hair sheep I am used to running on, and Lou seemed to enjoy the challenge.

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A fellow commented to me one time after watching a run I had just done, this arena stuff is too easy. My only comment was, you have got be be down on that floor to know exactly how hard and fast and frustrating this can be. Good work out there airbear, I like that Sunday course.

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Jimmy Walker came up from Texas to join us. Very nice man! In fact, everyone was very nice! We had handlers from BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Montana, Wyoming and Texas. There were a lot of different accents at the handlers' supper!

 

I would recommend this event without hesitation. Very well-organized, just a top-notch announcer, great sheep, big prizes, yummy dinner ... you should come next year!

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Jimmy Walker came up from Texas to join us. Very nice man! In fact, everyone was very nice! We had handlers from BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Montana, Wyoming and Texas. There were a lot of different accents at the handlers' supper!

 

I would recommend this event without hesitation. Very well-organized, just a top-notch announcer, great sheep, big prizes, yummy dinner ... you should come next year!

 

 

Oh yeah, Jimmy is a great guy, I love to watch him run, very good handler, and he sure is good in those arena trials. I hope he's still in Canada though! We have an arena trial this weekend, so maybe he won't be there to beat us LOL.

 

Do you have video of your 2nd run as well?

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Jodi,

 

The videographer is my friend, Nancy, with whom I travelled to Calgary. Isn't she awesome? She literally was living and dying with each step those sheep took! And not once did you hear her say "What the F are you doing, you moron?". Might have been in her thought bubble!

 

Betty, I tried to render the video of our second run last night but broke down sobbing hysterically (just kidding ... kind of). It wasn't a particularly strong effort. I knew that we only needed to get one sheep through the chute to make finals and I handled very tentatively. The course was a lot trickier too, so I think a more assertive approach would have worked. Coulda, woulda, shoulda, right? Maybe I will work on uploading other people's runs. I have three or four from the finals. I'll see what I can do after work.

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Jodi,

 

The videographer is my friend, Nancy, with whom I travelled to Calgary. Isn't she awesome? She literally was living and dying with each step those sheep took! And not once did you hear her say "What the F are you doing, you moron?". Might have been in her thought bubble!

 

Betty, I tried to render the video of our second run last night but broke down sobbing hysterically (just kidding ... kind of). It wasn't a particularly strong effort. I knew that we only needed to get one sheep through the chute to make finals and I handled very tentatively. The course was a lot trickier too, so I think a more assertive approach would have worked. Coulda, woulda, shoulda, right? Maybe I will work on uploading other people's runs. I have three or four from the finals. I'll see what I can do after work.

 

 

LOL, oh I feel your pain ;-) its easy to get turned around in those timed trials, and your standing there scratching your head, going, was that right? :rolleyes: I would like to see some of the other runs though. We have an arena trial (inside air condtioned!) this weekend, its judged, and I'm going to try and get some video of some of the runs.

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They had just the nicest pen, and this effort put them in 3rd. Your eyes are not mistaken - she has no tail. When she was a pup, she had an accident and it was amputated. Man, would the aussie people drool over this little firecracker! Hopefully, my next dog will come from this marvelous little bitch.
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