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!!!
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
and she listened when I told her to "whoa", she listened when I told her to
"back",
she listened when I told her to "get me those SHEEP",
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!!!
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,
Where are
the sheep??? lemme at em!!
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!!:))....
He was
VERY fast!!
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!!!
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!!!
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!!!
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.