MacDonald's Winter Trial

From Sue MacDonald. I will do my blog on this later this weekend with photos.

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I hate to always start our trial results with WOW, but WOW! How about that weather yesterday?!?! It was just like a beautiful spring day in the middle of January, wasn't it? Gorgeous! Sun, blue sky, 50's, just doesn't get any better then that. We had two great judges, Jo Ferguson judged the open and Pro Novice and Bonnie Block judged the Ranch and Novice Novice. Thank you to both! Also thanks to EVERYONE that helped set sheep and scribe. You did a great job and kept things rolling right along. Without your help, we would have been running in the dark!

Thanks to Norm and Heidi for always filling in the blanks, Bob for filling in (and he doesn't even come with a dog to run!). Thank you one and all.

We started out with open so ran Judy Norris' hair sheep for that class.

We ran 4 sheep, basically a normal course with a right hand drive and a chute that was straight but had a large open space (for sheep escape) on either side half way down each side. We hadn't put a wing on one side of the entrance and should have.... hind sight. We gave the handlers the option of which side they could stand and it seemed to be about 50-50 as the class went on. You had to have ALL the sheep get started in the chute, but if they squirted out the sides you would just carry on to the shed with major point deductions. Needless to say, not many got the chute completed. We had 8 minutes on a fairly short course and 100 points possible.

1. Diane Pagel and Nan 0-0-4-14-0-0 82 Beautiful run and did get the chute perfect!

2. Ron Green and Tigr 2-0-4-8-1-10 75 also doing a great job on the chute!

3. Maggi McClure and Kep 0-0-3-6-10-10 71 without a chute or shed!!!

4. Maggi McClure and Lil 2-0-10-10-0-10 68 got the chute but not enough time to get the shed done.

5. Ron Green and Kane 1-0-2-10-10-10 67 Ron you are just getting better and better with your dogs!

6. Diane Pagel and Lucy 1-1-6-14-1-10 67 Monique, hurry home, Diane's running your dog again!!!

7. Brian Ricards and Mig 1-0-2-13-8-10 66

8. Karen Mohney and Grit 5-0-3-8-10-10 64 WAY TO GO KAREN!!!

9. Lora Withnell and Sally 1-1-3-13-10-10 62

10. George Mac and Huck 3-1-3-12-10-10 61

11.Diane Pagel and Roo 3-2-9-5-10-10 61

12. Heidi Hanson and Pete 1-0-5-15-10-10 59 Heidi just joined the 'wrong way drive club'.... she did catch herself though!

13. Lynne Green and Kurt 0-0-7-15-9-10 59 Poor Lynne was first out, so sorry Lynne....

14. Sue MacDonald and Jan 1-0-8-12-10-10 59

15. George Mac and Chris 5-0-7-9-10-10 59

16. Bob Hickman and Mojo 1-1-6-16-10-10 56 Bob just had open heart surgery at Christmas time and here he is, running dogs already!!! Way to go Bob. Nice to see you back on the trial field! Bet you're whipped today though...

17. Brian Ricards and doc 17-2-3-12-4-10 52 What the heck happened???

18. Sue MacDonald and Blitz 3-2-9-21-4-10 51 rescue dog owned and loved by Vicki Romero. Very nice dog Vicki!

19. Sue MacDonald and Bess 4-1-15-13-10-10 47 what the heck happened?

Well, I can answer that one.... handler a sleep at the post or possibly brain dead.... take your pick :-) 20. Karen Mohney and Ajax 2-0-12-21-10-10 45 21. Bonnie Block and Dan 10-0-8-22-10-10 40 did you all hear?, Bonnie has a new dog named Gull (how appropriate is that!?!?

So we jetted right into the Pro Novice class, counting the hours until dark. Same course but we put a wing on the chute, shortened the drives a bit and no shed, of course. 90 Points possible.

1. Karen Mohney and Maverick 1-2-3-6-3 75 WOO WHO Karen! Nice job!

2. Sandy Johnson and Troy 1-2-3-9-3 72 Nice to see you again Sandy. It's been a while....

3. Lora Withnell and Nell 2-1-4-8-4 71 Nice dog Lora!

4. Linda DeJong and Pooka 0-0-8-6-4 71 Way to go Linda! She just gets better and better doesn't she?

5. Corinne Berg and Tay 1-3-5-6-4 71

6. Maggi McClure and Gwen 8-0-4-7-4 67

7. Dick Wilson and Raygan 3-1-5-7-10 64 check out Dick's website http://onlyoneroad.com/

8. Becki Maloney and Kirby 1-0-6-10-10 63

9. Diane Pagel and Faye 1-3-11-4-10 61

10. Sandy Johnson and Nell 1-1-10-14-4 60 11. Susan Crocker and Zen 4-2-4-18-3 59

12. Erin O'Brien and Z 8-2-6-9-9 56 off to Kentucky soon!

13. Janet Thorpe and Scott 8-2-10-14-4 52

14. Judy Norris and Glee 0-1-9-19-10 51 thanks for the sheep! Checks in the mail...

15. Kathy Rivers and Mick 9-3-5-13-10 50 Way to go Kathy! Never give up!!!

16. Bob Hickman and Trooper 14-3-9-10-4 50

17. Pamela Harding and Caymus 3-0-7-21-10 49 also a rescue dog.... you go girl. Great job!

18. Judy Norris and Kasey 4-3-12-23-4 44

19. Norm Rivers and Scotia 2-2-7-30-10 39 thanks for all your help. Just for your info... two ram lambs, both black.

20. Vicki Romero and Blitz 3-3-14-27-4 51 Got through the course!!!

21. John Knepper and Rail 2-2-12-30-10 34 Been doing your homework!

22. Trudy Vickland and Tick 10-4-4-30-10 32 one of two aussie's running this week end. Good to see you again Trudy@!

23. Sue MacDonald and Jackie 10-5-18-25-2 30 with time, this too will pass... some day we're going to knock some socks off!

24. Randy Curless and Moose 8-4-16-30-10 22 Randy comes from Idaho.... brave man or maybe he likes us!!!

25. John Knepper and Teton 19-10-15-26-3 16 Another Aussie and a nice one!!! She LOOKS like a working dog.

26. Vicki Romero and Skye 2-2-5- RT

27. Jeanne Beaudrieu and Rocky 2-3-12-10 DQ what's this?????

28.Lora Withnell and Bella 6-0-14 DQ you too????

29. Susan Crocker and Rani 19-5- RT

Okay, time is getting short and we have to change course and judges.

Bonnie Block got on the judges stand and the course was changed very quickly! Short drive away and very short cross drive, same chute but the side holes were closed up... Also sheep were changes to the MacDonald's home flock. Everyone got three sheep, two Blackies and a coop(or equivalent) 80 points possible.

1. Diane Pagel and Faye 5-1-4-4-6 60 Since Diane also ran this dog in Pro Novice, she is not eligible for WASH points with this run... but still.... a very nice go!!!

2. Norm Rivers and Lana 1-2-4-13-2 58 Woo Whoo Norm, way to go!

3. Becki Maloney and Finn 3-4-8-10-0 55

4. Ron Fischer and Steve 2-3-10-19-1 45

5. Kathleen Torkelson and Emma 5-6-7-12-6 44

6. John Knepper and Rail 6-4-9-16-1 44 you really need to join our WASH club.

7. Ron Green and Ruby 5-2-12-14-10 37

8. John Knepper and Teton 19-2-8-19-0 32

9. Randy Curless and Moose 4-1-14-20-10 31
10. Jo Ferguson and Gage 8-6-5- Rt

11. Bob Hickman and Ryder 3-5-14-RT

12. George Mac and Nap 4-4-17- RT

13. Jeanne Beaudrieu and Moses 7-3-12 RT

Last class of the day was the Novice Novice. We had several first timers. Sorry I wasn't able to be down at your end to be able to talk to you, but someone has to set sheep! Hope to see you all again soon!

Bonnie still judging and teams only had a short outrun left fetch and chute. 60 points possible

1. Jeanne Beaudreiu and Moses 5-2-2-0 51 beautiful run Won't count for WASH points as she ran in Ranch also, but beautiful!

2. Jane Hickman and Rachel 4-3-2-1 50 Look out Bob, Jane's coming on strong!!!

3. Barbara Caswell and Alice 4-3-2-7 44 Sorry I didn't get to meet you. I'll make a bigger effort to meet you next time. Nice run!

4. Jennie McInnis and Elsa 8-7-6-7 32 Again sorry I didn't get to meet you. I WILL catch you next time.

5. Cindy Baker and Kael 8-7-5-0 40 this was a non compete run and things are looking good Cindy!

6. Vicki Romero and Jess 3-6-16 RT

7. Paul Murray and Koz 5-4-15 RT Our only ACD this time. Nice dog Paul and it was nice to meet you. Hope you come again!

8. T Yamamoto and Sweep (the broom) 5-8- RT a little different then moving sheep and goats around Vashon Island. Hope you had fun though! Nice to see you again T!

9. Vicki Romero and Zoe 10-5 Rt another rescue dog... lot's of potential but will need a lot of time to get confidence and trust in people again.... Good work Vicki. You are helping her with that!!!

Well, that's it! Thanks again for your support. DON'T forget the last winter trial this year at Susan Crocker's on Feb. 7th. We have a major surprise for you there. Entries are now open, send them to Susan!

Our next trials will be in the summer, Memorial day week end and the last week end in June. We have our judges now also!!! Ray Crabtree has agreed to judge our Memorial Day week end trial and Fiona McMillian of Scotland will be judging our June trial and also Whidbey Island Classic the week end before our June trial. See you all SOON!!!

Sue and George