I was up way before the sun started streaking the sky with pinks , reds, and golds. It was overcast and cold! 14 degrees! By the time the sun came up the wind started a gentle breeze out of the south west. I finished my paper work and piled everything into a large container to haul down to the sheep pens.Along with extra gloves, hat and coats!
Last night I had set the table and made brownies . The white chili was thawed and ready to heat later in the day for lunch.
Les took the fire barrel and wood down to the pens so we cold have a fire and boy was it nice! Folks started arriving and introducing their selves to each other and fairly soon we were all working dogs.
Fourteen people came with seven dogs. We had 2 Kelpies, 1 Border Collie, 1 Australian Cattle Dog and 3 English Shepherds. All the dogs took turns working sheep and ducks. Everyone had a good time! Most of all the dogs! They were all real nice dogs here today! It is so wonderful to see the “light” come on in the dog’s eyes when they start to work! Something deep inside the dog says “YES” this is what I was meant to do!!!! (The ducks and sheep may have a different idea about what dogs were meant to do!)
I had the very best help with the ducks. Miss Ashlyn and Miss Kynsay were my constant Duck Wranglers all day! And what A GREAT job they did.! On my first attempt to catch ducks in the holding pen away from the arena I did a split on the ice and my back and leg are complaining tonight! But the girls rescued me and they did most of the catching, carrying, and putting back up of the ducks for the rest of the day allowing me to focus on keeping things moving for the participants. I don’t know many 7 and 10 year old girls that are willing let alone want to spend the day in the country with a bunch of dogs, ducks, and sheep!They were great Gate handlers as well.
Les did what Les says he does best he “talked” and entertained the folks. And he started the Gator yes the cold got to the battery. hauled wood and in general did all the hard things before hand. Richard Swift his buddy that went to Wyoming with him last year to pick up Drover was here with his wife Diane and their Montana Rescue Dog Skyy the blue eyed English Shepherd.
My other two helpers were Drover for the morning’s work in the pens separating sheep moving in and out and BOO in the afternoon doing the same job.
I believe folks learned quite a bit, had fun, and best of all enjoyed the clear, clean, fresh, country COLD air with their dogs by their sides!
The sheep and ducks wanted to have their say here but I told them when they purchased their own computer they could have their own “Blog”!!!
