Virginia State Fair, (yes, it is an)ARENA TRIAL

[Debbie Crowder-BaaramuLuke]

We are making preparations for the State Fair SDT coming up in two days (Oct 1), and I am now familiar with the arena it will be in. It feels smaller to me than last year, maybe because it has no "cover" like last year, and it is definately smaller than those years it was held in the Grandstand Arena at the old Strawberry Hill facility. This is the first year it will be at the Meadow Event Park, and we are happy they included the trial in their plans for the new park. That wasn't a certaintly, even though the trial has been at the fair for almost thirty years!

 

Karen has fielded some questions about the "arena" aspect of it, from some folks maybe not familiar with the trial, those who have been in the past know what to expect (no 300 yard outruns here!) Our judge is Carol Campion, and she has been to and judged these trials before, and she is helping us adapt to our new facility. These things are geared to showcasing our dogs for a fair audience, so the whole thing is up close and for that reason, our dogs need to be in control and the sheep have to be kept quiet and happy. Actually the same situation, in a more traditional setting, is true of Montpelier, another spectator event we host in a few days (!!!!!).

 

If anyone has any questions, please put them forward, and those who know about the experience of an arena trial, help me to get them answered. I can tell you that the park is fabulous, but spread all the heck out, and our venue is on the opposite side of the highway as the Midway and excitement of the fair. We are in a small arena, which sits beside another one, both two-rail fences and ours is lined in contruction netting, which I think the sheep could go through if pushed and I am calling today to see if we can double-line it. I also need to find out if there is another horse event in that next-door arena, I personally would not want to be riding a few of my horses in it while a SDT is next door.

 

There's no shade, so plan for it, but likely no hassle from the public with our open vehicles, but everyone needs to keep open eyes for that kind of stuff at any event like this (thievery, etc).

 

Getting nervous, but looking forward to it.