BLUEGRASS, Day 3, OPEN II

Kristi at this rate, i should try for a tribute album!

Congratulations to Lorna Savage winner Open I! 

Congratulations also to Ron Enzeroth who won Nursery again today.

Nell illustrated, ‘Speed thrills, Speed kills’. She was thrilled and killed any hope of a good run, but that, as they say, is young dogs! She finished up 9^th. Alasdair was 7^th and got his 2^nd leg with Skye!

Open II:

 

Don Helsley judging, 11 minutes, right hand drive, any single, then pen. Sheep are overall a good bit heavier.

 

Alasdair had a very good run in Open II with Li and is leading on an 86. Tommy Wilson had a good run with Roy and currently in second with an 84. I ran Max & managed to miss the drive away with expert precision. I never called him on the shed (which is any sheep).  It was far too risky to take the last one on the head yet Max boldly disagreed & came in on the last one on the head anyway. I was far more stunned and scared by this than yesterday’s lightning bolt!

My shout did get a lie down and the judge called it. We scored an 82.

This was Max’s last year to run at the Bluegrass as he will be 12 years old in October. It was his 10^th year running here and his 8^th running here in Open. I managed to get us DQ’d in Open I so we will not compete on Sunday but he has put me through to the Final here more times than I can remember, a testament to his ability given my inexperience as Max is the first dog I trained to Open (beating Bear to the field by 2 months). He is an amazing partner and friend and I will miss trialing and training him more than words can express.

 

The sheep remain heavy and look to be getting even better. If it continues scores may well soar to the 90’s so very difficult to predict yet who will get in beyond Alasdair, Vergil and Mary Lou Campbell at the time of this writing. More severe storms are expected for today and tomorrow. The temperature is currently about 85 and 100% humidity. Here is hoping it cools down lots before Sunday. My grandmother is flying in tomorrow (88 years old) to watch and we are very excited, off to prepare for her visit!

 

 

Christines Bess also had her last BG run
today. She will be 12 yr. in December