Mental, and trial report

What a busy few weeks it's been. I am knackered and just about shell shocked. I need rest, and lots of it, and just quiet.

Monday and Tuesday was the sheepdog trial at High Point Farm. On Monday morning, I got up nice and early and headed out. On a road just about 5 mins from my house, I came upon a dark brown animal walking in the road. Now, it was still a bit dim outside, so I squinted to see what it was... Was it a moose calf? No, as I got closer, I saw that it was a Donkey. I slowed down, and he then walked in front of my car. I then had to get out to shoo him away. I then called 911, and told them there was a Donkey in the road. She said she would send her partner. Then, I called the local country radio station.

I actually got the dj, and he aired the conversation on the radio. Here's how it went:
"Hi, my name's Julie, I listen to you every morning. I Just wanted to give a shout out to anyone who may be missing a Donkey- there is a Donkey walking up North Quaker road" The dj then said "Wait, you are kidding, you mean to tell me there is a Jack Ass in the middle of the road?" To which I replied "Yes, and it's a Monday, so people don't have patience for it". I've no idea how it turned out for said Donkey, but he had a bite from a horse on his butt, so maybe he left to find some folks who DO like him....

So, I continue on my way, and then I hear on the radio that the northbound lanes of the Thruway are closed down, due to a tractor trailer roll over. Great. I think, well, I have the GPS, that will get me through- NOT. We all had to get off, and then my gps took me on a BIG circle back where I started... Finally back on the thruway past the accident, and then, two different times, I was cut off and had to go on the shoulder. What an eventful trip.

When I got there, Nursery was done, and Ranch was well into it.

It was a good trial, and there was a mentor program going on, where you get paired with an open handler, and basically learn the ropes. I was paired with a nice woman named Pat, and we went up top to help set out. That was cool. We also judged some Ranch runs, and saw how they compared to what the judge scored. Neat too!

Then, it was time to run Lucy. I stood and watched a few runs, and Lucy was quite calm. She lay behind me, totally in the zone. We walked out there, and I sent her away. She had a good outrun and lift, and she stopped where I asked on the fetch. We had trouble at the turn at the post, but that was because I forgot which way to go. She drove well, but my sheep were spreading out, and we had to keep them together, and we lost points on our lines. She got them past the gates, and it was a turn into the field, and Lucy finally, on third request took her away flank, brought them back around, and I got the pen open in a lot of extra time, and then two went in with a straggler behind, and Lucy did just the right thing and we got them in. It was such a nice calm run.

We lost almost all our drive points by the wrong turn at the post, and the spreading out of the sheep, and the past the gates by a bit too much at the drive away, but all in all, it was a very good run for us.

We walked off the field and the judge made a nice comment, and then, a bunch of other people made comments too- people that normally don't speak to me. I think they were shocked, that Lucy was not "mental" and hyped up out there. Too bad it wasn't on tape.

Tuesday was a different story. She did not lay down on the fetch, the sheep were already sick of this stuff by their fourth day, and even though we got them around the post, Lucy was an idiot, and I retired, and ran out at her, WAY angry. No more garbage from her.

I did have a mini mental break down when I began to think about Tucker again. I have to get over this. I was crying, and I don't like to do that in public...

I was so tired when I got home, that I couldn't sleep- really. Finally, I got to sleep and woke up to a nice day, no humidity, and cool.

Well, that's it for now...