Ballidu Arena trial. April 12th, 13th, 14th and 15th.

Ballidu arena trials are usually run in August or September. However this year it  clashed with the supremes in QLD for a number of organisers and trailers who would be travelling east to attend, so it was changed to April.

Ballidu is a small Wheatbelt town approximately 220 km north east of Perth.

Normally the trials are run on a lovely green oval, but at this time of the year it was dry and dusty and very warm particularly on the Sunday for the running of the finals.

The sheep were unpredictable and changeable, settling at odd times of the day to allow some top scores and then becoming difficult at other times. 

Saturday afternoon saw them at their worst. For some reason they decided that top speed dashes to the right of the ground were the order of the day. Even those dogs who cast carefully and calmly were caught out as the sheep bolted like racehorses before they could be lifted down the ground.

 Those unlucky enough to have their open runs at this time only managed scores in the 60s to 80s. On Sunday morning however the sheep must have seen the error in their ways and were workable and calm and scores lifted into the nineties. The luck of the draw as they say. 

There were 180 entries for the weekend, 146 Border Collies and 34 Kelpies. On an interesting note Kelpies figured in 8 top ten placings in all events.  So percentage wise kelpies had 23% of the top ten placings and Border Collies 15%.

Results.

Novice. Judged by Jenny Atherton.

In this event scores were tied for first so the improver score for each dog was used to decide the winner.

1st. Dave Lacey. Akoonah Del. 77. BC. 

2nd. Frank Sutherland. Rocky Nikki. 77. BC

3rd. Andrew Gorton. Ramulam Ripper. 76. Kelpie.

4th. Frank Sutherland. Rocky Chick. 70. BC.

5th Ken Atherton. Badgingarra Tony. 66, Kelpie.

6th. Jenny Palm. Badgingarra Lisa. 64. BC.

7th. Colin Cosh. Morrie Lynne Star. 62. BC.

8th. Peter Gorman. Grassvalley Polar. 60. BC.

9th. Jenny Whitelock. Jandoree Kinta. 53. BC.

10th. Germaine Seymour. Euroa Zoe. 52. BC.

Improver. Judged by Yvonne Haynes.

1st. Marianne Rogers. Christies Coco. 91. BC.

2nd. Andrew Gorton. Just Martha. 83. BC

3rd. Rod Forsyth. Binnaburra Basil. 82. Kelpie.

4th. Gordon Curtis. Binnaburra Sasha. 75. Kelpie.

5th Gordon Curtis. Binnaburra Johnny. 72. Kelpie.

6th. Frank Sutherland. Rocky Chick. 71. BC.

=7th. Rod Forsyth. Binnaburra Wal. 70. Kelpie.

=7th.  Frank Sutherland. Rocky Judy. 70. BC.

=9th. Ken Atherton. Badgingarra Tony. 69. Kelpie.

=9th. Tony Boyle. Boylee Tobie. 69. BC.

Open. Judged by Dave Lacey.

1st. Grant Cooke. Grassvalley Sky. 183. BC

2nd. Tony Boyle. Boylee Tobie. 181. BC.

3rd. Ken Atherton. Ramulam Gus. 180. BC.

4th. Peter Gorman. Badgingarra nell. 179. BC.

=5th. Ken Atherton. Olbo merle. 175. BC.

=5th Jenny Nolan. Ryans Mallee. 175. BC.

7th. Peter Gorman. Grassvalley MIlo. 173. BC.

8th. Colin C0sh. Paton’a Sarge. 169. BC.

9th. Grant Cooke.  Pendalup Candy. 168. BC.

10th. Ken Atherton. Ramulam Lad. 158. Kelpie.

11th. Jenny Palm. Badgingarra Lisa. 161. BC.

12th Peter Gorman. Grassvalley Floss. 90. BC.

Mike Scotts' Torbay Badger.

Germaine Seymours Euroa Zoe.

Gordon Curtis's Binnaburra Sasha, in the dust.

Jenny Whitelock and Boylee Sugar.

Frank Sutherland's Rocky Judy.

Grant Cookes Grassvalley Sky, heading a runaway.

Sky again, at the race.

Jean Hydleman's Glenmar Midge cooling off after a run in the heat.

Glenice Webb and Morrillo Toby.

Ray Sutherland and Swagman Cyndy.  

We had a group of bikers drop in for lunch on the Sunday on their rather Interesting bikes.

Article and photos by Nan Lloyd.