So it was a hectic but awesome weekend...however I'm just realizing that I hardly took a photo!
Saturday afternoon Neena and I participated in an agility demonstration for the Humane Society. Due to an unfortunate incident involving a mole on the sole of my foot, a scalpel and a needle, I haven't been able to work Neena...but I wanted her to have the experience before the 'BIG TRIAL' in September so my pal Amanda ran her for me. Amanda thought Neena might velcro to me and not run for her, but Neena absolutely loves Amanda and I was pretty sure she'd do fine. I was so proud of her, she did the teeter all on her own and for another person! WOW! It was really great to be able to watch what Neena can do, usually when I'm running with her I'm so busy trying not to fall on my face or lose my way that I really don't have time to focus on the details.
Saturday evening it was back to the races...we were short-staffed, and with my bum foot I wasn't really up for my normal 'pit-boss' job...so I ended up flagging! Let me tell you, I'm a bit of an adrenaline junkie and I definately got my fix that night! We are nearing the end of the season and these guys are racing for championships...if I screwed up I could cost them a title! The responsiblity alone was giving me high blood pressure, by the end of the mod main I was literally shaking hahahaha! Bet they didn't really want to know that...
Flagging is an interesting job...you are never going to make everyone happy! In fact I was told by some a pit member that it was the worst flagging they had ever seen (that's ok...I have my own opinions about said person). I know I made some mistakes, but its harder than it looks and for a rookie I think I did a pretty decent job. It was super fun...but I definately don't need that responsiblity every weekend!
Sunday I had offered to help at the Canadian Border Collie Finals in Okotoks. Neena and I dabble in herding, she LOVES chasing sheep! But I really have no idea what the heck I'm doing! My first (and only) herding trial experience was when I watched a video of Jenny Glen and her dog Lad compete at the Calgary Stampede this year...I thought that was super amazing. But the double lift finals yesterday almost made me pee my pants!
A little fun Jen fact for you...I hate sheep! I think they are stupid, flighty and unpredictable...I don't even like how they taste and wool is itchy. In fact herding gives sheep the ONLY reason for existance in my mind lol!
As I said, I know next to nothing about herding, the best explanation I can give for a double lift is the dog has to fetch 2 groups of sheep back to the handler, and these sheep are set A LONG way away from the handler...in fact sometimes it was hard to see the dog!
Once the dog has collected the sheep the handler directs the sheep & dog through a course and then back to the handler...that alone is pretty amazing/hard/mind-blowing. NOW the handler/dog has to shed 5 marked sheep out of the group in the middle of the field without going 'out of bounds'. These people have PATIENCE, skill and intelligence! I'm a decent cattle handler, and like I said in my honest opinion sheep are stupid, flighty & unpredictable! I have a huge amount of respect for what these teams do!
IF they managed to complete the shed the final challenge was to pen the sheep in these itty bitty pen (have you ever tried to put ANY untrained animal in an itty bitty pen? Good Luck!). Finally, to add to the challenge (hahahah) all of this had a 25 minute time limit. To give you a better idea just how hard this is there were 14 teams in the finals yesterday...these are the best of the best...in CANADA! And although a few came close not one successfully penned their sheep.
STANDING OVATION TO ALL THE HANDLERS/DOGS *CLAP CLAP CLAP*...YOU GUYS ARE AMAZING!
So I'll leave you with a couple really bad photo's lol!
Saturday afternoon Neena and I participated in an agility demonstration for the Humane Society. Due to an unfortunate incident involving a mole on the sole of my foot, a scalpel and a needle, I haven't been able to work Neena...but I wanted her to have the experience before the 'BIG TRIAL' in September so my pal Amanda ran her for me. Amanda thought Neena might velcro to me and not run for her, but Neena absolutely loves Amanda and I was pretty sure she'd do fine. I was so proud of her, she did the teeter all on her own and for another person! WOW! It was really great to be able to watch what Neena can do, usually when I'm running with her I'm so busy trying not to fall on my face or lose my way that I really don't have time to focus on the details.
Saturday evening it was back to the races...we were short-staffed, and with my bum foot I wasn't really up for my normal 'pit-boss' job...so I ended up flagging! Let me tell you, I'm a bit of an adrenaline junkie and I definately got my fix that night! We are nearing the end of the season and these guys are racing for championships...if I screwed up I could cost them a title! The responsiblity alone was giving me high blood pressure, by the end of the mod main I was literally shaking hahahaha! Bet they didn't really want to know that...
Flagging is an interesting job...you are never going to make everyone happy! In fact I was told by some a pit member that it was the worst flagging they had ever seen (that's ok...I have my own opinions about said person). I know I made some mistakes, but its harder than it looks and for a rookie I think I did a pretty decent job. It was super fun...but I definately don't need that responsiblity every weekend!
Sunday I had offered to help at the Canadian Border Collie Finals in Okotoks. Neena and I dabble in herding, she LOVES chasing sheep! But I really have no idea what the heck I'm doing! My first (and only) herding trial experience was when I watched a video of Jenny Glen and her dog Lad compete at the Calgary Stampede this year...I thought that was super amazing. But the double lift finals yesterday almost made me pee my pants!
A little fun Jen fact for you...I hate sheep! I think they are stupid, flighty and unpredictable...I don't even like how they taste and wool is itchy. In fact herding gives sheep the ONLY reason for existance in my mind lol!
As I said, I know next to nothing about herding, the best explanation I can give for a double lift is the dog has to fetch 2 groups of sheep back to the handler, and these sheep are set A LONG way away from the handler...in fact sometimes it was hard to see the dog!
Once the dog has collected the sheep the handler directs the sheep & dog through a course and then back to the handler...that alone is pretty amazing/hard/mind-blowing. NOW the handler/dog has to shed 5 marked sheep out of the group in the middle of the field without going 'out of bounds'. These people have PATIENCE, skill and intelligence! I'm a decent cattle handler, and like I said in my honest opinion sheep are stupid, flighty & unpredictable! I have a huge amount of respect for what these teams do!
IF they managed to complete the shed the final challenge was to pen the sheep in these itty bitty pen (have you ever tried to put ANY untrained animal in an itty bitty pen? Good Luck!). Finally, to add to the challenge (hahahah) all of this had a 25 minute time limit. To give you a better idea just how hard this is there were 14 teams in the finals yesterday...these are the best of the best...in CANADA! And although a few came close not one successfully penned their sheep.
STANDING OVATION TO ALL THE HANDLERS/DOGS *CLAP CLAP CLAP*...YOU GUYS ARE AMAZING!
So I'll leave you with a couple really bad photo's lol!
lol your photos rock.... :o)
ReplyDeleteso what is flagging? and why is it hard?
you could practice flagging at agility practice :)\
ReplyDeletep.s. i still can't believe you had to sit under a corgi umbrella, i would have taken the sunburn :)
Flagging is pretty much like playing referee...its hard because you have to make judgment calls very quickly...and sometimes without enough information. And someone ALWAYS feels like you screwed them over lol!
ReplyDeleteI didn't actually sit UNDER the corgi umbrella...but it was embarassing just to be seen WITH the corgi umbrella LOL!
Wool is itchy? You are just buying itchy wool. I think I see a decent wool item in your future...
ReplyDelete