The Local Beardie club put on an AHBA test/trial for all accepted breeds at Sue Mesa's Farm in VA, we were lucky enough to get a scheduled spot to test Peaches and Piccadilly was able to get a spot last minute because of a cancellation.  Here is our story!!

September 13, 1998

Thank you Ray Dube for the last minute advice about the HCT--- WE GOT IT!!!! YIPPPEEEEE!!!!! We had some rough sheep, but still sheep and thankfully NOT grouchy goats!!!

Img04.jpg (38006 bytes)This is Peaches, ready and antsy to get working!!  Notice the original velcro dog pulling on the leash!! Can you even imagine this with her??  For those of you who don't know her personally, she is always STUCK to me, in fact if someone else tries to walk her away from me, she will demonstrate extreme passive resistance and will constantly try to be where I am.... Ask Bette or Norman, how much fun she is to try to take for a walk when I'm around....It's genetic, her father, RUDE Rex is exactly the same way and they do both love to GO FOR A RIDE!!

Peaches sailed through the exercises and she moved those sheeps:) over hill and dale and around the posts and back to the gate

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and she listened when I told her to "whoa", she listened when I told her to "back",

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she listened when I told her to "get me those SHEEP",

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she listened when I said to "stop" and she came when I said "COME-here Peach-pup"!! Easy -- like brain surgery!!!

I didn't fall on my fat ass, I didn't trip over the sheep, I didn't fall up the little gulley/hillock in the middle of the arena... I didn't make a full fool of myself until AFTER the judge said you and your "Mountain of a Dawg" have passed this level of HERDING!!!

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I felt like passing out! (it was 95 degrees and we'd been there most of the day in the heat--and I'm still exhausted and sore because Dan Campeau made me run around for comic relief with Chuck-E Cheese doing some silly stadium jumping thing at the FUN day on friday!!!-- does anyone have any pictures of that embarrassment??)

I recovered sufficiently to take in Piccadilly for his first leg of the HCT and HE GOT IT TOO!!!!! He was actually even MORE intense and intent on the sheep than Peaches is,

Img17a.jpg (50690 bytes)Where are the sheep??? lemme at em!! 

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he is younger after all and a boy dog, but I didn't really think he'd be that interested, but he is (definitely from his mother's side!!:))....

Img19a.jpg (40392 bytes)He was VERY fast!!

 

Img20a.jpg (42355 bytes) and VERY happy, but still well under control, although I think the judge was a little concerned about the Mutton chops:)

I plan to try with a few others just to get them started but I will learn the harder stuff with the Peach Pup as she has a very forgiving nature and will let me make my beginner's mistakes with her and she will like it in spite of me and will do well in spite of me:)

Maribeth and her shelti Vixen are all set to keep going out to practice with me, here are some pics of Vixen at the test, she didn't get her second leg this time, but she will next go around, I'm sure.... she is a joy to watch!!!

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The Judge for this trial seemed to be AMAZED that my "mountains of Dawg" could herd, he said they worked a lot like Rotties but less mouthy (I don't know whether he meant barking or grabbing--could have been either or both)... He was happy to judge them and he told me some things to do to help work for more advanced levels.... The judge was proud to know Peaches is only the second GSMD with a herding title so far, he thought that was a cool thing to be!!:) ME TOO!!!

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Well... I just wanted to brag and then go soak in a tub, Congratulations are in order for the dogs themselves and their breeders... Peaches is owned by Sharyl Mayhew and Ellyn Signet and she is Plumtree GA Peach v Schatz (Bart v. Meyer (rude Rex) x Ch. Cassie) Bred by Julia Kuni, J. Wilson and Sharyl Mayhew....she is related actually to Ray's Isaac as he is out of Belinda v. Meyer who is Rex's sister, I think that's a cool sort of "kissin cousin" kind of brag!!!

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And the up and coming sheep mover-abouter, is Piccadilly (Pickapoo, pickadiddle, pickledilly, Pickle-HEAD and several other silly names), he is owned by Sharyl Mayhew, Kathy Evans, and Ellyn Signet and he is Hamilton's Circus Crescendo (Ch. Precious Mettle v. Shamrock, CGC, TT!!! (Seany) x Ch. Shamrock Ciera v. Sarmac, CGC, CD!! (Steffie)) Bred by Nancy Miller

So, who wants to start going herding with me?? hmmmmm??? now that we found this nice family with a farm and a million sheep not 20 minutes from my house, we can just keep showing up with them swissies until they get tired of us!!!!

I'll write about the fun we had at the BR Specialty and fun-day later, I have to go wash off the top layer of sweat/sheep doo first!!

Later, Sharyl.