2013 Heppner STD

[red russel]

Always a very tough trial with typically crappy weather and difficult sheep, this trial in Heppner Oregon is usually attended by folks that enjoy a challenge. I believe there were 17 RT/DQ out of 52 runs on the first day and 21 RT/DQ out of 51 runs on the second. Here are two runs...

 

Elizabeth Baker and Soot

 

Lavon Calzacorta & Tess

 

dave

[Sue R]

Thank you for sharing these with us. Difficult would hardly begin to describe the trial from everything I've heard, and your videos bear that out.

[workindogs]

The sheep are fabulous!! It is always an honor to return to Heppner to try to match wits with the Krebs sheep.

[red russel]

What Elizabeth said. The Sheep are challenging, difficult and delightful all at the same time. Both you and your dog have to really be on it or your run will end in a hurry. But if you treat them right you can really have a go. We are lucky to have a few trials up here in our rainy little corner of paradise with sheep like this. Big Willow, Dirt Blowing, and Heppner are three.

 

dave

[airbear]

Dave, EB, how do these compare to the Lacamas sheep? I think I might have to put Heppner on the list of things to do!

[red russel]

hmmm... excellent question. Both challenging but very different. I have found it easier to get a flow going at Heppner but, frankly, have never had a successful run at Lacamas. We haven't found the key to managing the lambs at Lynn's trial. Very much looking forward to trying again! Elizabeth is most probably better suited to answer.

[amc]

The new field looks nice. Did it work out well?

 

Amy

[red russel]

The new field looks nice. Did it work out well?

 

Amy

 

I thought it was great. Pretty steep hill with a relatively small drive. Lots of fun. Dogs that like to run big ended up 400 yards past the sheep with no real way to get back so that had to be managed but that just added to the flavor. Exhausting was difficult at times and we lost a few sheep down the road but that was pretty much figured out by the second day. Viewing the runs was easy so great from a spectator's perspective. Only thing missing was the heated 2 story viewing room with a big screen TV... I'll suggest that to Karen next time I see her.

[TEC]

Dave, thanks for the high-quality videography. Observing some of the best...what a way to learn.

 

Wanted to travel to Heppner for the weekend, but life got in the way. This summer and fall I'll try to attend Fireridge and/or Dirtblowing (if they run it this year) SDTs. -- Thanks, TEC

[DeltaBluez Tess]

Dirt Blowing has been cancelled.

[workindogs]

Kristi asked about Heppner vs. Lacamas lambs.......well both trials offer lambs and lambs in general lack leadership and are not very smart about the dog or where exactly they are supposed to go. That is about it for the similarities. Now for the differences.

 

Lacamas: Lambs are generally a commercial wool cross breed from a wide range of med/coarse wool breeds (suffolk/dorset/romney/cheviot/lincoln/etc). They are a flock (ie. they live together) but are an inconsistent variety of breeds and crosses thereof....and can have differing temperaments. They are younger than Heppner lambs (ie. a little stupider), thick carcass and come from a shepherded commercial operation in the Willamette Valley (i.e. human contact, ATVs, lush lush green grass and lots of it in their faces all the time). They have seen humans before....not friends with them but don't freak out. To work, the lambs are like pushing rope.....no leader, squirting (some darting) and pealing off the sides...forward motion is not natural, so dog needs to tuck, push, tuck, push, tuck, push. As the trial progresses (a long 4 day trial) they tend to get heavier and they work more and more like pushing heavy wet rope. When you get to the DL, "whip and spur" (flank, push, flank, push, flank, push) is a common approach to keeping things moving. The lambs would like to put their heads down to graze....they are used to eating most of the time any time they want. Gates often mean more food.

 

Heppner: Lambs are a Rambouillet (fine wool) type, tall framey lanky and lean. They are consistent breed/type and come from an open arid range operation with little contact with dog or human....they travel far and wide grazing and seeking new graze. They are very fit, athletic and twitchy.....their reaction to a dog trial is fight or flight. They are also very reactive to humans. They are very athletic and fast and can cover ground (with long legs) quickly. To work, the lambs will face and watch/study the dog's approach, then spin, twitch and dart. They will bolt and lean on the dog until the dog covers (on balance), then stop, face the dog, then spin, split and bolt again....and often time, spin, split up and run again. Sometimes the dog covers, heads and stops the leader, only to cause the lagger to spin around, single herself off and run like hell the other way (see video of Sooty's fetch coming off the hill before the fetch gates). A dog needs to cover and hold hard pressure but also release and allow the lambs to go forward....lots of pivoting like a cutting horse, then open flank, then push forward. The pressure and leaning makes them heavy but they are also light when they dart, spin, twitch and run like hell and are very athletic and fast. These lambs are a little smarter and more wiley than Lacamas lambs. They are not rope....certainly not wet rope. They can be suspicious of gates (cattle guard) and pens (trap).

 

A large percentage of the DQ/RT at Heppner were due to single/double splitting off and running off course.....a number of others DQ were due to grips.

[airbear]

Thank you very much, EB, for that explanation! I think we'll have to consider Heppner as our new trial for next year.

[workindogs]

Kristi,

 

Heppner is alot of fun.....great sheep!! The weather can be miserable....cold, wind, spitting rain/snow. Usually you can sit in your car/truck and watch.

 

Amy,

 

The hill was nice....I liked it. The large field lead wide running dogs off into the wild green yonder...hopelessly lost. The successful outrunning dogs ran up the hill smart with their sheep in mind/sight. There were probably more sheep escaped to the road (and highway).....scary!. Also, the exhaust had to cross the road (little traffic) which was a complication but generally worked out ok. Historically, exhaust on the flat field was not a given.....so exhaust complications aren't new at Heppner.

[red russel]

Thanks Elizabeth. That was a great breakdown.

 

Lee Lumb & Nan

[workindogs]

Here is video of Alisdair MacRae and Nap winning the 2010 Lacamas DL on Anderson lambs. This an expert demonstration how to move heavy lambs (see the drive)....aka pushing rope or "whip and spur". If I were a more skilled techie I might have added "Rawhide" as the soundtrack.

 

[red russel]

Excellent idea Elizabeth. Good comparison. I have one of Alasdair's qualifying runs with Star at 2010 Lacamas as well.

 

Alasdair MacRae & Star

[airbear]

Thanks, Dave and EB! I really enjoyed the couple of times I ran at Lacamas, so these videos bring back good memories of that awesome field. Lou is very good at pushing rope. When you haven't as much power as other dogs, you learn how to move sheep through a series of flanks and small steps. The last time we ran, Lou had his best drive EVER on those silly lambs. (Yes, I still replay the glory in my mind).

 

I don't know that Rex is going to be as effective at whipping and spurring - guess I'll find out!