Where the Antelope Play But the Sheep are Herded
Spring Trial Slideshow
No Mystery Here ??
No need for a mystery writer to explain the results from this weekend's Antelope Valley Stockdog Club Trial, although we had one running in Started A Class. Dashiell (Hammet) - the Border Collie named for the famous mystery writer owned by Nancy Levendosky and handled by Robin Penland Elliott took Firs
t Place in Started A Course along with Reserve High in Trial on A Course on Sunday. High in Trial went to Robin Penland Elliott and Lass in in Advanced Class A Course with a near perfect score of 99. Full Sunday Trial Results can be viewed by clicking here.
The Test Classes were combined to two runs on Sunday for each test class as a result of the late afternoon Saturday rainstorm which forced the Saturday scheduled tests to be run on Sunday morning. After the long wait there were a lot of happy faces with a high percentage of Qualifying Scores. Full Test results can be viewed by clicking here.
Full results from Saturday's trial classes can be found by clicking here.
More details and photos will follow over the next few days.
Ark Needed ???
We needed Noah to bring his ark to the Antelope Valley and dock at the Lucky Ewe to have a chance to get the test classes in on Saturday as the heavens opened with a deluge of rain at about 4:30 p.m. Saturday just as the Started B Course was finishing on Saturday. Unfortunately Noah was not in the neighborhood and the test classes will double up on Sunday.
Before the gully washer we did manage to complete both A and B courses and there were some wonderful runs turned in which were rewarded with scores in the high 90s. High in Trial in A Course went to Border Collie Meg, owned by Suzanne LeRoy 
and handled by Molly Wisecarver in the Started Class with Reserve High in Trial going to Dashiell owned by Nancy Levondosky and handled by Robin Penland Elliot with a tie of 97.5 points (actually a 3 way tie broken on time).
On the B Course High in Trial went to the Intermediate Class and Yoko, bred, owned and handled by Suzanne Anaya with a near perfect run of 98. Reserve High in Trial went to Border Collie Rain owned by Suzanne LeRoy and handled by Molly Wisecarver from the Advanced Class.
Spring Trial is Underway
It's 9:30 am on Saturday and the Antelope Valley Spring Trial is undeerway. Results are already in for Advanced A Course and we have a successful defense from last year by Robin Penland Elliott and her dog Lass with a 96, followed closely by two 93s, Kirsten Cole's Zip (2d on tie breaker) and Dorothy Dunlap's Buster.
Check in regularly for updates.
Class Run Order Set for Spring Trial
The Class Run Order is set for the Spring Trial to be held at the Lucky Ewe Ranch on May 30 and May 31. The trial is overfilled and there is a waiting list so anyone who knows they will not be able to make the trial should let the trial secretary know so your spot can bve filled by an alternate.
On Saturday we will begin with the A Course starting with the Advanced A Class (9 dogs), followed by Intermediate A Class (6 dogs), and Started A Class (10) dogs. The B Course will run immediately following the A course also starting with Advanced B (7 dogs), Intermediate B (4 dogs). Test Classes will follow the B course. Handlers meeting for Advanced A Class will be at 7:30 a.m. Handlers Meetings for the subsequent classes will be held as soon as the immediately preceding class is finished. Dogs will run in catalog order within each class on Saturday, e.g., 501A then 502A, etc.
On Sunday the Class Run Order will be reversed. We will start with the Test Classes at 7:00 a.m. Following theTest Classes we will then move to B course beginning with Advanced, followed by Intermediate and then Started. A Course will run in Advanced, Intermediate and then Started order following completion of the B course. On Sunday Dogs will run in REVERSE catalog order within each class, e.g., 510B then 509B, etc..
Spring Trial Rapidly Approaching
Spring is sprung. The poppies are in bloom. The ewes are lambing. Herding dogs are wanting to keep the sheep in line. It must be that time again --- time for the Antelope Vallley Stockdog Club Spring Trial.
The Spring Trial is set for Saturday and Sunday May 30 and May 31 at the Lucky Ewe Ranch. The trial will feature both AKC course A and B. Entries are available by clicking here. Get yours in soon as the trial is already over half filled to capacity and based on straw polls we are anticipating a full trial. If last year is any indication we will actually have to create a wait list - so don't you wait with your entries.
As in the past we will be doing our best to put on a trial the club can be proud of. If history is any guide to the future, we should meet that goal.
The USBCHA National Sheepdog Finals Organizers have created a very professional promotional video which does a wonderful job of explaining how a herding trial works.
It is embedded here for your convenience.
Jean Singer and Tug kept a three year winning streak going for Antelope Valley Stockdog Club Members by capturing the 2008 Pro-Novice Dog of the Year from the San Joaquin Valley Border Collie Association. Club member Erin Swanson started the streak with the 2006 Novice Dog of the Year and was followed by Sally Douglas with Novice Dog of the Year in 2008.
Jean's accomplishment raises the stakes by a class to Pro-Novice. Good job Jean and Tug !!!
Now who is going to step up to keep the streak going.
We are very happy to announce that - with an assist from an embedded video player -- Sheep TV - is now playing on the Sheep TV Page. Sheep TV features video of Antelope Valley Stockdog Club Members and their dogs as well as random videos which--in the eclectic opinion of the webmaster may be of interest to club members. Sheep TV can be accessed by clicking on the menu at the top or by clicking NOW PLAYING ON SHEEP TV.
Eleven different breeds were represented. Dogs came from as far as Alabama and Minnesota and as nearby as the Lucky Ewe itself.
Robin Penland Elliott and her Border Collie Lass were the big winners over the weekend taking High in Trial Awards in three of the four trial. Belgian Sheepdog Phoebe - owned by Gordon Armstrong and handled by Ted Ondrak - took the other High in Trial on "A" Course on Saturday. Reserve High in Trial Awards went to Border Collie Buster and his person Dorothy Dunlap for Saturday "A" course, Border Collie Merle with Sally Douglas for Saturday "B" course, Border Collie Cameo (from Minnesota) owned by Debra De Gidio and handled by Terry Kinney for Saturday "A" course, and Border Collie Winee owned by Suzanne Leroy and handled by Molly Wisecarver for Sunday "B" course.
While an event like the Spring Classic takes hard work from a large number of people special thanks go to club members Michael Burks for an amazing amount of general work and supervison, Ted Ondrak for course direction and stock handling, Erin Swanson and Jean Singer for stock set out, Kathy Roberts for our wonderful art work and lunch, and of course Sally Douglas for putting up with all of us and hosting the event. Special thanks also to Robert Schooley for on site veterinary services. We were also fortunate to enjoy the judicial opinions of Ed Faulk on Saturday, Joel Levinson on Sunday, and Peggy Richter and Suzanne Anaya for the test classes (as well as Suzanne Anaya's apprenticeship on "B" course on Sunday).
The Lucky Ewe was transformed to a large outdoor classroom over Easter Weekend as we were privileged to have a clinic conducted by Derek Fisher.
More photos available on the clinic page.
Merle Earns 2007 Novice Top Dog Award from SJVBCA
The big news came at lunch on Saturday with the SJVBCA annual awards. Sally Douglas and Merle took Novice Top Dog for 2007 following in the footsteps of Erin Swanson and Keeler from 2006. In a new and special award Pat Grannan and Maggie were awarded Most Improved.
Membership Information Available.
Membership applications are now available on the Membership Info Page. Click Here for membership Information and Application.
Click Here to go straight to the Application. Membership Application form is a fillable PDF form.
Click Here for a downloadable Brochure in PDF Format. Be patient it is a large file.
Photos and Videos courtesy of MagRam Media, LLC. and Kathy Roberts
