Mark Billadeau Posted August 3, 2011 Report Share Posted August 3, 2011 Renee and I will be holding our first trial. For several reasons it will essentially be a 1 day trial on Sunday Sept 25 (Nursery, Ranch, and Open); we will have one Nursery class Saturday afternoon Sept 24. Due to our driveway (1/4 long and 8' wide with a curve in the middle and no visibility beyond the curve) we will have very limited camping by prearrangement only. Backing trailers down our drive will be VERY difficult in the event of meeting another vehicle on the drive; there is no place for two vehicles to pass one another on our drive. The outrun will be shorter than I would like. The drive will be of reasonable length. We will be running 4 Katahdins (2 ewes and 2 lambs) from our farm flock. I hope to expand our trial in course size and number of days in the future. Mark Pipedream Farm SDT Entry Form.doc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NCStarkey Posted August 3, 2011 Report Share Posted August 3, 2011 Thanks for posting the entry form, Mark, and I am really looking forward to the inaugural Pipedream Farm SDT! Please let me know if there is anything that I can do to help. Regards, nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue R Posted August 3, 2011 Report Share Posted August 3, 2011 I have this on my calendar, at least for the times I can be there. New trials breaking out in MD and VA - wonderful! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Billadeau Posted August 3, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2011 Thank you both, I will keep it in mind especially as we get closer to the trial date. The entry form is also posted on the NEBCA website and in the files section of sheepdog-l (the announcement post on sheepdog-l has not shown up yet). Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliepoudrier Posted August 3, 2011 Report Share Posted August 3, 2011 Good luck Mark! I wish I could make it up, but finances aren't allowing trialing right now. I'm sure you and Renee will put on a great trial! J. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary&Sully Posted August 3, 2011 Report Share Posted August 3, 2011 spectators allowed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emilyfalk Posted August 3, 2011 Report Share Posted August 3, 2011 Can't wait! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journey Posted August 3, 2011 Report Share Posted August 3, 2011 Oh I would love to come help! I'll email you if I can make it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alchemist Posted August 4, 2011 Report Share Posted August 4, 2011 What fun - another Maryland trial!!!! Happy to help if you're in need of scribes or other semi-unskilled efforts (i.e., my math scores are infinitely better than my sheep skills). Let us know what we can do! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Billadeau Posted August 4, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 4, 2011 We will be looking for scribes. We're not promoting it as a spectator event but we won't run off spectators. When you see our limited parking and drive you'll understand why; getting traffic in and out during the day could create problems. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alchemist Posted August 4, 2011 Report Share Posted August 4, 2011 I'd be happy to carpool with anyone who might be interested; my car will hold four passengers. Mary, I'll be driving out I-70, and if you're in College Park, we could meet up somewhere and leave one car at that point. I'm thinking I might go on Sunday only (I'm still hoping to fly out to the Finals the previous weekend, see my parents in Denver; don't want to TOTALLY abandon DH two weekends running). I'd enjoy scribing any time that day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue R Posted August 4, 2011 Report Share Posted August 4, 2011 We will be looking for scribes. We're not promoting it as a spectator event but we won't run off spectators. When you see our limited parking and drive you'll understand why; getting traffic in and out during the day could create problems. Mark You know I'm always up for sitting down with the judge! Really, I'll be happy to do anything you'd like on Saturday, and early on on Sunday before I have to leave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Billadeau Posted August 23, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 23, 2011 We are over subscribed for our trial with the entries on the first post mark date. Instead of a draw from these entries we are considering going to two days. We would start with Ranch on Saturday no earlier than noon and run Open on Sunday starting around 8am (anticipating finishing before 5pm). We did not get enough entries to have Nursery. Those handlers running both days would get priority on their camping requests. We would appreciate hearing from those handlers who have entered and especially those who would be impacted by these changes to help us decide how to proceed with our trial. Mark & Renee Billadeau Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThunderHill Posted August 23, 2011 Report Share Posted August 23, 2011 I'll support whatever you and Renee decide. I'd love to encourage more trials in this area, not make the prospect any more stressful than it already is for the brave people who are willing to be hosts/organizers. Liz S south of Harrisburg PA * * * * * We are over subscribed for our trial with the entries on the first post mark date. Instead of a draw from these entries we are considering going to two days. We would start with Ranch on Saturday no earlier than noon and run Open on Sunday starting around 8am (anticipating finishing before 5pm). We did not get enough entries to have Nursery. Those handlers running both days would get priority on their camping requests. We would appreciate hearing from those handlers who have entered and especially those who would be impacted by these changes to help us decide how to proceed with our trial. Mark & Renee Billadeau Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Billadeau Posted August 26, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 26, 2011 We have decided to change our trial format. Ranch will be on Saturday Sept 24th starting at Noon Open will be on Sunday Sept 25th starting at 8am Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue R Posted August 26, 2011 Report Share Posted August 26, 2011 Sounds great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alchemist Posted August 28, 2011 Report Share Posted August 28, 2011 Let me know when you're in need of scribes. I'm not sure I'd be able to make it for both days but could make one of the two, happy to help out as much as I'm needed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NCStarkey Posted September 25, 2011 Report Share Posted September 25, 2011 Hello everyone, The inaugural Pipedream Farm Sheepdog Trial is now in the record books, and it was absolutely outstanding! My thanks to Mark and Renee (and to everyone else who helped) for making this new trial a truly memorable one! Regards, nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue R Posted September 25, 2011 Report Share Posted September 25, 2011 I was only there for part of Saturday but I can say that what I saw was outstanding! I don't think any aspect that makes a good trial was overlooked. Very organized, very welcoming, very challenging field and sheep that did not put up with dogs (or handlers) being wrong. I hope this is the first of a regular annual event! Thanks to Mark and Renee, and a legion of eager volunteers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emilyfalk Posted September 27, 2011 Report Share Posted September 27, 2011 The trial was a huge hit and went off flawlessly. Thanks to Mark and Renee for their hard work in putting together a great weekend and fun new trial! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shoofly Posted September 27, 2011 Report Share Posted September 27, 2011 It was a great trial and very well done! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donald McCaig Posted September 27, 2011 Report Share Posted September 27, 2011 Fine trial, easy going hospitality. My thanks. Donald Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura L Posted September 28, 2011 Report Share Posted September 28, 2011 Mark & Renee, Looks like it was a fine trial from all the pictures I've seen on Facebook. It's always fun to see what handlers and their dogs look like. Good looking sheep, they look fat & sassy. And I have "gate envy" I saw a picture of your gate at the exhaust & that's what I need to keep dogs in or out. Laura Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Billadeau Posted September 29, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 29, 2011 Laura, It's really nice being 30min away from sheepmans supply which carriers those nice wire filled gates (2"x4" grid). We got lots of complements on our sheep during the weekend; plenty of good grass for the last month (after Irene came through) aids in having good looking sheep. This week the sheep went on strike; they ran for the hills through the old barbed wire fence and in with the neighbor's cattle when someone came over to work their dogs. We're not on FB so I've only seen Dan's photos through the link he sent me. Renee and I had fun last weekend; we felt like it was hosting a big party. It helped the weather turned nice (didn't rain). We're already trying to figure out how to lay out next year's trial course which we are planning on having in a different field. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alchemist Posted September 29, 2011 Report Share Posted September 29, 2011 Mark (and Renee): I want to thank you, too, for a GREAT trial. Even though I was only a spectator (and scribe), I had a blast. I told people on FB that I'd been going through "trial withdrawal": having spent the last month obsessively checking results for Kingston, Soldier Hollow, Meeker, and the Finals (but not being able to attend any of them), it was delightful to finally get a chance to watch Border collies doing what they were born to do, in such a beautiful setting. Even though I went to your trial with the thought that (to me) it was a consolation prize for having missed so many great trials (as well as a lot of fall Virginia trials to come - life is too crazy!), there was nothing at all "second rate" about the inaugural Pipedream Farm SDT - it was a first-class event. I hope you'll be able to repeat it, and I'd be happy to help however I can. I've been really enjoying all the photos that others have taken of this trial. I'll try to post a few of my own snapshots this evening for you and others on the BC Boards. (Only another hundred or so to finish winnowing through and processing!). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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