Wow, I can't believe how long it has been since I have updated. Not sure I will remember everything, but will try....
Let's see... lambing went well this year, lots of twins. We did have some rudely cold weather, and one of those days, we had a set of twins born when it was -15 degrees out (not wind chill, just air temp). Those lambs did well. Nothing like good deep straw to keep them warm. Toward the end of lambing I had to have some what emergency abdominal surgery. I had one night in the hospital and of course two ewes decided to have lambs.. thankfully the folks I hired to care for them took excellent care of the sheep and I was able to stop by the next day and jug the new mothers and their lambs. I was not supposed to do anything for about six weeks, but four days after my surgery I was cleaning the barn. I just cannot abide dirty pens...
So, we finished lambing and then I had a clinic. I had long wanted to have a clinic to work on not sheepdog training per se, but rather teaching your dog in a way that comes natural, and learning how to actually be on the same page as your dog. The clinic went well, and we were lucky to not have rain.
The no rain situation continued a bit long and the grass was very slow to come in. So slow that I brought them off the grass a few times.. it was very tenuous. Finally though, the grass did come in, and sheep were able to eat to their heart's content.
Trialing season started and Joe and I ran without success our first trial, but then in June we did fairly well. He won the ranch class at one trial. He came in 11th out of 105 dogs at an open trial. I was very proud that we finished it let alone placed. Then we ran at another open trial and got 7th. Joe is a great dog to work/trial with. He listens well has reasonable power and a very good gather. He's sort of all that and a bag of chips to me.
On other dog fronts, Johnny my just one year old in March of this year is coming along gangbusters now, and I am going to get him on whistles in the next few weeks. He loves to drive and has gone past his some what overly determined to have his way ideas.
I got a new puppy, her name is Jenny. She hails from Mike Davis in South Dakota. She is a real corker and keeps me on my toes (and Johnny who is her outside babysitter).
Other than that, the next thing for me is another trial, and then I am putting on another trial in September, at another field. It should be good, I hope!
