Today we watched the double lift finals as each competitor ran for the place of International Supreme Champion, ultimately won by Fraser Shennan and Belle in a most fabulous display of teamwork from a skilled handler and talented dog. In their draw, there was one testy ewe, frustrating at times, but no doubt useful in showing the skill that Belle possessed in handling those situations. At no time during the run did Belle lose her temper, she worked with what she was given and made it look easy. The picture below shows just how incredible this dog is. At the pen, already encountering lots of pressure, Belle has a ewe that turns on her. This ewe wants to go anywhere but the pen, and she is letting Belle know just that. The ewe charged Belle and instead of shying away and turning her head, Belle holds steady, nipping the ewe on the nose in a display of who is truly in charge. Just one small nip is all it took, the ewe turned her head and the pen was soon completed, but perhaps the most amazing thing is how well Belle handled the situation. She was not phased, she knew exactly how to make the ewe go into the pen, and she did. If you zoom into the picture, you will notice how neutral and calm Belle’s tail is during the encounter. Belle is the perfect example of everything a working border collie should be. It was a well deserved win by a great dog.
Also taking place on day three of the International Sheepdog Trials was the Young Handler Competition. Four young handlers competed in this competition, a segment of the day to which I watched eagerly. These handlers all competed beautifully, showcasing their skill. It is really fun to see the young talent that emerges and I enjoyed seeing how each of these handlers coped with their different situations.
The first run of the young handlers, Andy Patrick Corrigan Jr, from the home nation of Ireland competed here with his dog, Cap. It was on this run that Mother Nature decided to let loose all she had, bringing the rain down so heavily it was hard to see at parts, there was even thunder and lightening as Corrigan and Cap were beginning their drive. Never did this rain, lightening, or thunder faze Corrigan or his dog. They continued on and won their class. Never did a bit of bad luck stop the hard working from achieving success!
Congratulations to Corrigan and Cap, and congratulations to all of the other young handlers as well, as each had a wonderful run. Below is the four young handlers at their awards ceremony.
As with new countries and foreign travels, there is always something that will pique your interest. Even at dog trials. For me, this was the driving competition.
In this, the handler and dog take fifty sheep, and drive them out nearly to where the first group was set for the double lift, completing almost six hundred yards of driving. This was basically the opposite of the lift in fetch, as the dog took the sheep in a straight line from the post to the fetch panels, then to the post that marked the set out for the double lift.
Can you see those little white specks in the distance in the picture above? Those sheep are still headed farther, being guided by Dean McAuley’s dog, Nan.
This was a really wonderful competition to watch, and I really think it is something that should be included in trials in the USA. Perhaps it is a good idea for a tie breaker?
The International was a wonderful trial to attend, and I hope I have the pleasure of watching it again in the future. The company was wonderful, and it was great to meet new friends and chat with those familiar faces as well.
The International had something for everybody, not just those of us sheep and dog enthusiasts!
Here’s a goose herding demonstration!
With the rides and the tents of those selling their goods, this reminded me a lot of the fair from back home! And although this field and the trial field were about a five minute walk apart, you could occasionally hear those happy screams of those on the rides from the trial field. Quite generally in a high pressure moment, perhaps for added suspense?
They even had alpacas! I suppose I’ve never heard an alpaca baa before, but I was quite surprised to find out that they sound like newborn lambs.
Once again. congratulations to Fraser Shennan and Belle for taking home the title of International Supreme Champion, and to Andy Patrick Corrigan Jr. and Cap for winning the young handler division for the International Sheepdog Trial, as both were well deserving.
Thank you to everybody who made the International Sheepdog Trial happen, it was truly a pleasure to have the opportunity to watch and learn from these handlers.
As a notice to everybody, there is a bunch of white space in between posts on the home page of the blog (where you see ‘read more’ under each heading). This is especially apparent on a phone, but each post is there, you simply have to keep scrolling. Also, I try to post every day, but some days I get home with only enough brain power to climb into bed, and others I don’t have wifi access, so I do apologize for any inconsistency, and I am very thankful that I get to share this experience with you. I have been loving reading the comments that you all have left on the posts.