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 |
