Oklahoma State Fair

This was the first year for the OSDA to have the State Fair Trial back under our management. We were all really pleased with the turnout. Everyone had a great time and there were some nice runs laid down. Angie Sells was our judge for the day. We ran the trial twice. Some folks headed for home after the first one, but we still had several hang around to play some more. Our dogs had a pretty nice showing and we were really proud of them all.

Jenna & Tess Open Ranch 1- 2nd Place
Jenna & Blaze Ranch 1- 1st Place
Josh & Pete Ranch 1- 4th Place
Jenna & Tess Open Ranch 2- 4th Place
Jenna & Blaze Ranch 2- 3rd Place
Josh & Pete Ranch 2- 1st place


The sheep challenged Tess pretty hard her first run and I couldn't have been more proud of her. At one point she had a ewe split from the group and she was trying to decide the best method to bring them back to me when the single ewe caught her off guard and sent her rolling across the arena. Tess got up shook it off and marched that girl back to the group. At that point some dogs would have quit, but not Tess. She knew the task at hand and was determined to bring me those sheep. To be honest after running several times I can't remember what our drive was like, but she penned really well and we scored a 73, just one point off the lead for a 2nd place.


Tess' second run didn't go so well. She had a great outrun with no points off, but the sheep were hugging the arena wall and she couldn't squeeze herself between them because they were fighting pretty hard so she came around to the other side and pulled them off the wall, so we were 9 points off our lift. The drive went as well as I've ever been able to handle her through it and we ran out of time with the sheep halfway into the pen. Tess had to back them in inch by ince and we just didn't have the time to get it finished so another 10 points off for a score of 58 and 4th place. We don't have sheep that are as tough as these wooly girls, so no more experience than Tess has in working with them I was thrilled with her.

Blaze's 1st run went really well. Blaze likes the kind of sheep that he can get in there and boss around and it showed. Thing is I get amnesia after I run and forget half of what happened out there. Maybe I should start bringing the video camera instead of the picture camera. :) I just know that he looked incredible and I was walking on air after his run. He got a score of 74 and brought me home a nice check, a blue ribbon, and a belt buckle.

His 2nd run on the other hand wasn't near as pretty. Blaze was anticipating the sheep to me heavy and fighting again so he came in a little hard on the lift and unsettled the sheep. They never did calm down and the quicker they got the quicker Blaze got. Flighty sheep just draw him in and cause him to be tighter and faster. So we ended up with a score of 59 and 3rd place.

Pete's first run was alot like Blaze's 2nd run. He wasn't really tight, but he wasn't very settled and his score of 62 reflected it. He placed 4th in the Ranch class, but he redeemed himself in his 2nd run and got a score of 73 good enough for first place.

We can't wait until next year and hope that the trial we be bigger and better until it grows back to an all day event like it was in the past.