This past weekend was the Woolly Winds novice trial.  I entered Dan and I in ranch.  I could not get away to an open trial (my house sitter was away), so I made the drive forth and back each day, which was exhausting, but I am glad I went.

Dan had never run at this field.  On Saturday, the course was a fetch, and then, back through the fetch panels and then a loooooong way ahead past them and up a rise to another set of panels on the right, basically a dog leg.  Well, it was a looooong way- did I say that?  Anyway, Dan got them to me, but I did not stop him at the top and I did not like him pushing them so hard, and we turned the post, got the first set of panels, and tried for the panels in the abyss, but did not make them.  Got a good pen.  When we were done I was sufficiently humbled.  Not easy- it was very hard, and I was proud of Dan just doing what I asked at that distance. 

The next day, it was a regular course, with an open chute instead of the pen.  This time I stopped Dan at the top (he did), but then again, no stop on the fetch.  We missed the fetch panels because of it.  Guess who gets remedial work on stopping on the fetch this week?  Anyway, we had a nice turn at the post, got the drive away panels and attempted the cross drives a few times, but I think an UFO had landed near there, because Dan sniffed and peed...  actually, I think he was feeling stressed, or there was a bitch in heat, but anyway, he got back to work and we brought them back on a good line to the chute and we got the chute- even though the last ewe decided she might not want to go in- she did (thank you sheep Gods).  So, not great work, but in the end we ended up with a fourth on Sat and a second on Sunday.

I was super stoked about how Dan's litter mates did.  His brother Ben tied for first on Saturday, but lost in the run-off, so he ended up second, and his sister Meg won on Sunday.  Cumulative points were 1, 2 and 3 for all three litter mates.  Nice litter that one was.    I keep flip flopping as to who I like more- Ben or Meg.  They are both very good in different ways.  Dan is a mix of both.  Very neat to be able to see litter mates compete against each other, especially for the breeder, I bet.

Today I have to exercise Joe and Dan a fair bit, they are extremely bored, especially Joe.  I have to also clean the house....

Oh, the other bit of news... On Saturday after the trial I had let the dogs out and was cleaning up the yard.  I saw a mushroom and kicked it over, as I never know which mushrooms are poisonous.  Only this was not a mushroom, it was a BAT.  The bat flipped over on it's back and went " eeee eeee eeee!!!!!!!!!!!" at me, and all I could see were teeth.   I yelled at the dogs to get away, and got a shovel and it took some doing, but I got it on the shovel - all the while it's really loud and mad at me, and hurled it over the fence.    I called the Dept of Health and was told that yes, this Bat probably had Rabies, as paralysis is the hallmark sign of Rabies in bats at least.  I am very glad all my animals are vaccinated- a really good reminder that even if your animals are in their own yards, Rabies can still come for them... Scary stuff....