USBCHA Cattle Dog Finals - The Final Final Verse

Before we put the Cattle Dog Finals to rest, I wanted to share some of the trip. First it was going to Shawna and Doug Burton's to do a quick training session - this is the road up to their place west of Claresholm.

Then it was the trip down - it was snowing that day- lovely Alberta weather.

Then there was the lovely Montana weather.

This was looking off of Scott's Bluff - this was looking into Gering, Nebraska.

Then I thought I would test a panoramic view on my camera - this is looking towards Wyoming off of Scott's Bluff.

I have found that often when trialing, you don't stop and check out the country side -I am going to make it my mission this year to stop at the interesting stops through my travels.

Next trip is to Falkland, BC - we will see what Paxton Valley has to offer!

USBCHA Cattle Dog Finals - The Final Verse

By the time it was our turn (we were running in 10th position), it was known that the cattle were difficult - some were lucky to get to the first drive panels.

I sent Gin out, and had a fair outrun and lift (she was running wide) , and my poor piloting allowed only 1 head through the fetch panels - she did a perfect lookback, and once again, I let her down by not getting any cattle through the panels.

Gin worked hard, and listened to everything I asked her. They were hard to get going on a flow, but eventually we got them driving to the panels. I really must need glasses, I misjudged the drive panels as well, and didn't get many head through.

She was on her game, wish I could have said the same about myself!


We timed out at the chute as a few head were making their way through - of course those points didn't count.

I had really wanted to load those cattle in the trailer - maybe next year.

For our efforts, we ended up 7th - Juan Reyes and his dog Zac are the 2010 USBCHA Cattledog Champions- and it was well deserved. For such a young dog, he is really talented. I am thinking maybe Gin should have a date with this Wyoming fella!

USBCHA Finals - Watching the Youngsters

Because I don't have a nursery dog qualified this year, I sat back and watched the dogs today. Quite a few have competed in the open already, and watching makes me think I should get home and work on the young ones even more - these guys are so broke! Bill Reed from Tennessee has a great young dog pup, and I do mean pup - he is only 10 months old! Has whistles on him and a lot of grit. His mother Ann (who Bill is running as well)is in the nursery as well, as is the sire, Red (run by Juan Reyes). I have put my name down for a pup (don't worry Chris, won't be for a year or two since we have a lot of young pups already). Guess that means I will have to come down again - oh the trials and tribulations of this sport.
Went to the top of Scott's Bluff today (named for a fur trader who died in the bluffs after a trading deal went wrong with the Indians - think it had to do with a casino or something) - as soon as I can, I will put the picture on here - on top of it you can see straight across Nebraska to the east and to Wyoming to the west. There is a lot of history about the trek of the pioneers (along the Old Oregon Trail) - I recommend it highly.
The day will start tomorrow at 7 am with the nursery finals (top 10 go back), and then the open - Gin and I will be 10th running. I have noticed that the cattle are working better in the afternoon, so hopefully this will be the case for tomorrow as well.
One other note - for those who know Joann Zoerb, I have met her twin sister - her name is Lasoya - and (un)like Joann, is part Mexican and Indian. She flew down from California just to watch the dogs. This is her first year trialing, and she has qualified her nursery dog this year for the finals in Virginia this year. Also met Mari, who came from Alaska to buy a dog from Francis Raley - she runs sled dogs in Alaska, and is going to get back into running the border collies as well. I have asked them to come up to Alberta to trial - and I bet we will see them next year. Jimmy Walker is going to come up to Alberta this year and stay a couple of weeks and enter our trials as well as the Calgary Stampede - that is assuming he gets in. With only 60 dogs being allowed, I am sure the fax machine at the Stampede grounds will be smoking 8 am on Monday morning.

USBCHA Finals - The Fat Lady Sings

La,La,La - well, the 2nd go-round is over. I was sitting 21st with Fly this morning, and was 12th up - I needed to have a really good run to get in.

As always, Fly was ready for the task at hand

Things started to go really well, had 2 total taken off of the outrun and lift, and they went through the fetch panels, and made them around the post - then the steer crap hit the fan.
There was one crankpot that decided to run for the hills, Fly did her best to keep everything in order...

but the steer had other ideas- it eventually ran off course, and I was left with 99 points - overall she ended up 27th - still quite proud what she did, she, like always, tried her best.

Gin was 2nd from the last to go today, so we knew we had to do a decent run, or we would be going home early.
The cattle all day were not happy - the wind was blowing 40KM plus in our face all day, and they wouldn't settle down.


Gin had a wide outrun (not sure what she was running to), but brought them in, right away I knew things weren't going to be pretty - had 1 steer which tried to ruin things. First it wouldn't go around the post, then it decided it may go for a very long 2nd drive. I was concerned, because I didn't have enough points to retire and get into the finals - but Gin was on her game, and she brought that beast back.

She got things collected, and we settled things down.

We got full points for the open chute...

and was able to get one into the pen.

In the end, we got 137 points, and with the 197 yesterday the total of 330 placed us 6th overall (YAH!!) The double lift will be on Sunday.

The top 2o include - Jimmy Walker, with three dogs (Jiggs, Angie and Mitch), Tony Stewart with 2 dogs (Lad and Cole), Norma Stewart with Lena, Anna Guthrie with Riddle, Bill Reed with Lad, Tim Gifford with two dogs (Josie and Tip, Dwight Parker with two dogs(Craig and Mike, Rick Strohl with Dusty, Gerald Bunney and Ladd, Rudy Starke and Rooster, Tom Forrester and Pete, Tim Naasz and Zoey, Juan Reyes and Zak, Lyle East and Spot and Gin and myself.

I am not sure about everyone else, but I have a severe taste for some Angus beef.