NC Novice Series-Clendenin Farm, Results

[climbergirl]

The trial this weekend was loads of fun. Nice to see old friends again and make new ones. The results are as follows. Mind you, some of the biggest winners found success not evidenced by places, ribbons or total points. A weekend of successes whether noted below or not. Special thanks to our judge, Kent Kuykendall, and our set-out man, Colin Cleer. But especially, thanks to Steve and Nancy Clendenin for hosting another fun trial. Nancy Jackson

 

Nov/Nov (Saturday-39 Runs-Possible Score 90)

1) Catherine Mills & Tess-80

2) Catherine Mills & Sonic-78

3) Rebecca Shouse & Rick-78

4) Robert Luckadoo & Kueger-75

5) Julie Poudrier & Willow-74

6) Meagan Skelton & Sue-72

7) Chris Elliot & Smirk-71

8) Steve Bell & Ted-70

9) Jean Bell & Flare-67

10) Victoria Renz & Kip-67 (tie broken based on outwork)

 

Nov/Nov (Sunday-29 Runs-Possible Score 90)

1) Victoria Renz & Kip-87

2) Bob Modica & Jimmy-77

3) William Hurd & Nick-75

4) Joanne Murphy & Lady-75 (tie broken based on outwork)

5) Rebecca Shouse & Rick-73

6) Julie Poudrier & Willow-73

7) Robert Luckadoo & Nip-72

8) Joanne Murphy & Maude-71

9) Julie Poudrier & Boy-71

10) Tony Luper & Ruabh-70

 

OVERALL Nov/Nov CHAMPION- Victoria Renz with Kip - Total 154

RESERVE Nov/Nov CHAMPION- Rebecca Shouse with Rick - Total 151

 

 

Pro/Nov (Saturday-24 Runs-Possible Score 90)

1) Angie Myers & Joe-79

2) Angie Myers & Tess-77

3) Jim Murphy & Megan-71

4) Dee Lee & Cap-71(tie broken based on outwork)

5) Jim Murphy & Duke-68

6) Colin Campbell & Scout-65

7) Verna Krammes & Tass-58

8) Bob Modica & Hope-58 (tie broken based on outwork)

9) Jason Hunt & Zip-55

10) Jim Murphy & Kit-53

 

Pro/Nov (Sunday-17 runs-Possible Score 90)

1) Robert Kirila & Gael-78

2) Jim Murphy & Megan-73

3) Earl Warrick & Dot-71

4) Carol Calhoun & Bill-68

5) Verna Krammes & Tass-66

6) Bob Modica & Hope-65

7) Jim Murphy & Kit-63

8) Jim Murphy & Duke-55

9) Jason Hunt & Zip-55 (tie broken based on outwork)

10) Colin Campbell & Scout-50

 

OVERALL Pro/Nov CHAMPION-Jim Murphy with Megan - Total 144

RESERVE Pro/Nov CHAMPION-Bob Modica with Hope - Total 133

 

Open Ranch (Saturday-17 Runs-Possible Score 90)

1) Joan Stout & Rip-71

2) Colin Cleer & Leroy-71 (tie based on outwork)

3) Joan Stout & Cap-65

4) Bill Scully & Kip-64

5) Dee Lee & Nel-60

6) Bill Scully & Spot-55

 

Open Ranch (Sunday-10 Runs-Possible Score 90)

1) Verna Krammes & Willow-68

2) Joan Stout & Cap-67

3) Colin Cleer & Leroy-62

4) Joan Stout & Kip-56

5) Myra Soden & Hemp-46

 

OVERALL Open Ranch CHAMPION-Colin Cleer with Leroy-133

RESERVE Open Ranch CHAMPION-Joan Stout with Cap-132

 

136 Total Runs over two days

[Guest Charles Torre]

I see that our own Julie Poudrier is showing up more and more in the trial results, such as found above. Nice job. I would be interested in hearing a detailed account of each run you had in the trial. Willing?

 

-charlie

[juliepoudrier]

Hey Charlie,

Are you calling on me to embarrass myself in public? Remember, you're getting this synopsis from a novice viewpoint....

 

Before I tell you what I can remember about my runs, I have to second Nancy Jackson's thanks to Colin and Kent, and also Steve and Nancy Clendenin. Trials at Steve's are always great fun, and are especially nice for those of us who live on the coast and don't have access to hilly terrain. Right before the pro-novice handler's meeting Colin very kindly gave us tips on how he trains his dogs to work as a brace (he sets out with two dogs). At Steve's, competitors are given their score cards after the class has finished, and Kent was very nice to have provided comments on where points came off and positive comments about our runs/dogs as well! He made it a good learning experience. Steve and Nancy are great hosts, and they ordered up lovely weather. Even those of us who were brave enough to camp out in tents didn't suffer too badly either night! And thanks should go to Nancy Jackson as well for her announcing and for keeping things together even with all the last-minute write ins. Great job, Nancy!

 

As for my runs, I had some really good moments and some really awful moments. Fairly typical I suppose. Willow is still too tight on her outrun or our scores would have been even better. But she is coming along, and at least now she doesn't lock in on the sheep and then try to hold them to the set out person! On Saturday, Boy couldn't complete an outrun to save himself. The pressure was to the exhaust on the come bye side, but Colin was also standing to that side, and for some reason (actually I know the reason, but no need to get into it here) Boy did not want to pass him to get behind his sheep and lift them, and once he finally did get behind them, he didn't want to cover them, so overall our Saturday run was a disaster.

 

On Sunday, Boy was one of the first dogs to run. Since I knew he had a problem passing Colin, I decided to send him to the right. He did a gorgeous outrun, ending up nicely well behind the sheep. His lift was a little slow (the sheep were busy eating grain), but it was straight and we were right on line coming through the fetch gates. At Steve's the wear consists of a wear away from the post through one set of panels, then a "cross-wear" and through another set of panels, then back to the pen. Kent had made it clear that he wanted a real wear, that is, handler in front of the sheep and dog behind. (If I remember correctly, he said a proper wear was an important training tool and the ability to do a wear would be useful later on when it came time to shed and single,when you want your dog to hold the sheep to you without pushing them past you. Someone else who was there can amend that if I got it wrong.) I lost points on Saturday because Willow pushed the sheep past me once.

 

Anyway, back to Boy's awesome run. As we're doing the wear I know we are having a/the winning run. Everything was pretty perfect (at least compared to how the runs had gone on Saturday and so far on Sunday). Boy was awesome! And I was feeling great! But then me, the supposed handler, mucked it up. the sheep were in the entrance--a small flank to the right for Boy and I knew we had it! So what did I do? Not once, but THREE TIMES, I gave Boy the WRONG flank!!! He didn't take it, being more intelligent than his handler, but the small pause in the flow before my brain actually kicked in was enough for the sheep to decide that they could move toward the exhaust--at which point my stupidity finally dawned on me (much to the amusement of the spectators no doubt)--too late of course. I did flank Boy to catch them and had scooped them back around to the pen entrance and had Boy in the right spot to push them in, but the timer bell caught me. I am still kicking myself over that. Boy gave such a great run and I blew it!

 

But even better than that was that I ran both dogs noncompete in pronovice. (Note: BIG brag coming!) The other high point of my weekend (besides Boy's run on Sunday) was the beautiful drive Willow did on Saturday. And I had to show everyone (and tell y'all) what Kent's comments on my score card said: Willow had the best drive in all of pronovice and had we been competing, we would have won the class! Of course, she went in to her "I know what I'm doing and I don't need to listen to you" mode on Sunday and did not repeat her Saturday success, but even so, I can see that both dogs are making progress, and for me, that's what counts. Boy has not been as willing to push as much as Willow when driving (she's a natural driving dog), but at least he did a credible job (with assistance from me) on both days. Yes, the poor dog will allow me to assist even though I screw things up on a regular basis!

 

The classes were a good size, and there were some really nice runs at all levels. The open ranch class is always fun (at least for the spectators) because part of it is blind (dog can't see sheep), and when the dog crosses the hill crest and can finally see the sheep, then the handler can't see the dog. Both Steve C. and Kent noted that the competition in our area has increased dramatically! I saw old friends and met at least one other person who sometimes writes on these boards.

 

Anyway, both Boy and Willow have been having some success lately (if you forget the ABC trial, which I'd like to do), and I'm hoping we'll soon be moving up to pronovice (I just have to learn my left from my right)!

 

J.

 

[This message has been edited by juliepoudrier (edited 11-13-2001).]

 

[This message has been edited by juliepoudrier (edited 11-13-2001).]

[Deacon Dog]

Another thanks to everyone who helped put on the trial.

 

This was my first time competing. I had a great time, succeeded in my goal to get around the course and was very proud of the way my dog Ruabh reacted to some new situations. I also learned a lot helping Colin with the set-out work.

 

It was nice meeting several people who post on this board including Julie.

 

Tony Luper

Summerfield, NC

[Guest Charles Torre]

Julie: Thanks for the great report. It contained all the gory details I was curious about. The novice point of view is the one I wanted!

 

And yes, I was asking you to embarass yourself in public. My request was a bargain... when you consider that we pay good money to embarass ourselves at trials.

 

I know how you feel about the pilot error at the pen with Boy. The first time I decided to stay at the post for the little novice drive we have here, we hit the drive panels and made a perfect turn toward the pen. I was so amazed at my good fortune that I forgot to walk over to the pen until the sheep were just passing it by. I timed out pretty much like you described, with the sheep finally gathered back in the mouth of the pen. Oh well, it was an education.

 

Your trials there in NC sound great. I am coming to Durham this December, but I don't expect I'll be toting any dogs, unfortunately.

 

Tell me, how big was the trial course where you were?

[juliepoudrier]

Charlie,

I don't know how big the trial course was, to be honest. I'll have to ask someone who would know.... I think the ranch/open outrun is something like 350 yards, but obviously novice and pro-nov are much shorter. I'll ask and get back to you on that.

 

For the pro-nov class, with the lay of the land at Steve's it was actually better not to leave the post as soon as the sheep turned the panel because if you head toward the pen early, then you lose sight of dog and sheep. Given that I and my dogs are beginners, I decided to take my chances at beating the sheep to the pen and stayed at the post until Willow had the sheep where I could see them.

 

Oh, and I forgot to tell you that one time I opened the pen and forgot to grab the rope, but I think that was for Boy's disaster run on Saturday, so it's not as if my oversight actually made things worse!

 

Steve really does put on great novice (and open) trials. But then again, I can't complain about any of the trials that I attend in both VA and NC. We really do have a great group of dogs, handlers, and trial hosts in this part of the world.

 

I have just moved, again, and so now get home well after dark. The poor dogs aren't getting worked much and we have a trial this Fri/Sat on sheep who are rather unused to being worked by dogs. It should be interesting. At least I can say (for the most part) that I have gained plenty of stock sense in the past year, and hopefully I won't make any egregious errors. Too bad I won't have the opportunity to try my hand at the pro-nov course again, but I guess I'll get there soon enough!

 

Too bad you can't bring your dogs to Durham--you could probably find someplace to work them.... I have to head out that way around Christmas (to Reidsville) to carry some chickens to my niece and nephew.

 

J.

[Guest Charles Torre]

I'll call your embarassing story and raise you one...

 

In one of my first trials I was so nervous that I forgot to check how/where the pen opened before starting my run. I had a great run going and I got to the pen and somehow I just assumed that the side I was at was the side that was the gate to the pen. I pushed, pulled, tugged, shook but couldn't get it open. At our trials, nobody minds calling a little help to the novices; but nobody said anything. (Well, I think there was some snickering, but nobody would admit to it later.) My brilliant solution? Walk around to the side of the pen with the gate? No! I removed the metal pins holding the panel in place at one corner and made my own gate! I should have gotten extra points since (1) I made my own gate, (2) I somehow kept the pen from collapsing (due to its deconstruction) by holding it with hands, legs, crook, whatever, (3) while Jen and I successfully penned the sheep.

 

I can't remember how I got scored for that one. What are the rules for handler disassembling the pen?

 

-charlie

 

 

 

[This message has been edited by Charles Torre (edited 11-19-2001).]

[juliepoudrier]

That's pretty funny! If I don't do anything else at the handler's meeting, I always go check to see how the pen opens. Anyway, I think I would have given you points for creativity and quick thinking!

 

At the ABC trial, it was so windy that handlers were having a hard time securing the gate after their run. I got to the pen (don't ask me how--it wasn't pretty) only to find the rope wrapped so many times that I thought I'd never get it open--not to mention that the sheep took the opportunity my struggles provided them to run away!

 

Isn't trialling great and fun?

 

J.

 

[This message has been edited by juliepoudrier (edited 11-19-2001).]