The family combo of Miles Allen, James Allen and Guy Allen put together two cattledog trials on one day in the Santa Anna City Arena. The cattle were tough as we were using roping steers who are certainly at home in an arena. In the first trial, Bill won 1st in the Open. In the second trial, Bill again won 1st in the Open and Angie won 1st in the Pro-Novice.
Texas Sheepdog and Cattledog Association State Finals
Angie Wins in Both Sheep and Cattle
The sheep started on Friday. Angie and Mitch were entered in the sheep and cattle. Mitch won 5th in the 1st go-round of the Open with 28 dogs running. Angie won 3rd in the 1st go of the Open Ranch. Saturday we started the cattle so that put me running back and forth from the sheep fields to the cattle arena. Mitch had a really tough bunch of sheep and didn't place very high in the 2nd go. His 2 scores put him 12th overall and the top 11 went back to the Double Lift Finals. He did manage a 5th in the first go of cattle. Angie didn't place as high in the 2nd go-round of Open Ranch Sheep but it was high enough so that her 2 score total put her 2nd in the Average. She went over and won a 3rd in the first go of Pro-Novice Cattle. Bill had his first run in the cattle and placed 8th. In the second go of cattle, Bill won 3rd and that secured him 4th in the Average. Angie won the 2nd go of Pro-Novice Cattle which clinched for her, 1st in the Average.
Hillsboro Cattledog Trial
I decided to have a cattledog trial here at the house on the Sunday after the Wild Bunch Trial. In the Open, Mitch won 1st and Bill was 3rd with 12 dogs running. Angie was 5th in the Pro-Novice in a class of 9 dogs.
Wild Bunch Cattledog Trial
The Wild Bunch, lead by Jerry Lynch of Crawford, held their annual cattledog trial at the Crawford city arena. Two trials were held on the same day. In the first trial Bill won 3rd in the Open and Angie won 3rd in the Pro-Novice. In the second trial, Bill won 4th in the Open and Angie was again, 3rd in the Pro-Novice.
Bluebonnett Sheepdog Trial
The Bluebonnett Sheepdog Trial is an annual spring event hosted by the Raleys and Lynchs of Crawford, Tx. This year it got rained out so was postponed until October. Two separate trials on 2 days. On the 1st day Mitch finished in the middle of the pack in the Open and Angie won 4th in the Open Ranch with 16 entries. On Sunday, Mitch won 1st in the Open with 16 dogs and Angie won 3rd in the Open Ranch.
Bryan County Invitational Cattledog Trial
This is a first time trial that was an invitational cattledog trial hosted by Dave Mollenhour and held in Durant, Oklahoma. Ten handlers each with 2 dogs, one of their own and one belonging to someone else, competed in 1 go-round with the top 5 handlers coming back for a finals. I ran Angie and Kirby Elenburg's Slick. Slick and I won the first go-round to make it back to the finals. However, we didn't draw too well and finished 5th out of the 5 finalist.
Temple Sheepdog Trial
A new sheepdog trial was held in Temple during the Antique Tractor Association annual fall exhibit. Though not a big course, the uneven terrain and a Maltese Cross made for challenging runs. We ran 2 separate trials that day. In the first trial, Angie won 2nd in the Open Ranch and in the 2nd trial, Mitch won 4th in the Open.
WYOMING SUMMER CATTLEDOG SERIES AND FINALS
Our annual tour in Wyoming actually began in Morrill, Nebraska at Brian Rice's feedlot. The course was a pasture course set up like the National Finals. There were 24 Open dogs entered and Mitch finished 1st and Bill finished 5th. Brian had some nice work jackets embroidered with the name of the trial on it for the winners of each class. In the picture below, Brian is giving me the jacket that Mitch won.
From Morrill, we went to Rock Springs, Wyoming for the Sweetwater County Fair Cattledog Trial. The Open had 28 entries. Mitch finished 4th and Bill finished 5th.
After Rock Springs we traveled to Wheatland, Wy for the Platte County Fair. The best we could do in the Open was 7th out of 34 dogs however, Angie, who had fought some tough draws in the first 2 trials, got a draw that fit her style and she won the Open Ranch/Nursery class of about 15 dogs. The picture below is of Juan Reyes presenting us the champion buckle.
On to Rawlins,Wy for the Carbon County Fair. The Open class was not good to us at all so Angie stepped up to support the cause and won the Open Ranch/Nursery again. Below, Clyde Johnson of the TA Ranches, sponsor of the buckle, is giving us our award.
Now to Torrington, Wy for the last of the Wyoming Cattledog Series. Again the Open wasn't good to us so again Angie stepped up and was the highest placing Open Ranch dog to win the buckle. Below, Stephanie Lofink, Goshen County Fairgrounds Manager, is giving me Angie's awards during a special awards supper.
The next day Torrington sponsored another USBCHA sanctioned Open Class. Seventeen dogs entered and Bill finished 3rd and Mitch finished 5th.
From Torrington we went to Douglas where the Wyoming State Fair was sponsoring a Sheepdog Trial. Bill and Mitch ran in the Open with Bill winning 3rd and Angie competed in the Open Ranch and won 2nd. Below is a picture of the Open winners, Open Ranch winners and a picture of me with Marianne Warn who made the beautiful pillow covered with border collies. This was one of the awards for winning 2nd in the Open Ranch.
Two days later, we had the Finals of the Cattledog Series. The top 15 Open handlers from the 4 trials in the series, Rock Springs, Wheatland, Rawlins, and Torrington, brought their best dogs for one long go-round and a top 5 finals to determine the winner of the Finals. Mitch was my entry and we finished 4th in the long go to make it back to the finals. We put together another run in the short-go good enough to win first in the short go and win the Cattledog Finals of the Wyoming State Fair. An interesting fact about the top 5 is that we are all from different states. The finalist were myself, Juan Reyes of Wheatland, Wy, Pete Carmichael of Timber Lake, South Dakota, Kenneth Beasley of Atoka, Oklahoma and Bill Halligan of Alliance, Nebraska. In the photo below I'm with Mr. and Mrs. Gene Litton , superintendents of the cattledog trial receiving my awards.
My friend, Tim Gifford, of Harrisburg, Nebraska came to help at the finals with his T-shirt that said "Don't mess with Texas". How's that for a good friend? And it helped too.
2007 CALGARY STAMPEDE
Nothing to report this year. This trial is a lot of fun. We had a great time but didn't make the finals. The top 15 make the finals. Mitch finished 19th just missing the Finals. Ben, in the 2nd go-round, had a lamb showing no respect for a dog so Ben bit him on the nose to teach him a little respect. Biting is not allowed so Ben was disqualified and therefore didn't make the Finals for a 3rd time.
SUNDOWNER JUNE TRIAL
The Sundowner Stockdog Association had it's June trial in Caney, Ok. On Saturday Mitch won the Open and Angie won the Novice Class. Sunday they skunked us and nobody got a check.
Sheep Arena Trial
We had a timed arena Sheepdog trial here at the house to try out some new courses for the stock shows. Each dog had 2 go-rounds with a different course for each go. When it was added up, Mitch won 3rd in the Open and Angie won 3rd in the Open Ranch.
SUNDOWNER MAY TRIAL
The Sundowner Stockdog Association had it's May trial on the 19th and 20th. On Saturday, Angie showed the older dogs how by winning 2nd in the Novice Class. Sunday, Mitch came back for a 3rd in the Open with Bill finishing 6th. Angie stepped it up a notch and won 1st in the Novice on Sunday.
ANGIE WINS SUNDOWNER FUTURITY
The Sundowner Futurity brings in young dogs that have never competed in a trial. This year, 18 such dogs paid $400 each to go head to head in 2 go-rounds and a 2 go-round finals. My young dog Angie worked great but came up short on points in the first round finishing 12th. In the 2nd go however, the stars lined up in her favor as she was 1st to go and posted a 4:26 time which held on to win the go-round and propel her into the finals. The finals is a clean slate with 2 go-rounds. The top 5 came back on Sunday and when it was added up, Angie had the most points to win the 2007 Sundowner Stockdog Association Futurity. She was following in the footsteps of her brother, Mitch who won it last year. Both Mitch and Angie are sired by Ben.
Mitch Wins Open Finals at Futurity
Each year at the Futurity they have an Open Jackpot and a Non-Open Jackpot. This year I had 2 entries in the Open Jackpot, Mitch and Bill. Twenty one dogs competed in the Open Jackpot. In the first go-round, Bill won 3rd and Mitch was 8th. In the 2nd go round, Mitch was 2nd and Bill was 8th. Both qualified for the 2 go-round finals on Sunday by finishing in the top 5. After the finals was completed, Mitch finished 1st and Bill 3rd.
