Trialing Can Try Your Nerves

Apologies for the long wait for the next blog - you see I was waiting for pictures that would show proof of how well things went - pictures by a well known artist no less! It started with Chris and I packing up the dogs and a ram lamb to go to Lisa and Travis's - a very nice bed and breakfast - in Athabasca. We dropped off the ram to their new owners - Chris and Rob Hooper, and in part trade, we got these two beauties....christened Chris and Rob, the bantams.

 They would ensure that we would have breakfast in the morning.

 On the travels, we found this big sausage, but knowing it wasn't glutton free, we did not bring it to Lisa and Travis'.

 Our first trial was to be the ASDA Arena Finals - the illustrious Ken McKenzie would be the judge.

 Organizers Carl Sneddon and Cory Perry helped put on the event.  I looked upon them with awe, as Corey and Jill won the finals - Gin and I got into the finals and finished third - or second loser.

 The dogs had a nice rest, and were able to stretch their legs...

.... as Fly and Flint watched on.

 After a nice stay at Lisa and Travis's, in which many eggs were consumed, we packed up our chickens, and headed off to Edmonton for Northlands.  Penny Caster would be our hostess for the remainder of the trip.

 It wasn't just dogs at Northlands....the almighty shooters were out in full force.

 One can understand why earplugs were a must for the event.

 Even Wild Bill Hickock found it loud.

 The important balloon guy was important to keep the event aimed in the right direction.

 There was also a tradeshow to see - we found a nice little trailer.

 There was many things a person could buy.

 I ran away quickly after I took this photo...fearing the photo police.

 There was other things to see in terms of demonstrations.  We saw this old goat here.

 Yes, old Ian Zoerb was in the house.

 Then there were these goats.

 Old McDonald's farm was there in full force.

 Chris and Creed showed the crowd how the course was done.

 "Lie down....lie down...LIE DOWN!"

 "Away to me....I mean come by!"

 The Sheep Shuffle.

 After it was all said and done, I would be able to go into the finals with Gin.  Lisa Wright and Ben, Pam Boring and Mirk, George Walker and Lass and Dale Montgomery and Ben would round out the group.  As we waited for the finals, I thought some more people watching should be done.

 One had to be careful for escaped bovine in the area.

 Chris and I had been invited to the Hereford party - we looked at all the bulls, a lucky person would win a bull...we would not be the lucky ones.

 Now, since I didn't think about having someone take pictures, I had a well known artist - Bernie Brown, draw some of the action.  These are some pictures that he has done in the past.

 These following ones are in preliminary stages.  After the Hereford Congress supper, I got Gin and waited on top, waiting for the shooting to start.  We had been told that the shooters would go first, and then the dogs in the finals would go-therefore, because of the loudness, we would wait out of the arena.

I wondered why I was the only handler around.  Soon it was apparent when I was summoned to go quickly, since they had changed the order, and the dogs were already running!

 There was no time to be nervous, I had already missed my run, so I and Gin walked in and did our best.

 

 We penned the sheep, and for the next 10 minutes we would watch the other handlers go.  In the end, Gin and I won the kit and kaboodle, and Lisa Wright (right in picture) and Ben was second, and Pam Boring and Mirk (left in picture) was third.  The girls would rule!

 After the dog trial was done, it was time for the Ranch Rodeo event

 Cattle sorting was done.

 Branding was done.

 Cow milking was done as well. 

Want to see some action?  http://youtu.be/G6n8LwbbU2g
 Perhaps they should have got our wild cow...Wild Daisy.

 So that was it, 2012 Northlands was in the history books, and the chapter was completed.  In a couple of weeks, another chapter would start - the 2012 Western Agribition.  Bernie Brown would be busy in his booth during the event, so no pictures would be drawn of myself or of my dogs.  Art world's loss.

Back At The Ranch

Well, when Dora the Explorer is resting from driving to trials or driving to work, it doesn't necessarily mean that the dogs and I are resting.  For the bulk of people, every two weeks to a month there is a paycheck from your work, when it comes to ranching, this paycheck is once a year.  First you start with a baby calf in the spring, and 6 months later, after good milk and grass, the gaffer goes off to market. The rancher hopefully goes home with a jiggity jig with a fat check - or at least enough to pay off all the bills - diesel, machinery repairs, feed costs, vet costs (good vets are expensive you see).  October 30th would be the start of our trip to market.  First we had to gather all the cows and calves from their smorgasbord of food for the last 6 months - the Grasslands Park.

We started early in the morning, and the fog was thick as pea soup.  It was like finding animals in Campbell's soup I suppose.

As the sun got up and cooked the soup away, we then could look across to find the bovidae (word of the day).

 Soon we were trekking them back to the homeland.

On that day of moving 300 plus cows, there were three riders and three dogs. One hundred cows a piece to look after - a piece of cake!

There was to be about 10 miles for the cows to go, so slow and steady was the name of the game.

After the first two miles were done, we left the Grasslands Park.  Chris's mom came to help that day.  With the help of Advil, the job got done.

Now onto the highway to home.

The rest of the afternoon would be hazing the girls back home.

Finally they were back to the homeland for a rest.  A nice day of riding - even for those who rode pony-like horses.  This picture is from my vantage point on my horse Toad.  We were in a ditch taking a picture of Chris's steed Dan.  Little Man Dan is what I like to call him.  Not so far to fall off of I guess.

The cows and calves had a rest, and they would be separated in a few days - of course that was a busy day, so I didn't get any pictures of that day.  A video would say it all.  It would say "MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"  You see, there is a lot of bawling when cows say goodbye to their calves.  The bulk of the calves were shipped off to the auction mart in Mankota, and some were left behind to be the new girls on the block for next year. 

The next day, the calves found new homes - off to their next adventure in life - which would mean another trip in their future, and eating to their hearts content.  Some may not eat as much as others, and that will mean these calves may be seeing grass next year at some time - others may see the feedbunk for the rest of their lives, but in the end, they all finally will have a resting place on somebody's plate. 

And that is what ranching is all about.