Clinics and trials

Brilliant weather and good company
(c) Jonna Paasila

Ned O´Keeffe 9-11.10
Elisa and Kari Kotikoski organized a clinic with Ned O´Keeffe again, this was the third time he was over this year. This time there were 7 dogs on the clinic, Ned knew us all from before which was good.
Last time we worked on the pace with Coel, this time we worked on calmer flanks. In the drive I start to get them right, to get them right when I´m preparing to shed still need a lot of work when he is way too fast there and frightens the sheep.
The weather was great, and we had a big bunch of about 100 ewe lambs, some dogs worked with a small bunch and some on the big flock. Ned is a demanding straight coach which I like, he digs out both handlers and dogs weak points, if you can take the straight feedback you will find pearls. He likes to play with the challening youngsters, so their sessions are often longer.
One afternoon we put up a small trial, this was good because I got to train trialling. Didn´t do any good, but managed still to keep the concentration.

Pop up -trials at Kotikoskis 24-25.11. Warning for cockalorum!
I was really happy when I heard about this, I have been working at the home field on the pace and flanks, so it was great to have the opportunity to test them at trials, before the Nordic Nurserys in Norway.

Saturday
The course was on a tricky field consisted of two fields with a big ditch between them. Outrun is about 300-350m, the first "fetch gate" was a brigde over the ditch and the line to the second fetch gate was dog legged to the left. If you are s shorty like me, you loose sight of the sheep and dog totally for maybe 20m when they come over the bridge and after that. The bridge is in a dip and some meters before it they have a strong draw to the left. If the sheep stops before the brigde, it´s really hard to see how they stand and what commands yuo should give the dog... You can´t push too much because then they are to scared to go over...if you don´t push, they won´t go either...or try to go along the ditch on the other side.

Trial 1
Rhy went first of my dogs and had an okay run I thought, drive a bit wobbly in the beginning and near to grip in the shed but didn´t. The judge seemed to like it though, so he got 101p which was in my opinion on the kind side
Coel had a good beginning and really good drive (27p), I think he was one of the few or the only one, who managed to make the sheep walk the whole drive. It was a bit slow so were timed out in the single, I was really happy with the drive.
Rhy won and Coel was 6th.

Because there weren´t that many dogs running, they decided to run an other class 3 (open), after class 2 and 1 were over.

Fog seems to suit Rhy
(c) Jessica Saukkonen

Trial 2
Coel run as third last, it started to be a bit dark and foggy, and the sheep were really testing. He managed to get them over the bridge, but there was a ewe challenging him...so before the first gate when he was preventing them to run to the exhausting pen for the third or fourth time, he got fed up and nipped the challening ewe. Thank you and good bye.
Rhy run as the last dog, I couldn´t see the sheep on the other side of the ditch at all because of the fog. Rhy had a really really good run, got 94p (?)
I think I have never ever had a run like this with Rhy, the sheep liked and trusted him totally (usually they are scared of him), he was smooth to both sheep and my handling and escorted the sheep gently trough the foggy course, the sheep were calm and me and Rhy were calm but concentrated. Jessica said it looked like the ewes had thrown their lives in Rhys paws, that they thought he was the only one on earth who could take them home safely.
Anyway, Rhy won again.

Jessica and Dew also had a really good run, but the bell rung as Dew came in and took the singled sheep. They really showed that they´ll be dangerous soon even if they still are unexperienced,  now they became second!


Sunday
Rhy run first of my dogs. He had a little issue before the brigde, after that okay, think he got 90p.
Coel, this time his run was brilliant. Perfect outrun and fetch, only two off the fetch. Super drive, 27p again, he just walks with the sheep, the turns around the gates were calm and smooth, perfect on lines,good shed. At the pen they stopped and Coel was nose to nose with a stroppy ewe, if I had told him to walk on there he might have gripped, so I took the preassure off and flanked him and started over and in they went. Good single, but he was starting to get a bit too excited...and I had to shout to prevent him to not "stop" the ewe harshly.
Coel won with 101p, and this time he had really earned his points! Rhy was second with 90p.

The sheep at Kotikoskis are brilliant, they are light to drive but they often test the dogs, they aren´t giving anything for free.

Outletting bunch for class 2

It might be that the training tools I have found with Ned´s help, have started to show now and it´s rewarding to see that at trials also. Like usually I will come down soon again, but now I´m gonna sip on this candy again for a few days!


The rest of the day I was setting out sheep with Elisa in class 1 and 2. It was raining now and then but we still had fun,  and it´s always interesting to see the dogs in the lower classes.  A lot of the dogs seemed to be scared of the sheep, they try to avoid lifting them or rushes in or chase them rather than walk up and lift them. People often wamts to train long outruns and trial, before their dogs are ready... And when they ask you why it isn´t working and you tell them what you think, that the dog is scared and tensed near the sheep, that they should train close work and bild up the dogs confidence first, they get mad at you...


James McGee clinic at Putkisalo 27-28.11

I knew of course who he was, everybody does, but I didn´t know him. World Trial 2011 in Cumbria, was the first really big trial I had been to as a spectator. I still think James and Beccas run is the most exciting I have ever seen. When they got them not so cooperative sheep penned after an exciting international shedding, the grand stands just exploded and we cryed like babies. Becca was the World Champion 2011. Then I have seen Beccas son Silver only 1,5 yrs at the WT in Tain 2014 and winning the Supreme same year, really impressed of that youngster!
I had heard that James is a very strict coach, so we didn´t know what had in front of us...and I think all of us were a bit nervous.  I think he was very calm kind and maybe a bit shy in the beginning, you had to bring up the problems you wanted to work with.  He has a really good eye for details and a huge sheepsence, I understood he wants good listening dogs whit good feeling for it´s sheep.
I got a couple of new tools for outruns and shedding,  plus confirmation to continue training the same way I have been doing. Maybe he said it to all of us, but for a change it was nice to hear that I have really good dogs that are extremely well trained.

In the evening we had dinner, Mika had made a madly good burgundy stew, the meat just melt in your mouth. Good wine, ice cream and James´s storys were a good ending of a good day.

Dinner
(c) Jonna Paasila

Back home training, Jessica Svanljung took a picture of Coel , after he had been  watching Mac training...he is drawling like a st bernard...

Coel drawling
(c) Jessica Svanljung

Mind control and Continental Sheepdog Championship, Italy 25-27.9

Mind control
After I had been writing earlier on facebook, about me loosing concentration after I felt it wasn´t going as planned and ruining our runs at trials, two friends contacted me about it. After talking to them, I realized some things I can change and work on, and also understood why I might have reacted that way.
I have now tried to also "train trialling", split the run in peaces etc. and also worked with my own mind, talking even more to myself . I think I have found a good path to continue on now. Thank you so much, you two know who you are!!

Italy

Wednesday
Me, Leena and Jonna with Rhy, Spot and Magda flew to Rome in the morning. Flight went well, got all our bags and dogs. Found our rental car, a big van so there were plenty of room for the cages, suitcases etc.

Italy here we come

First stop after Rome, pizza and beer

Jonna, me and our guide who didn´t understand one word english

On Thursday me and Jonna went riding for 2 hours, nice horses but a bit too slow and boring...we had hoped for some yahoo on the beach. When it was time to pay, I had to explain with my hands that "my wallet is not, here but I´ll drive and get it...and that Jonna will stay as a deposit..." hah, don´t think he understood me, but he got his money in the end
On the afternoon we took the dogs to the vet control and checked out the trial field, it was quite big and wide. The outletting post was just in front of the outletting pen in the the upper end of the field (still a lot of room behind it), it was possible for the dogs to end up behind the pen if it would go wide. Sending right meant that the dog had to run past/in front of the pen...sending left was safer if you had a dog who loves the pens...but, the dog could get lost and still end up behind the pen...

In the evening there was a parade trough Piombino.

Team Finland in the parade trough Piombino

Friday
I was going to run first of us Finns, as number 19. I would of course had prefered to run on the second day, when the sheep often have settled down a little by then. But, as someone said, you have to think this is the perfect place to run.
The outletting
We came to the field in the morning when a couple of dogs had run... We heard that the outletting people had big problems to bring the sheep to the post, that the sheep were running trough the 6-8 persons with one dog who are trying to hold them.
Well, I don´t even know how to describe it...so I won´t, all I can say it was a chaos no-one had seen before, brave and determined dogs were needed to lift and fetch the sheep in the middle of it.

The run
When I walked to the post, I noticed that Rhy was looking to the left, I was sending right, I thought that´s good so  he might not be too wide then... Well, he went out narrow to be Rhy, I realized after about 100m he was coming in way too much, blew him out - didn´t take it properly so I stopped him, he turned and screened the field - saw the sheep, new right whistle and now he was back on track.
I had got an advice from a top handler, to let Rhy lift his sheep the way he wants, it´s so challening up there so you just have to trust your dog even if it seems he is lifting them to the the left. I trusted him and let Rhy do the job the way he felt was right, the sheep tryed to go over him (Leena had binocculars) but Rhy gave them no chance to run back to the outletting pen, so he got his sheep lifted at first a bit to the left, but then back on line again.
Fetch was okay, drive okay but didn´t trust my feeling that they were a bit too low in the end of the crossdrive, I noticed it too late so we missed the second gate. In the shedding ring I told myself "forget the drive, relax and shed", it worked, we got the shed done even if it took some minute before I got them calmed down and made the gap, Rhy came in calm and steady.
Then to the pen. Not many had penned before us, again I remembered the top handlers advice, give them time. We gave them time but kept enought preassure to make them go in. Rhy was really good here! Unfornately we run out of time in the single.

Rhy at the pen. The outletting in the right corner of the pic, a lot of room behind it

Rhy by the sea

 Anyway, the circumstances had been  hard for us "ordinary" handlers, so I was really happy with Rhy and a little with myself also. I have noticed a couple of times, that when the sheep put a lot of preassure on the dogs, Rhy is on his best then as he enjoys challenges. It´s same at work, after several hours hard work with angry ewes, big bunches of heavy lambs etc. and he is tired, he goes in in a mood were he just works and he doesn´t faint. I think this feature is one of the traits, that in my opinion makes a quality dog.



I should have been able to hit the second gate, but I didn´t and that sucks. I was still a tiny little bit happy with myself, for keeping the concentration and fighting spirit even if I had failed, because that´s where I gave up before. At this stage, I´m at the level were I can do good runs now and then, this one was an okay run minus.
If you have a look at the tophandlers, they manage almost always to perform good runs in all conditions and with all sorts of sheep, with several dogs and several days after each other. I´m not sure if I´ll live long enough to even get close to that...maybe if I turn 120yrs and still go strong ;-)



 

Food tent. Felt sorry for this dog, wasn´t able to lay down at all...

Main course, tryed to save the chips from the meat juice

SaturdayThe second qualification day. We also tried the food tent, slow expensive and bad food, the wine was good tough. In the evening there was a party at our hotel restaurant, the food was bad again but the music and dancing was great fun. The Swedish super ladies started the dancing, and at the end all of us shy Finns were also dancing like dancing queens :-)






 



Sunday

Drama in the double fetch final
Because of the problems with the outletting, the second bunch was set in a cage, which they opened when the dog approached on the second outrun. There weren´t any really good or wow-runs, someone said that on of the last bad runs won.
It was a hot day (again) and for most of the dogs it was really heavy to drive the 20 sheep around the course. There were three really nice dogs, the french who came second and two other, but they didn´t finish so they weren´t placed. The spectators were also really surprised, when one dog took down a ewe twice and still didn´t get disqualified. The spectators favourite parts in the double fetch finals are the look back and the international shedding. This time the winner crossed 2 or 3 times on the second outrun, even a video is up of it, but the rest of the run must have been so good so he eneded up winning after a good shed and pen. The last two runners dogs didn´t find the sheep so they had to go and get their dogs with the quad.
Italy will be remembered for the nice weather, good grand stand and the outletting issue. Next year the Continental Sheepdog Trial will be held in Finland, one is for sure, we might not have a big brilliant infra structure with grand stands etc, but the sheep are gonna be set out smoothly!

A walk with the dogs on the beach, Leenas first ever, and she even got wild and tasted her first beer

Last evening we had pizza and ice cream in Piombino. 
Referat
- Finnish team became 6th, not bad
- Kari & Sammy had the best run, Juha & Shine ad a good one, me & Rhy okay, Mico&Börje good start, beaten by the standard, Leena & Spot, beaten by the standard, Jonna & Magda, Magda went to the outletting pen
-Nice stands to buy souveniers etc
- Expensive bad food
- Good fried pizzas
- Big grandstand, but the flags were in front of the spectators

- Big nice field
- Good sheep, all weren´t fit though
- Warm (amost too hot) beautiful weather and beach
- Unexperienced outletting people
- Unusual judging, both judges gave exactly the same points
- Nice atmosphere
- Nice hotel area and cottage
- Gala dinner, expensive bad food, good wine, nice party evening
- Piombino, small cozy old town which would have been nice to see more of

 

Finnish Nationals, Putkisalo

Warning for self-pity!!

I thought it was gonna be cold... (c) Silja Alamikkotervo

The flat trial field concisted of two different fields, one with grass and one stubble with big straw bales in the end of the stubble, about 400m outrun.  Judge was Chris Caerts from Belgium. Two days qualifying, the 15 best results counted together from both days would go to the double fetch final on Sunday, weather and organizing were brilliant.

Walking the course in the morning (c) Silja Alamikkotervo

Friday I run first with Coel, but still not until afternoon, so it was really warm. The first day we run on ewes and lambs. I decided to send him to the right, afraid he could be too wide otherwise...some dogs went via the other field to check out the bales inte the middle of the upper stubble field... Didn´t command him at all before the fetch, I have noticed that he is at his best when I leave him to decide where to stop and lift, that worked out good again. We had a quite good run, judge gave us 95p which was enough to win the qualifying day.

I sent Rhy to the left, with one incall whistle, that he took. We lost points here and there, especially at the pen, he pushed all too much so the sheep bolted. It seems that I don´t run him as I should, the Coel-mode seem to be hanging on...75p.

Rhy in the shedding ring (c) Silja Alamikkotervo

The pack of Ilovuori (c) Silja Alamikkotervo

Saturday I run Rhy first, lost points here and there again...time out in the single I think....75p. Blaah.
With Coel a bit better, but not good bad fetch...84p.
I got to the double fetch final with both boyz, with Coel winning the total qualifications!

Rhy like an alligator at the pen  (c) Silja Alamikkotervo

Sunday. I would have preferd a proper df-final, with the other outrun far on the other field, it is the Finnish Nationals after all...and IF one gets to the final in a big trial some day, you`ll have more selfconfidence if you have done a big final before. Well, it was a double fetch with 10 sheep in both groups, both outruns only on the grassfield.
First out with Rhy. Good first outrun and fetch, almost perfect (in my eyes) look back, good lift (even if the judge had thought he nipped, outletting people told me he did not that it was a nice lift) ,beginning of the fetch a bit too fast, he kept pushing on the heavy side in the end of the fetch, before uniting the second group to the first which had drifted to the side. The drive was heavy, but Rhy worked really well, we had 16 minutes left to shed and pen, so we had been really quick. Still I felt unsatisfied an irritated when we came to the shedding ring. You are supposed to shed off 15 uncollared and keep 5 collared sheep, and pen them in the end.

Rhy, both groups together (c) Silja Alamikkotervo

Rhy  (c) Silja Alamikkotervo

I couldn´t concentrate...shedded of 3-4...noticed that a couple including a collared one was going to join them behind my back...I remember I thought you better let them go and start over, then a devil inside me called "hiiit!!!" even if it was all too late and dangerous...Rhy came to stop them like a racket...I shouted "stand" but you can´t stop him anymore at that point...so he gripped because there is no other option if you are Rhy and the sheep aren´t turning. Thank you and good bye. Shit shit shit, I wanted so much to do the international shedding...why did I do this to us, again?!
Our beginning had been very good, the judge said at some point "well, I can´t let you win if you don´t wanna win!"...meaning exactly that only me myself is the one standing in our way. I don´t care about the points, but, the fact that we would have been 4th even without the shedding and pen...tells a lot about the points we had before I ruined everything.

Rhy, beginning of the int shed...just before the disaster (c) Silja Alamikkotervo

Coels turn, this was his first double fetch trial. Good first outrun lift and fetch, two extra commands for the second outrun. The drive started quite good even if they were really heavy now, after being so long in the outletting pen they really wanted to graze...I knew he could nip one if he thought they were too lazy... I had some problems after the first gate on the cross drive, to focus and see how the sheep where drifting in relation to each others...couldn´see if some where 3 or 10m higher than the others...so I just whistled Coel to walk on. Then suddenly he nipped a ewe in her but, she didn´t even react more than took a faster step, and it was all over.
Well, what can you say, he only did the same thing he would do at work...and that´s what he is allowed to do, to hurry things up if needed. If the sheep in big bunches aren´t paying any attention or are too lazy etc, he´ll nip them to get them moving. I don´t know if I could have done something different...maybe if I had flanked him...but when I wasn´t sure I just gave him the line and asked him forward. A huge dissapointement, I disqualified two good dogs...and missed the opportunity to do the int shedding. I still get a big lump in my chest when I write this.
Nilla Salonen won with Ukko, they had done a shedding without loosing one point. Kari and Sammy were 2nd and Elisa and Bell 3rd, congrats to all !

Chilling

After I wrote about all this on facebook, about how I often feel after I have won or got good points that I didn´t deserve to win...or after something didn´t feel good in the run (even if points would be high) I couldn´t let go of that feeling, which lead to I didn´t concentrate in "what I´m doing right here and now!!" All this leads to lacking in concentration, which shows immediately
I got responses from one world-class obedience triallist and from one who works with mind control. Now with their help and advices, I´ll start to train in a different way and work with my own mind.

When I´m writing this, I have just came home from the Continentals in Italy. No success in the results, but I could trust my dog in hard circumstances and could control my mind almost to the end. I hope I´m on the right way now...

Nordic Championships 2015, Denmark

26.8 Wednesday me and Leena arrived late in the evening, after a unnecessary drive (175km extra) to Putgarden (had put Putgarden as destination...), to Struer in Denmark. We had rented a nice cottage with fenced garden for the dogs, Jonna and Mico were already there waiting for us, over one or a few glasses of wine...

Two smurfs between the other competitors

On Thursday we just relaxed and went to check out the field. It was quite big and hilly, you could see that a few dogs would get lost there and maybe end up at the outletting pen, I liked it. Outrun less than 400m and the drive was quite short, like a normal open trila. They also told us that on the first qualification day no single only shed, and the opposite on the second day. I assume this is beacause there is 60 dogs running, it could be dark otherwise.

Coel day one

Qualifying day 1

Coel

Rhy, preparing the shed

 I was running first with Coel. He seemed to be a bit wide so I gave him an in call -whistle which he took, I let him decide where to stop and lift, went well like the fetch also, an okay drive shed and pen. I was happy with my young boy, even happier when I was told I had got  94p/100. I thought it had been okay, but 94p...that´s only 6p off, wow!!



With Rhy it also started well,  the drive felt struggly and I couldn´t get rid of that feeling in the shedding ring... I was in the wrong mood and didn´t concentrate, I called Rhy in to stupid gap were the ewe was already heading for her friends. Well, Rhy did what he was asked, didn´t grip but made contact, disq. At first I wasn´t so annoyed, but after I heard I had had 49p/50 OLF and 24/30 of the drive...really good points. I could have kicked my ass, shit shit shit I´m so stupid. I ruined our run again, it´s like I wouldn´t want to succeed...I really do need a shrink.

The ewe is defenitely going to run trough and Rhy is defenitely going to stop her...

When the first day was over, only Jaran Knive and Bea were better with 96p. Jiiz, me and Coel second after Jaran with 94p...that was amazing, to good to be true really to have your name between all top handlers and their dogs. I knew it wouldn´t last, so I decided to sip on this candy as long as I could.

In the evening me and Jonna stayed and participated at the Nordic Ch committe´s meeting.

Qualifying day2

As Rhy had been disc the first day, I run as number 1 the second day, at 7 am. Okay run, but not as good at the first day, got everyhing done think he got 85p. 

Rhy

Rhy

When Coel had been second day 1, I was gonna run him as the second last dog before Jaran who had won, approx 5.30pm in the evening...a long day in front of me. As the day went on the sheep got heavier, started to graze and didn´t keep together...some grips and difficulties for some.
Leena had got the flue so she was really tired, we decided to go to our cottage and try to get some sleep. Well, Leena slept but I just laid flat on my back staring at the roof...

Me and Coel waiting for our turn...

I wasn´t that nervous I had thought I would be, just excited really. Karin Mattson run before me, I would have liked to see her run because she is a great handler and I hope I would learn something by watching, but I had to go trough our run in my head.
Coel went out well, I let him decide again were to lift and let him take care of the lift by himself. I was aiming for a nice and calm fetch, it was maybe to nice... Rounding the post one stroppy ewe didn´t want to go with the others...she stopped and confronted Coel...the other ones continued for the outletting pen...I had to put Coel to get them back...the ewe didn´t still want to go and stood up against him, Coel kept his ground and waited... then he suddenly did a small scuttle towards her and they all went on for the first gate, I thought she was beaten. But no, on the first leg and the cross drive, Stroppy turned several times towards Coel, we handled her well but it was really difficult... On the cross before the second gate, she left the group and walked stroppy towards Coel and stamped...they stod nose to nose for what felt like ages, I just whistled steady steady...I was told he did a small jab (don´t  remember anymore) but didn´t grip, and Stroppy continued with the others. Then we got them trough the second gate and then towards the pen. At this point I thought a vein in my head would explode...
At the pen they had this situation again were the others wanted to go in, but Stroppy stood nose to nose with Coel again...Coel kept his head and put her in.
Then to the single, the first time ever Coel didn´t let go immediately of the others, when I called him in to single the collared one...he didn´t want to let go of Stroppy...but he did and judge called okay... What a relief, we succeeded to fight us trough the course without gripping, so happy with Coel!!
Well Coel wasn´t ready yet...he did everything he could to not let the singled ewe go back, even if I tryed to shout ligg ligg ligg, and the outletting dog tried to push her to the group...Coel just kept on holding her...at last I made him let her go, hah what a boy :-)

Coel <3

Even if I knew that the points wouldn´t be good because of the stops on the course, I was really happy with Coel. A lot of people came and told me how good he had handled the ewe, that felt also good. When the announcer had got the points of the secretary, he asked the judge if they were right, because there were only 4p of 30 left of the drive...
The judge came to talk to me in the evening he explained; if it would have been an normal trial, he wouldn´t been so hard on me, but because it was a Nordic qualification trial he had to be hard. He said he could have disqualified me because the dog almost made contact, even if he didn't actually get hold of the sheep he what I called buffet it on the driving, he said. He didn´t want to disc us because of the team points, so instead he took 26 off.  He also said that we had a bad ewe, that we did everything we could, couldn´t have done aything more...that he was surprised over how patient and well Coel  handled it.
Nice to here, but what I didn´t get was; if you have a bad ewe and your dog takes it around the course keeping the lines without gripping, and everything is under control...why would you be disqualified/penalized hard for that...? I´m not moaning over the decission, I just would like to know what I should do the next time...because there will always be a next time.

Jo-Agnar and Sisko won, they are now Nordic Champions again! I had said it before, that man is amazing, especially in the shedding ring. Sisko also had a ewe that confronted her at the pen, Jo-Agnar and Sisko handled her brilliant and put her in!

Peter Hele´n and his crew had oraganized a relly good trial as always, good sheep and everything went on really smoothly!

Even if we didn´t perform our best both days, I´m so happy to have the best dogs for me, I wouldn´t swap them to any other dogs! Now I have to start working on my own "head", because it´s there the real problem is.

UK 0815

Next Step
Last days in July me and Minna had the last two days Next Step -clinic in Salo. The students had progressed well and it´ll be exciting to see how they´ll do in the future.
I got a sore throath and was loosing my voice, but I coped with strong pain killers.

Sweden- Denmark-Germany

Leena sleeping...me trying to survive until morning

On Friday 31st evening me and Leena took the ferry to Sweden from Turku, the first leg on our way to UK. On Saturday we drove trough Sweden and Denmark, took the ferry to Putgarden. It was about 9-10 pm when we started to look for a hotel in Germany...at this point my throath was really bad. We were so unlucky, not one of those about 15 hotels we tryed had a room or even cleaning closet available...so we had to sleep sitting in the car at a hotels parking... At this point, Germany was top1 on our "most hated places" -list, "nobody speaks english and people were really rude and unfriendly.

About 5 in the morning when I hadn´t slept for many minuts, I told Leena we have to move on I had to see a doctor, I don´t think I have ever been that ill. When "nobody" speaks english in Germany, it was a challenge with my german skills to find the right krankenhaus...after telling (with my hands) that I´m not pregnent and I´m able to pay, I got to see a doctor at the fourth krankenhaus in Bremen.
The doctor had a look in my troath "oh schrecklich oh schrecklich", he gave me antibiotics and strong painkillers, the bill (which had to be payed to the doctor) was 38€, I gave him my bankcard...nein nein...I showed him I only had got 20€ and 40£ cash ...he took the 20€ ...sehr gut sehr gut. Thank god the medicin started to work, and I started to believe that I would survive. And, I didn´t hate Germany anymore ;-)

I have never ever been happier to see a doctor

Stena Line, Hook of Holland - Hull

On Stena Line sun deck

I have to say this ferry company and ferry is the best so far. Nice people, excellent kennels, excellent beds and everything just worked out so smoothly.

EnglandAt first we drove to Warwick, where we stayed 2 nights at Stuart´s farm, Kingstanding Farm. Stuart has got about 500 big proud north country mules, we trained the older dogs and went trough the ewes (tits and teeth) before we left.

Ladies of Kingstanding Farm

 

Helping Stuart, best handling equipment ever

Training

After that we drove to Burton Marsh farm where Anni and Digs are shepharding. A couple of brilliant days training both youngsters (Vixey 6,5months  and Mac 1y) and older (Rhy 5y, Coel 2y, Spot 7y) ones, gathering and moving sheep back to marsh. I could get used to live there..

Moving about 1.100 sheep back to the marsh

Digs and me watching the sheep walking to the marsh

On Thursday and Saturday we drove to Macclesfield to watch the English nationals. The first days the sheep weren´t easy, quite touchy and tested the dog. Don´t remember all dogs, but liked Ricky Hutchinssons Sweep and Sweeps son Jock most of all.

Anni & Jazz

On Saturday it was Annis turn to run, it was so exciting and Jaska had a really good run...we were so proud over them and tought she would be in the team. Found out that she had to run again for the reserve, she should have won it but the judges...aah...I don´t really know what to say, well she didn´t. Later on one pulled out of the team, so she is now reserve after all. Congrats Anni!!!!
About the nationals, we were really surprised how small the National course was...and in the runner up final, it was a normal open course...without double fetch and international shedding. The course was same size or smaller than a normal open in Finland...our Nationals final is alway a big course with double fetch and int.shedding....we had expected at minimum the same from THE  land of sheep and sheepdogs.

North Wales

Next day we continued to Wales, to a double fetch trial in Talgarreg. The big and hilly trial field consisted of two fields with a fence with 4 gaps gaps between them, both outruns were 800yards (about 650m). Our first thoughts was that we won´t get our dogs guided trough the hilly field, trough the gap and up to the top of the next field...will they be able to hear anything up there...
Rhy was first out and went all the way up trough fields and gates without any extra commands, shit that felt good. A nice fetch trough the middle gap in the fence and the fetch gates to the turn back pole, he turned nicely but wanted to go trough the middle gap in the fence...the judge (Angie Driscoll) had decided she wanted the dogs to go trough the gap beside the side fence to the right, I tried two times to direct him but gave up and let him go trough the middle gap (that had been allowed the day before) and the line was better that way and saved both time and running for the dog.
He found his second bunch, brought them nicely, good drive, I messed up the shed but got it done, they were not easy to pen but we did it. Was really happy with my boy.
 

Drive on the first field, the outletting is in the horizont to the right

Coel needed an extra outbend command, got his sheep and brought them nicely to the turn back pole, turned well and wanted to go same way as Rhy had done. Tried to push him out with harsh stops before the out command, he didn´t understand so I let him go trough the middle gap, pleased with him for turning immediately and going for a group that far away. After he had went trough the gap, he bended out like hell to the side fence...because of the hard stop, he thought that he was supposed to go to the neighbours field to the right behind the trial fields...he tried to find a gap up there, fortenately I got him to forget that and got him directed to his own sheep. Brought them down, okay drive and she, time out at the pen. This was the most difficult outruns he had ever done, and never done a double fetch before so I was really really happy with my youngster.
Spot went also up without any extra commands, but after the look back he had made his mind up, and went the same way to the second bunch as he had run the first time...argh.
Rhy was placed sixth and earned a few pounds, which we spent on cider in the pub :-)

Prize giving. Judge Angie, Nigel Watkins. Viola Hebler and me

Brecon

After the trial we drove to Brecon, spent the night at the Borderers were we have stayed several times. I like the place but because of the horrible exchange rate it was extreamly expensive, one night 100€.
Following two days we spent at Penclyn farm watching Kevins and Sophies dogs and trained our youngsters. I have bought Vixey from Sophie, so it was fun to show Vixey to her. Rhy had a brilliant time there, got a new girlfriend called Meg. Meg was calm around but keen on sheep, stylish but not too much eye, wanted to come forward Meg´s mother is a sister to Pennant Williams Sweep. So I might get a service pup next winter...

Meg, Rhy´s first girlfriend abroad

Kevin´s and Sophie´s training field

We also went to see their new farm. Wow, it´s still a lot to do even they have already done a lot, it´s gonna be brilliant when it´s ready. The view is amazing and the farm is everything you could dream of.

Sheep clipping competition at a trial

NW, Corwen

 On our way "home" we stopped at a trial, Coel was okay I think, time out at the pen.
Janet had arranged an empty house for us to stay in, well there was a bed, two chairs and a fridge. It was only 1,5miles from Penyfed so that was great.
The next 10 days we spent working (gathering, dosing and dipping) and training the youngsters at Penyfed farm, felt good to be back. We hadn´t been dipping ewes before, so that was a new thing and not too nice..but it+s good for them and has to be done. You have to push the ewes in to a deep hole, push them under the water/dip stuff, they should be in the water for a minute...As soon as they are up on the ground again, they just shake them selves and start eating.
The ewes were so much easier at this time of the year, when tehy don´t have the small lambs to protect. Aled has 2 good youngsters coming up, great to watch him training them. Leena bought a pup by Cap, really nice one!

Our house in NW

Janet

Me dosing

Rhy bringing sheep down at Glanrafon

Ewes should be kept there for 1 minute

Gate open and the ewes get out

We also went to see our friendsand neighbors Doug and Ann Lambie a couple of times, they must be the most hospitabled persons I know. Ann made us dinner and we also stayed there for a couple of nights.
I really enjoy spending time with them, they are so nice and Doug has so many interesting stories to tell. Doug is also great with his dogs, so obviously we also spent a lot of time playing with the dogs and sheep on his field.

Rhy bringing sheep down at Penyfed

Rhy doing his beloved pen work, it´s not mud...

View at Penyfed farm

Coel shedding

We went to a couple of trials also. Can´t say I enjoyed them much...really small fields, no shedding or single...really light sheep me and my dogs can´t handle, we just scare the shit out of them.
Actually one trial was fun, it was a nursery, but Gareth put up a trila for us foreigners so we could have a go. All dogs did well, they had only 3-5points off.

Coel with flying welshies...

Traffic guide at a trial

Pony with foal near a trial

Welsh ram at a show

 An other nice one was the Llanfyllin trial,  a bigger field with longer outrun in connection with a big event; old cars, sheep show, shearing competition, horse jumping etc. Stuart drove over from Warwick to join us, had a nice day even if we didn´t do well at the trial. Rhy was good but time at the pen.
With Coel I made the mistake to not show him were the sheep were before his turn...he tryed to go to the neighbor field were he could see hundreds of sheep...again I learned a lesson the hard time.

Trial field at Llanfyllin

Old cars show

Waiting for their turn

Shearing competition, Ann was judging

Stuart and Jess on the road in NW

Kerry hill sheep

One night we went over for dinner to Meryl and Arwel, Arwel also showed us his dipping hole, seemed to be a good system.

Dinner

Dipping hole, on the inside of the gates, the sheep slides down and swim around.

One week before the Nordic Championships, Coel hurted him slef when we were gathering sheep on a steep field.... Magdalena, a vet from Austria who stayed at Doug´s, had a look and thought he had pulled two toes, so he had to rest the last week. I was worried that he wouldn´t get better to the Nordics...

Upper field and bottom field

Me and Lottie, after digging her out from a hole she had got stucked in, inside the tree....

The last day in NW, Anni and Digs came over and we had a great day training at Penyfed on the bottom field (two fields on a slope with fence between). We all trained in calls and out bends, directing them to go trough specific gates etc. so fun!!
After that we had dinner at an Indian restaurang (not allowed to sell alcohol) in Corwen, me and Anni shared a bottle of wine we had bought from the pub next door.


Back to  WarwickNext day we drove back to Warwick, to Stuart´s farm. We splitted up the 400 ewes to two groups, which is not easy because they really want to be togheter. I put Rhy on on side, then I run straight in to the flock calling Rhy in on the same time...then we worked together like mad in the middle  to keep them apart from each others and finally drove the other bunch behind a hedge.
After that we trained look backs with the trial dogs.
The following day we went trought the lambs, Stuart and Keith took the biggest ones to the market, really good looking lambs! In the afternoon it was time to say thank you and start driving to Harwich.

Rhy with a tiny lamb