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Thought it was time those of us on the left coast contributed something to this thread. I read about New Year's Day trials being cancelled different places but I have to brag about how tough (crazy) we are out here. The thermometer never got above freezing and with the 25 mile an hour winds it felt much colder than that but we built a big bon fire and toughed it out. 13 brave souls ran a total of 21 dogs and finished in time to devour an 18-1/2 pound prime rib along with great side dishes and scrumptious deserts. I think we do these trials for the good food that everyone brings!

 

Despite a few mishaps like me locking my keys in the pickup while doing set out, one dog taking a scenic tour of the Tulelake Basin (off a cliff), and two young dogs 'helping' on the field, we managed to survive the second in the State of Jefferson Winter series. Remember polar bear swims when we were young? Well this was definitely the polar bear trial!

 

Haley Howard made her debut as judge and did a terrific job and I am not just saying that because I won either! My dog definitely managed it without my help as I could barely whistle as my lips were frozen. Should have tried the brandy in the coffee before I ran, not after I got back to the warm house!

 

Geri

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Nice to hear from the other coast, Geri. I know that you mean about toughing it out in cold weather. We were blessed this New Years day here in SC with wonderful weather (Geri, I won't say just how nice). Renee and I really enjoyed the fun day at Joel's.

 

Mark (on vacation in SC)

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Welcome, Geri, and bring some more of the West Coasters onto activity on the boards! I noticed we were awfully East Coast heavy.

 

Sounds like your trial was great fun, at least in retrospect from inside a warm house after it's all over! I guess CA isn't all sunshine and beaches.

 

Mark, it was pretty nice here, too. Warm enough over the weekend to melt the snow off Cheat Lake so Ed could go kayaking yesterday. I've been wearing tee-shirts outside the last few days because anything more would be too much. What a treat!

 

Happy New Year to all, and to all the good dogs!

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Hey guys,

Just back from the Fogts' New Year's trials. If you've ever been there, it was held in the back soybean field. By midmorning Friday, there was a fast flowing river running over the culvert on the way in and the field was a sea of mud. Terry sank into the mud around the pen and couldn't pull her foot out. The outruns were loooong. Toby embarrassed the hell out of me by running up the middle of the field in pro-novice and locking onto the sheep at the top on his first run. Happily, he redeemed himself in his next three runs and came in third in Nursery both days--one place out of qualifying however. Sigh. Sooooo close.

A.

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OK, you guys are really cruel. Short sleeves and sunshine! California may be all sunshine and beaches but we try to pretend we aren't part of California up here in the State of Jefferson. I have attached a photo (I hope) that should show you what die hards we are. I am thinking that we should go after Carhartt for sponsorship.

newyearstrial.jpg

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Geri's exaggerating a bit about harshness the conditions, but I forgive her because she and Dan were kind enough to host us (and serve that fantastic prime rib!). It wasn't that cold, at least not up at setout. Maybe because the setout crew kept warm wrestling Geri's big fat stubborn woolies...! That or the fact that I had about 20 layers of clothes on. Good thing I didn't fall down; I'd have been cast.

 

The course was tricky, with the outrun causing depth perception problems with many of the dogs, and a diabolical crossdrive line. The shedding was particularly difficult as the sheep were wise to that gig. My personal victory was actually completing the course with my cowgirl Marti who is rarely allowed to work sheep in public. OK, we got the lowest score of the whole trial, but by golly we got it all done :rolleyes:

 

As for the photo, anybody recognize the ex-East Coastie out here getting her winter tan?

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Amy and Marti did a great job. They just got stubborn ones in the shedding ring. Unlike mine that were split into two groups of two for the entire course and could have been shed if the handler were blindfolded. Of course with my shedding skills, blindfolded might be better.:rolleyes:

 

So Sam, when are you coming out west to trial? Entries open tomorrow for the Sonoma Wine Country trial. It isn't margaritas but the wine from wine country is excellent and they have a huge raffle with lots of wine and prizes include wine.

 

Geri

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Eileen-

It is the State of Jefferson because in 1941 a movement was started for Northern California and Southern Oregon to split off and become the 49th state. Being independent farmers, loggers and fisherman, locals did not appreciate what Sacamento and Salem were doing. I believe it actually was headed to the congress as a serious issue but then Pearl Harbor was bombed and the State of Jefferson rebellion came to an end. You can see more of the history at http://jeffersonstate.com. We in the mountain border counties are still unhappy with Sacramento and Salem (the state capitols) and like to pretend we have our own state. The state of denial.

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Hey, A., I went to spectate for a few hours last year at Fogts' New Year's trial. It rained. Everybody was getting stuck in the mud in the parking lot field across the road. I almost made it out on my own but wound up having to have a push. The guys were kind and didn't mind - I was only driving a Focus! Sure easier to push than those big trucks and vans! So, maybe I've seen you and just didn't know!

 

I would have liked to see your cattle dog. My cattle-working dog stayed on my leash that day (and probably should do the same most other days - kidding, I absolutely love him but I'm a poor handler). Everybody calls him a her as he was neutered at six months and still has a "pretty" face. He's a Border Collie - you've got ACDs, don't you?

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I'm an East Coaster planning to become a West Coaster in about seven or eight months. What's all this talk about cold in California?!? Maybe I should invest in that down jacket with my Christmas money after all...

 

This is a stupid question, but are there regional variations in "handlers' tent" society and etiquette? One of the things I love about sheepdog trialing (and that makes it completely different from any other activity I've ever done with my dogs) is that there IS actually a handlers' tent, and everyone sits under it together so you get to know everyone pretty well. Or at least, that's the way it is on this coast, and I've wondered if it's different elsewhere.

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Well, Melanie, out here the 'handlers' tent' is really more of a concept than an actuality. We just bungee the EZ-Ups together and people sit in the shade (or out of the rain, as the case may be). At Sandy Milberg's Sonoma Wine Country Classic we all hide out in her great barn (where all the wine is). Except for the really big events like the Western States Regionals and the Soldier Hollow Classic, actual 'handlers' tents' are a rarity.

 

You had better invest in warm fogproof gear before your move to the Bay Area, by the way. Remember what Mark Twain said about the coldest winter he ever spent...it was a summer in San Francisco.

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Hey Geri

I would love to come out there, but now I am moving I dont think I will travel much this year. I was planning to do the "western circuit" in May, but I dont think I will make that or SD, though Robin swears I will change my mind in mid June. Maybe next year, I would love to come out and meet everyone...it is really neat to put faces to names...Any chance of you coming east again?

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Sam, congrats on your new place. I can't even imagine moving. I have always said the only way we would move is if the place burned down. Way too much junk! Hope lots of your friends are helping.

 

As far east as I am getting in the near future is Reno, and that isn't even dog related. I only have one open dog and a big trip isn't worth it for just one dog. Maybe if my young dog turns out...

 

Hey Amy, you up for a big road trip? It sounds like they have a lot of fun and better weather back east. Good thing our trial was yesterday and not today as it snowed all morning and we would not have been able to even see the sheep.

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Too bad, well I guess it will be up to us to come visit..Maybe next year when things settle down..as you said I am gonna be busy..thankfully, yes, I do have a bunch of super friends to help me out and we only moved here three years ago so not too much accumulated junk just yet...when we started thinking about this seriously a month ago, I went thru the house and threw away a full dumpsters worth of stuff every week, so now I have less to pack!

 

Oh and if you and Amy make a road trip, by all means come here..Steve gave me a Margarita pitcher and a bunch of glasses for Christmas...We could have a sheep party!

 

PS do you know if Michelle Howard kept that Mij dog I ran at the nursery finals? Or if she ever decided to get her?

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Hey Geri, I am always up for a road trip, but Sam...I don't do margaritas...learned my lesson on tequila (read: to kill ya) long ago. I will stick to vino, thanks very much.

 

Congrats on your new place. Did I hear you are bidding to host the 2006 Sheepdog Finals??

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