Oaktree Fall Classic

This was a really fun, laid back trial. Tom and Ruth Hines of Oaktree Border Collies in Bartlesville, Oklahoma were excellent hosts. This was the first year for the Oaktree Fall Classic and everyone who attended felt it was big success. Sat. went better for the BBC Team than did Sun. but we still had a wonderful time.

Tess was the first Baxter Border Collie dog to take to the post for the Open Ranch class. She had a pretty nice outrun. She started to drift in a little about 3/4 of the way through, but looked in to check her sheep and before I could try to redirect her, she kicked herself back out and completed her outrun and made a nice lift. The fetch on the otherhand wasn't anything to write home about. The sheep pulled over to one side of the field and I could not get Tess to flank to get them back online. The drive was decent and the cross drive was going well until Tess had trouble hearing with the wind and decided it was best to just bring the sheep back to me! Dang! We got things back in order and completed the course. Not exactly a picture perfect run at 64 points, but 2nd to Angie Coker-Sells, don't think there's much to complain about there! :)

Josie was next to run in the Ranch class. Two words, well 3 if you count "and" Fast and Furious! LOL She's a little speed demon. She made it out to the sheep a little tight, but for never having run out that far I wasn't too disappointed in her. She had them flying to the post and once she got closer to me she settled back down and we made the rest of the course in okay fashion. Josie ended up 4th in her second trial with 43 points.

Next was Josh and Pete. Pete laid down a decent run except for not listening to Josh on the drive, but still managed a 1st place finish with 55 points in the Ranch class due to a nice gather.

Blaze went last. His outrun could have been a little bit wider and he managed to drift off line and not want to flank like Tess, but his drive was pretty good. We had heck at the pen with one ewe that didn't want to keep with the others, but finally got them in. Blaze finished 3rd with 46 points.

I'd rather not relive our second day, so I'll spare the details and just sum it up with the scores. (The first day the drive was only worth 15 points and the second day Danny Shilling, the judge, decided to give the full 30 for the drive.)

Tess 3rd 44 points Open Ranch
Pete 4th 65 points Ranch
Blaze 5th 61 points Ranch
Josie 6th 46 points Ranch

Pictures soon to come. For full results, check out the OSDA Website.