The Weekend Report - Now for Something Completely Different!

This weekend, the Chesapeake Cardigan Welsh Corgi Club held it's annual herding trial. After our impromptu lesson back in March , I set myself a goal of being ready for the Herding Test for this trial. So on three fridays in May, and this past friday, Wilson, Jimmy and I have trekked out to the country early in the morning before work to get in lessons. I can without a shadow of a doubt say that they LOVED it! I enjoyed it as well.

Yesterday was sunny and quite warm and of course, just like Novice Agility, the beginners doing the Herding Test waited until the end of the day. I was kind of hoping the heat would slow them down just a tad, but it really didn't. Wilson went first and I quickly learned the trial sheep are MUCH more flighty than the ones we had trained on. Wilson gets in a bit too close, and this scattered them several times making it hard to get in my 3 passes at the cones. But eventually, as he tired in the heat, we got it done. Fortunately he listened when I called him to me to finish the exercise. It wasn't too pretty, but it was a qualifying run. Woohoo!

Jimmy went several dogs later. He gave me a gorgeous stay to start, and since he works at a better distance off of the sheep, we were able to get around the cones quite quickly, and he also came when called! He got it done in just a few seconds over one minute compared to Wilson's four plus minutes. He also qualified. Woohoo!

Today, it was another hot day. Wilson pretty much did a repeat performance. He scattered the sheep every which way but we eventually finished the cones and he came to me to finish the exercise. He didn't really want it to be over, but was very hot from his efforts, so it was good we were done. He hopped right into one of the stock tanks to cool off. He did manage to qualify so he can (AKC pending) add HT to the end of his name!

Jimmy had the last run of the class and he too repeated his nice job. We were in and out in a little over a minute, starting with a nice stay and ending with a successful recall. So Jimmy too can sport the HT letters after his name. Both judges complimented Jimmy's work, one by leaving a comment on the scribe sheet and the other as she handed out the ribbons so I guess he really did do a good job of it. Poor Wilson did not receive any kudos, but of course he doesn't know that and he still had alot of fun.

Here we are getting our ribbons at the end of the day today.....

The club gave out really pretty ribbons with a cute Cardi logo in the center.

We had to wait while the Pre-trial class ran before the ribbons were ready, so here is Jimmy just chilling out.

All in all, a very fun and satisfying weekend! I am proud of my boys!