Wagin Arena Trial. 8th, 9th, 10th March 2012.

 
 Arena trials in Wagin have been run in conjunction with the Wagin Woolerama for many years.The Woolerama is a huge sheep and machinery show, encompassing shearing competitions,  wool and livestock judging, horse events, machinery displays, wool fashion parades, and many stalls displaying all manner of products.
The Woolerama was run on Friday and Saturday the 9th and10th of March.The trials commenced on Thursday the 8th, and the weather was a pleasant 29 degrees. However it heated up quickly to reach an uncomfortable 39 on the Saturday.
The sheep were merino/dohne crosses, young fit, fast and flighty. They could cover a lot of ground in a short space of time and many dogs had a problem holding them together. Dogs that managed to bring them down the ground fairly calmly, often had trouble getting them into the dee as they would  then decide they were too far away from the their mates at the letouts,  and  would make a mad dash back down the ground, then needing to be re-gathered.
The most difficult part of the trial was moving them around the winding pegs to the first obstacle. Wagin is a small ground so the letouts were quite close, and as they went around the sheep would head back to their mates, often hitting the gate or trying to leap over it, usually causing a cross.The sheep were also quite good at running into fences, occcasionally managing to escape, or once again causing the dog to cross.
However they were quite good obstacle sheep, and once the first obstacle had been negotiated they usually complied nicely, going over the bridge and into the pen without too much trouble.

Due to the large entry of 198 dogs for the event, the 50 point ring off was used as well as limiting novice dogs in the open.

 
Results.  

Novice: judged by Karen Buller.

1st. Gordon Curtis. Binnaburra Sasha. (Kelpie) 82

2nd. Tony Boyle. Boylee Tobie. 80

3rd. Tony Boylee. Boylee Stephnie. 78.

4th. Jenny Palm. Badgingarra Lisa. 74

5th. Andrew Gorton. Just Sam. (Kelpie cross) 72

6th. Jane Dorrell. Rocky Dusty. 71.

=7th. Peter Gorman. Princes Sally. 69

=7th. Neil Eastough. Grassvalley Jet. 69.

9th. Frank Sutherland. Rocky judy. 68.

=10th. Tony Boyle. Boylee Sugar. 66

=10th. Gordon Curtis. Binnaburra Johnny. 66 (kelpie)

Improver: judged by Marriane Rogers.

1st. Grant Cooke. Grassvalley Sky. 85.

2nd. Gordon Curtis. Binnaburra Sasha. (Kelpie) 76.

=3rd. Neil Eastough. Grassvalley Jack. 75

=3rd. Peter Gorman. Grassvalley Nell. 75

=3rd. Karen Buller. Kumbark Monty. 75

6th..Gordon Curtis Binnaburra Johnny. (Kelpie)74.

7th. Glenice Webb. Morillo Toby. 69.

=8th. Frank Sutherland Rocky Nicky. 66.

=8th. Frank Sutherland Rocky Judy. 66.

=10th. Andrew Gorton. Just Sam. (Kelpie cross). 61.

=10th. Mick Martin. Boylee Stella 61.

Open: Judged by Nelson Anderson.

1st. Peter Gorman. Grassvalley MIlo. 165.

2nd. Peter Gorman Badgingarra Nell. 163

3rd. Tony Boyle. Boylee Mustard. 160.

4th. Dave Lacey. Akoonah Ellie. 142.

5th. Ivan Solomon. Perengary Sasha. 137.

6th. Karen Buller. Badgingarra Barney. (Kelpie) 129.

7th. Ivan Solomon. Somerville Tully. 116

8th. Marrianne Rogers. Christies Coco.97.

9th. Peter Gorman. Grasssvalley Floss. 89.

=10th. Gordon Curtis. Binnaburra Tuff. (Kelpie) 67.

=10th. Jane Dorrell. Rocky Dusty. 67.

=10th. Glenice Webb. Morrillo Toby. 67.

Kelpie Karana Rusty, owned by Josh Taylor, competing at his first trial.

Peter Gorman's Princes Sally.

Ken Atherton's Malumar Al.

Andrew Gorton's Ramulam Ripper.  (Kelpie).

Doreen Hanson's Boylee Ellie.

Phil Dorrrell's Ramulam Patch, (NZ Heading dog X Border Collie ) who recently recovered from a broken pelvis to trial again.

Sarah Somers Willeen Sky.

Karen Buller's Kumbark Monty.

To give you a bit of an idea of how tricky the sheep were, below are some sheep action shots.

Photos and article by Nan Lloyd.