HIT at GSDCA National Herding Event

Wednesday, January 13th, 2010 | Herding | No Comments

In October, Becky and I entered the German Shepherd Dog Club of America National Herding event held at Hado Bar.  It has been in our plans since Arwen and Wynnter were puppies starting out.  We wanted to earn their started titles at this event, since it will probably never be so close for us again.

Arwen and Becky did earn their title from the Saturday GSD only trial with placement.  I never expect less from them – they earned placements in each trial we entered, including High In Trial the week previous in the Detroit Sheltie Club trial.  Wynnter and I did not qualify at that trial, so we needed another leg at the National to earn the title.  Sunday was designated as the National Event, out of which the highest scoring advanced dog would become the possible Herding Victor depending upon the score of the highest scoring advanced dog from C course, which was run on Monday.  To our delight, Drummer and Kelly Malone, our teacher, did earn that high score from advanced on Sunday, and after C course on Monday, Drummer was named the 2009 GSDCA Herding Victor.  This is Kelly’s second HV, as Reva earned the award in 2006.

Wynnter did qualify on Sunday also, and to my complete surprise, took first place in her class, High-scoring Started Dog, High Scoring Dog with an Obedience Title, and High In Trial.  Wynn’s score was one point higher than Drummer’s (which is not surprising since the started class is easier).  After the events held in Springfield were completed, it was determined that I earned the Bob Vest Memorial Award for the High Scoring Novice Handler!  What a thrill for me, and something I barely dared to dream about, being so new to perfomance events.  This sort of thing will certainly help a beginner’s confidence though!

HIT UCD GR CH Hallmark's Wynnter Moon for Neil, CDX, RE, HSAs, HTADI, ASCA CD, STDs, TT photo by Hal Davis

Herding Ranch Dog

Thursday, September 17th, 2009 | Herding | No Comments

Labor Day weekend was a busy one at Hado Bar. The farm held it’s summer AHBA trials over four days. On Saturday they held the Herding Ranch Dog trials, and Becky and I decided to enter.

The HRD is a long course through all four of the pastures with lots of gate-work. It is a trial which shows the practical work of a dog on a working ranch. There is gathering, fetching, holding off the gate, and sorting sheep through a gate and putting them through various obstacles in addition to leaving them at a graze. The first level allows 20 minutes to complete the course. The course must be run successfully twice to earn the HRD title. There were a lot of entries, and the day that started at 7:30 AM lasted until nearly 8:00 PM!

Becky and Arwen completed the qualifying runs with a second place in the first trial, and first place in the second trial, earning her title. Wynnter qualified in the first trial with a third place, but did not qualify in the second trial. We will have to wait till spring to finish her title. Follow this link to the video of Arwen’s title leg:                                   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nd_V3WcUT2M

Even though we had to call our second run, I am thrilled we earned a placement in the first trial. It has only been a year since I watched Luna, who is an accomplished herding dog, earn her HRD. Becky and Arwen completed the course with a grace and style I can only hope to someday achieve. I am so happy that Wynnter and I were able to compete in this sort of event. Herding is so difficult, and so many days after lessons I would simply wonder if I would ever get it. I am happy to say, it’s coming.

ONE MORE HERDING TITLE

Tuesday, November 18th, 2008 | Herding | No Comments

On Sunday, November 16, 2008, Wynnter and Arwen completed the requirements for their AHBA JHD titles. Junior Herding Dog. The course requirements are gathering the sheep at the top of the course, walking them in a controlled fashion through a pair of panels in the middle of the pasture, down around a panel at one corner, across the back of the pasture and around a third panel, then back to the top of the pasture. The dog must stop, and the handler repens the sheep completing the course. The course must be completed twice under two different judges to earn the title.

The sisters have earned their AKC HT and PT titles, and their AHBA HCT and JHD titles in 2008. This completes the test levels, and we all will be training through the winter to begin competing at the trial level.

Our next stop is the Cappy Pruett clinic in December at Kelly’s home in Canal Fulton. We will be enjoying four days of herding that always passes too quickly. The December clinic last year was really, really cold, but laughter and enthusiasm make the cold much less noticable. This will be the third time Wynnter and I have participated in Kelly’s Cappy clinic. It is how we marked Wynnter and Arwen’s birthday last year, and how we will celebrate their third birthday this year.

This has been a very busy year for Wynnter and I. She earned her AKC Rally advanced title last spring, then the HT. She whelped her litter in July, and returned to the test field earning the second leg of her HCT after only one lesson post puppies. Then we tacked on the PT and JHD this fall.

What a blast!!

NEW TITLE!!

Monday, October 13th, 2008 | Herding | No Comments

AKC PT 10/12/08

On October 12, 2008, Wynnter completed the requirements for her AKC PT herding title.  This is the Pretrial Test, completed twice, requiring the controlled passage of the handler, sheep and dog along the fenceline halfway around the pasture.  On the course, they must pass through two gates, and stop at least once.  There must also be a stop at the beginning and end.  All must be completed in a ten minute period.  The comment of the Sunday judge was that Wynnter is a nice working dog.

As when she completed her AKC HT and her AHBA HCT, her sister Arwen also earned her PT title.   It is so enjoyable to spend these trial days with Becky and Arwen, and of course, Grandma Luna overseeing it all.  It’s a family affair.

Mandy, Wynnter, Judges Sharol & Sean Hathaway, Arwen, Becky

 U Gr CH Hallmark’s Wynnter Moon for Neil RA PT HCT TT CGC OFA (h,e,c,th) PennHIP

AHBA HCT Title

Monday, October 13th, 2008 | Herding | No Comments

On Sunday, September 7, 2008, Wynnter completed the requirements for her American Herding Breed Association Herding Capability Test, or HCT.  The test consisted of a gather, and then controlled movement of the stock, with the handler, between two pylons approximately, 60 feet apart, twice.  Then the handler has to stop the dog and call her off the sheep, again in a controlled fashion.

We have been training for this day since Wynnter was 7 weeks old.  She earned her first leg at the 2006 AWSA Nationals when she was 11 months old.  But the second leg took considerably more training for both of us.  She is still a little pushy, but we are finally working sheep outside without having them run all over the field.  It is such a rush to know that you can work together with your dog toward a common goal; that the dog will take direction from you just by raising a stick or your hand, or giving a verbal command from 10 feet away.  This is heady stuff, and I love it!