Far from perfect but still showing improvement

I thought I would take a moment to reflect back on the two trials we attended this past weekend.

Wayne ran Jake down at the Nebraska State Fair on cattle. The cattle were younger and smaller then we normally run, Jake showed us some good things. Granted he didn't get the job done, but he showed more confidence in his approach when dealing with cattle that were not wanting to move off of a dog. Each time Wayne runs him in a trial we can find improvement in one form or another, and honestly don't see where he has regressed in any way.

Straight out of the arena at Nebraska we jumped in the car heading north so that I could meet with Sharon and head off to the Minnesota State Fair with JJ and Jake for a sheep dog trial the following moring. We arrived at the motel around midnight, alarms went off at 5 am trial began at 8 am. I was very pleased with JJ, he went off on his outrun like a pro, landing just about perfect, lifting the sheep calmly and bringing them with purpose right up the arena toward to me. We then began our drive, which started out well, JJ giving me some nice off balance flanks, but as we worked our way around the course I swore I could smell brake smoke as I lost a little bit of control over him with each passing second. But, we succeeded in getting the sheep penned, ending the day in sixth place and a perfect score for his outrun, lift and fetch.

Jake had a tough time with his sheep. They just did not trust him and refused to settle or be controlled. Each time I stopped Jake in an effort to settle the sheep the sheep would try to break. Poor Jake spent 10 minutes solid on his feet doing his best to master these silly ewes, and I was little help unable to figure out exactly what needed to change in order to help Jake out, I feel as if I failed him.

The shed proved to be difficult, or rather as another handler stated "impossible", but we got her done, not certain how. I kept looking for the right place to call Jake in, worked hard to try to create it but it just was not happening, then all off a sudden Jake just came in, I don't think I even called him. Just like that the sheep were split and Jake had one set under control. We ran out of time just as I openned that gate for the pen, but that's ok, there will be other days.

It never ceases to amaze me how different a trial is from the work we do here at home, I trust that one day it will all come together.