Wow, we ARE improving...

This year, I decided to enter Jessie in 2nd class trials, because in 1st class the outruns were really too short for her. She has a lot of pressure on sheep, and although her outrun and lift were nearly always almost perfect, the sheep started to bolt and the fetch was too short for them to settle. So her OLF visibly improved, but we still had to work on the drive. And finally that hard work paid off, and she can bring the sheep in almost straight lines through the gates now. There is only one problem left to tackle: I have to learn to shed..


Off she goes...

 

 ...bringing them nicely to me!

So last weekend we entered a 2nd class trial in Alken, and we became 10th of 23 teams. If only I had been able to shed, we could have penned too and earn a lot more points, but no. Putting the sheep in a pen is something we are good at, but we never get that far and that's because of me. I've been told I rather block the sheep so they can't split up, but I just don't see it. It seems easier when you're working sheep, and I don't know why I always mess up when I'm at a trial....

 Jessie did everything I asked, driving them away without hesitation:

 

 

 So the next weeks will be all about shedding, shedding and... oh yeah: shedding!!