The Brae

We have been really blessed on this trip...we have been invited to work our dogs on Welsh mountains, on lordly English estates and now on a Scottish brae. We are in the Ettrick Valley, home of Bobby Dalziel.

When we arrived at the area where everyone parks for training, we couldn't believe our eyes. Several hundred feet above us and about 600 yards away a dog was working a group of Scottish blackface back and forth across the face of a steep brae, amidst the bracken and heather.



You may be able to see the tiny speck of white mid-way up the hill on the right, just below where the dark green foliage ends near the top of the brae. That's the sheep. Although it doesn't look it in this picture, the hill is so steep I got a crick in my neck looking up to watch the dogs work.

We were a bit terrified (can you be 'a bit' terrified?) to send our dogs, as the ground was very rough and incredibly steep.

This gives you an idea of the slope...



The view from the handler's perspective...can you see the sheep? That's Dyna working those sheep up there!




Send her again? Really?



The view from my window of the beautiful B&B where we are staying...



A few more days in the Borders, a trip to Edinburgh, and then it will be North to the World Trial!

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To Scotland!

We are heading to Scotland today. Yesterday we attended a show and got to see Jim and Shirley Cropper run, as well as other top handlers such as the Longtons, work tricky Swaledales. Although we all had decent runs, a bobble each knocked us out of the running. One fellow even ran with dual canes!




The sheep weren't very cooperative, often ending up in the announcers tent...



The show had some impressive animals...check out the size of the Texels...I'm talking about the skull BTW...


...and the horns!



We had an amazing Thai dinner to top it off...



Now to fit everything into the car...ugh!

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Hen party...

We went to a quaint little agricultural show yesterday with a small sheepdog trial for charity. The spectators were protected from the sheep by a roll of snow fencing (why do they need snow fencing in the UK?)...actually, many of the trials we have been to have had no fencing at all, as the dogs are expected to take care of the sheep. It would be a litigator's dream in North America.

We arrived just as they broke for lunch and we were invited for tea. Even at a small rural show, this was done with proper china tea cups and saucers, four of us ladies sitting around chatting.

The rural qualities of Britain were emphasized by the poster for a dear lost animal on the tea room window...




The trial itself was entertaining. It took four people to hold the uncooperative sheep near the stake. They were just over the crest of a hill so you were never 100% sure if your sheep were there or if you should send your dog. You had to climb over a rocky ditch, go through the spectators and the car park to take your sheep to the exhaust at the end of your run. Just a typical day at a sheepdog trial...

Mary Lou and Dyna had yet another stellar run, finishing in second, one point off the lead.

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On the edge...

The last few days have been on the edge...sheep on the edge of the road in the Dales...



...sheep on the edge at trials, Mary Lou on the edge of winning a trial (2 points off the lead), our rental car on the edge of stone walls...you get the idea.

The trials yesterday had good hands such as the Longton's running. When we left the one trial, Mary Lou was winning on 90 points on very difficult sheep. Late in the day apparently the sheep went very good and Mary Lou was pipped by scores of 92 and 91.

The trial fields were, as always, beautiful, and the running was on Swaledales...








We came home to the house mascot, who is entertaining beyond belief and helped us check results on the computer!




Today we are off again...more later!




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Good day!

We had a great day the other day at the Egton sheepdog trial, which was attached to the Egton country show. It was absolutely packed with people and hundreds of pet dogs. No kidding...hundreds of dogs.

It was great to see all these dogs, every breed imaginable, squeezing through crowds, walking on loose leash, passing within inches of each other, and I didn't see a single reaction or poor manners from any of the dogs all day. No wonder dogs are welcome almost everywhere.

The sheepdog trial was run on Texels, who had a strong opinion about going to the exhaust, especially in the afternoon. John Atkinson laid down a very good run, as did Mary Lou. I had to do a bit of a point and shoot on the cross drive due to the sheep trying to run hard to the exhaust, but made the gate.


We all placed (trials only ever have six placings at the most) which was nice. Maybe my luck is starting to change! ;)

Mary Lou's Dyna was, as usual, one of the stars of the show. She is just running amazing. Looking forward to the Saturday trials!

We also did a bit of shopping at this great store called John Lewis. It had some interesting displays...



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Transition...

We were terribly sad to leave Wales, but did get a good chuckle at this garage (gas station) on the way out. You can buy your potatoes and your coal at a petrol station, among other things. Who knew?





We received a warm welcome at our next stop in England, where apparently our fondness for Cosmopolitan martinis is well known...




We worked lively Hebridean sheep this time, that although different from the insane Welsh Mountain sheep, were not opposed to leaping fences when the mood struck them...




Tomorrow is a trial day in the Dales, and we will report more as we will be settled in.

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Next stop England...

Today is our last full day in Wales. We are trialing in gorgeous sunshine down near the beach by the Irish Sea (with gale force winds but we're not complaining).

So...for those of you who are curious about the trials here, a bit about how all this works...

You book in at the trial and pick where you want to run. It's often very casual and there can be big gaps between runs. Many wait until the sheep are good (or so you think) before they book in. You book in usually at a caravan (RV trailer), horse trailer or car...





Everyone pulls up to the front to watch from their cars...this is our view...




The sheep are being let out and held by three young men at the top of the field with no dog (very different from North America). It's fairly entertaining actually because the sheep are very quick and not willing to cooperate. They let them out when the course director waves the flag.




The pen has no gate on it today and you can move pretty much anywhere you want.

J.R. Griffith demonstrates penning below after exceptional outwork.



There is rarely a shed in the Welsh trials, so we'll to wait for England to practice that.

Dyna is judging accordingly from the backseat of the van.




We had a great dinner tonight with John and Bet near the Caernarfon Castle.









We have met so many amazing people in Wales and will miss it terribly, especially our dear friends John and Bet. Tomorrow we trek to England.




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Wild Welsh mountain sheep

Now I'm sure there the sheep here are on crack! Must be something in the grass...nothing like honing your penning skills (and your ability to bounce back from failure) on wild Welsh Mountain sheep. Three trials and very few pens by anyone...including us.

However, we are still amused when we see sheep just randomly walking down the road. I could almost picture a purse and flowery hat on this one...casually walking down the sidewalk!





Apparently this is a famous place for artists...




Maybe we should take up painting!

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Now I understand...

Now I understand...why in the UK they don't like to drive more than half an hour to a trial. I used to chuckle about it because we often drive 3 to 7 hours (or more) in North America without thinking to get to a trial...but on good highways...

Two hours one way on winding, suicide mission, just missed the side mirror being copped (knocked off) by a lunatic driver, edge of your seat microscopic roads with stone walls inches away..is exhausting.

We visited the North Wales Championship today, and it was a nice sized field...




Although Dyna got around, it won't be in the top four to go back Saturday. Craig and I grazed the fetch panel on the wrong side when the sheep darted unexpectedly and even with a good outrun and lift that was enough to cause us to miss the standard and ended our run.

I think tonight I will enjoy a glass of wine (or two)! 😉


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Photo Op day

Dyna's going to need 'Miss Congeniality' lessons soon. She is a very modest little dog and prefers not to have her picture taken but she did end up placing in two of the three trials yesterday, and the paparazzi (us basically) are starting to hound her (pardon the pun). It only took about 100 shots (thank goodness for digital) but we finally got her to look at the camera.




She was 3rd out of 76 runs in the one trial...
1. Allistair Lyttle and Scott
2. Cyril Humpreys and Bet
3. Mary Lou Campbell and Dyna
4. Aled Owen and Gypsy
5. Dan Jarman and Jaff
6. Orwell Evans and Bob

...and finished 6th out of 70 runs in the other trial.

Today we trained dogs a bit and then went up another mountain on a hike, which was spectacular in colour with bracken, heather and gorse. Dyna is less shy about photo ops when she has spotted a sheep...




Tomorrow is a big day as we are planning on going to the North Wales Championship. Apparently it is a big field and should be great fun.

More updates tomorrow night!

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In 300 metres...

We have a love-hate relationship with the GPS. On one hand, it took us to several sheepdog trials that we would have never found on our own.

On the other hand, it took us an extra hour and a half to get there because of the scenic route it took us on. Fortunately, Mary Lou and I travel well and were able to enjoy a part of Wales we would've otherwise never seen.







However, driving on a one track road for over an hour is a bit wearing...

Can you believe many of these roads have a speed limit of 96 km per hour????

Even with the delay, we managed to hit three trials today. Mary Lou and Dyna once again did well, possibly placing in two of the trials. (Over here, you leave to go to the next trial and find out by phone the next day how you did, very different from North America.)

My sheep kept leaving before Craig was halfway there. Nutters...

My only moment of redemption...







I think some of the sheep are on crack, personally.

P.S. We had one of those "they saw us coming..." moments. I guess we must not look like locals. Going into a well known local fish and chip shop, we asked for ketchup to go with our order. The lady at the cash pulls out an entire bottle of ketchup and offers it to us for a price. Apparently, no other ketchup was available and we were desperate, so we bought it. At which point, she offers a bottle of malt vinegar for us to purchase as well...come on, do we look like gullible tourists to you??

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BC on the Beach

Today's adventure took us from the beautiful coastline of Wales up through the mountains.

We started the day with a walk along the beach, with the Irish Sea crashing spectacularly beside us. The winds were extremely strong, but warmer than we anticipated. We looked a bit like Nanuk of the North with all our layers, but the dogs didn't mind.



















We checked out a slate quarry...I know, I know, it doesn't sound that exciting, but it was amazing to see a demonstration of hand-splitting slate into paper thin sheets...(notice the Border Collie in the crowd!)





...and pictures of men hanging from massive slabs of slate as they tried to pry it away from the mountain.

This was our quarry imitation...






We returned home by taking a small track over the mountain...yes, this is a road, not a walking path!







As always there were sheep everywhere...






...felt like a bit of a safari...can you see this one...another Where's Waldo from Boywood...







Finally, we'd had our fill of tea and we needed a fix of North America, with a British flair!






Ta...until tomorrow!

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Lessons of a lifetime

Nothing replaces watching a top sheepdog man schooling his dogs and mentoring you along the way. It is breath-taking to watch two dogs work at the same time flawlessly at 900 yards. You can't explain 50 years of experience, you have to absorb it. From Open dogs competing at the highest level to starting three month old pups, J.R. Griffith is a master.

Under J.R.'s guidance, Mary Lou sent Dyna back for a second group up the mountain, but group is a loose term when there is 500 sheep!! If you look very closely, you can just make Dyna out on the stone wall. Can you find her? This is the Boywood version of Where's Waldo...😉




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Canadians have a big responsibility...

Did you know that Canada is the source of all bad weather that happens world wide? 

At least it seems that way. When we go south in the United States, we get blamed for bad storms due to some polar vortex or Alberta Clipper wreaking havoc on the sunny south. 

Now, in the UK, we are being blamed for a terrible surge of rainy weather due to the dredges of a hurricane coming off the coast of Canada. (Really? We are responsible for rain in the UK?)

Fortunately, being the tough, resilient, and resourceful Canadians that we are, we are prepared for hurricane conditions (did I mention the amount of luggage we brought?), since there was a hurricane the last time there was a world trial as well. (Wait, we were here that time too, maybe we are responsible?!?!)

Today was a bit of a day off due to the weather, but we did find out the good news that Mary Lou did very well at one of the trials yesterday, finishing second only by a point to the legendary Aled Owen.

The sun did break thigh the clouds for a moment at the end of the day, I don't think I would ever tire of looking at this valley...

Tomorrow will either be a training day or a trial day, we haven't decided yet, and the weather may decide for us. Apparently 100 km winds are expected...I'm sure they are from Canada! ;)

We also are adapting to the driving and the roads. Our walking paths are wider than many Welsh roads. 

Who would be crazy enough to drive a caravan (trailer) here? We've had a couple of close calls just in the car! More news tomorrow!