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23rd Occasional Highland SDT Entry


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23rd OCCASIONAL HIGHLAND SHEEPDOG TRIAL

MCCAIG FARM, WILLIAMSVILLE, VIRGINIA 24487

1,2,3 September 2012

Three Open Trials,

TO BENEFIT: Highland Animal Shelter

USBCHA/VBCA Sanctioned

Judge: Sherry Farster

 

50 acre field. Commercial Polypay sheep. 15 minute course,

Ribbons, no prize money.

 

We are thirty minutes from a convenience store, an hour from diesel and supermarket. Your Cellphone and GPS won’t work in Heaven, Hell or Here. Best you arrive in daylight. Camping. No hookups.

We’ll provide morning coffee, juice and biscuits, burgers at noon and feed you pretty good Saturday and Sunday nights.

We will have a Blessing of the Dogs Saturday after the trial, before dinner and music.

Handler’s meeting: 6:30 am Saturday or when the fog lifts.

 

Open limit: 50 dogs. Enter your third dog separately. If we exceed 50 postmark day entries I’ll draw promptly and post the wait list on Sheepdog L. If you enter and don’t hear from me, you’re in.

 

POSTMARK DAY: July 24, 2012

 

 

DIRECTIONS:

Anything longer than an F 150 pulling a 19 foot trailer is a BIG RIG

 

From the north and east. In Staunton take US 250 West until you cross a wee mountain. At the bottom entering Headwaters, turn left on 616 (The only road). At the bridge T junction left on Cowpasture River Rd. We are 12.8 miles from 250 and you’ll cross the river two more times. At the second bridge you’ll pass Berriedale Rd. Continue 1/10th mile. On your right you’ll see a sheepdog pointing leftward and on your left the “Yucatec Farm” sign marks the lane.

 

If BIG RIGS overshoot this lane, continue a mile or so to the Fire Department, Uturn, return past the farm (DON’T ATTEMPT THE MAILBOX ROAD. The last BR who ignored this warning cost him $1000 in damages and my unsympathetic guffaw), About a mile back the way you came (past Berridale & Peaceful Valley rds) Uturn a second time at Sugar Tree Road (U Turn will be marked with our sign) and make a second pass at the BIG RIG road. You’ll get here sooner or later.

 

¬From the South and West: In Millboro Springs turn left on Rte 39. After one mile, right on 678. 1/2 hr to Williamsville , cross the bridge on Rte 614. 1.8 miles to a blue mailbox on your right. Descend.

 

South and West BIG RIGS: As above but DON’T ATTEMPT THE MAILBOX ROAD(See warning above) Instead, drive past he farm another mile or so past Berridale & Peaceful Valley rds to Sugartree Rd where you’ll see our UTurn Sign. Return, take the lane as above.

 

Once you’re on the farm, drive past the barn to the jolly gathering in the bottom. Don’t wake the ladies in the cabin unless you want the worst setout of your life.

 

If you decide to come at night and get lost, pull off and park. Things often look better in the morning.

 

 

 

 

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Mail to McCaig, 10983 Cowpasture River Rd S, Williamsville, Va. 24487

 

 

Handler:

Home Address:

 

Contact #

 

Sat Sun Mon

 

Dog:

 

 

Dog:

 

 

Dog:

 

 

 

Entry Fee: $30 per run

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Would it be in bad taste to ask what the spectator's fee is, for those of us who carry plastic rather than cash otherwise? I doubt I'll make the trip, but having camped in the Skyline Drive/Luray Caverns area, I can't think of a more beautiful area to experience a sheepdog trial.

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"Spectator's fee"? Are you kidding? Not that it wouldn't be reasonable to pay to camp on Donald's farm and see more stars in the night sky than you could imagine exist to view in the eastern states.

 

Don't miss it if you can go. I'm hoping to make it to spectate/help this year.

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8$ a carload 10-4. If you arrive before or after that time, there's no charge. No charge for camping or meals (though contributions are welcome).Whatever's left over goes to the shelter. Last year we gave $800 to Border Collie rescue. Mannerly dogs welcome. There's miles to walk them. Donald

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It's still a ridiculously small fee. Heck, it costs around $14 to camp at Loft Mountain in the Shenandoah, and they don't feed you. No hookups there either. Sure, they have showers, but they also have bears! I'd gladly give a donation. Still, I am out of travel/camping practice, so I doubt I'll make it.

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For any fellow newbies who are now a bit rattled, Bear Vault makes pretty good bear resistant (note "resistant", not "proof") containers. Buy an extra for refuse!

 

 

 

ETA: I know, I know. "A fool and his money are soon parted". But you can't put a price on peace of mind.

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Dear Phobics,

 

And what's to guarantee that a bear (aka "ursus unamericanos") is in his right mind? Does he have a certificate? A letter from his therapist?

 

Bears may be gathering as we speak, grunting bearishly and sharpening their claws. Have bearograms been sent to the coyote group, the bobcat assn, the red and grey foxes and the bald eagles nesting just a halfmile downriver? Are menus being prepared?

 

Our dogs are OUR friends and partners. To bears, they are "yummy".

 

Donald McCaig

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If I tied my dog under my camper, it would not take much effort for any bear to turn it over. The dog will sleep with me, as usual. Maybe parking down away from everyone, by the river, last time was not the wisest choice...

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I've only ever tent camped. I'm too poor for an RV. Although, until recently I had a van in which to sit and hyperventilate.

 

 

You're having an awful lot of fun with this, Mr. McCaig LOL!

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  • 1 month later...

Wouldn't miss the bears, eagles, fox, coyotes, fog, sheep, dogs, roads, mountains or McCaig, for anything. I'm the new volunteer.

Will stay up at night to watch bears in exchange for how-to-whistle-tips.

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