Sleddin and Sheddin
The month of December is always so busy at school. Christmas programs, mid year testing, trip to the old folks home, Christmas projects, staff party as well as trying to get to a good stopping point in the curriculum with children whose minds are already partially gone on break. Oh, and preparing report cards so that the Friday before break I don't have to go in. I made it and enjoyed having that Friday to rest up a bit and get a little practice in before the Sleddin and Sheddin trial in Parma.
Rooster and I were 30th to run, so I had a bit of a leisurely morning to drive down, which was nice. It was such a contrast in weather. Up at my house we had snow on the ground and mid 20's to bare ground and 47 degrees. It was warmer down in Parma, but the wind was howling and cold! Five billion layers and it was fine. Ha! Rooster and I have trialed in Pro/Novice on this field several times before. I used Rooster, once, to help with set out and then after that he wanted to get stuck on set out, then after being recalled, going on his way. I decided to try sending come bye and for the first time in a very long time, he came in under his sheep, crossing over. Yikes, all of our outrun points, but one gone. There are several reasons he might have done this, it's tighter on that side, the set person was on that side and the sheep are much lighter than we practice on and they our last two trials had been on, creating the perfect storm of pressure, or at least that's my postulation. The rest of the run wasn't to bad, we made all three panels and made it to the shed ring. We struggled to set it up and did get a shed, but it was outside the ring! Darn it! We kept trying until time was called.
Click to viewSunday it was in the teens when I left home around 9 and 40's down below. So weird! We got down there about five runs before ours. Yikes! That's a bit close! It was pen then a single off either end. I sent Rooster away and he visited the set out again. He came off really easily, so I'm thinking he's about given up on that idea. Usually Rooster is very thoughtful at the top. Not this time! He came in pretty fast and the first part of the fetch was kinda crazy. We got three out of the four through the fetch panels and I got him settled down. By then, one of the ewes was upset, probably by Rooster. She jumped the shed ring markers twice! Ha! Made the drive away panels, but our upset ewe took off with her buddies in tow across towards the drive panels. I stopped Rooster to see if they would slow down, nope. Roundy, roundy the pen, but got them in. Got them in the shed ring and we got a moving shed! Zero points off! I'm pretty proud of that one. Very fun!
Now we wait to trial until the spring. We'll be ready!