The Long Road Home

Well, it's all over now but the travel. The sheepdog contests have all been decided and everybody is headed home. That trip is decidedly longer for some than others, and it has nothing whatsoever to do with distance. If you won, it's a quick trip. If not, well, for me it's always filled with "woulda, shoulda, coulda".....all the way home. Today was the only day since the International began that I was glad I didn't go to any of them. Since the only traveling I did was to and from my computer screen, I'm already home.

Canadian, Ian Zorb with Peg is the 2008 USBCHA National Champion and for the second time in 3 years, Beverly Lambert is Reserve. This time she did it with Bill, previously with the now retired Pippa. I'm still of a mind that she won it in Klamath in 06 with Pippa and the British judges agreed. But the American judges didn't and those scores kept her from it. She's a hall of famer anyway as far as I'm concerned based on her unparalled winning ways. Complete results and Pearse Ward's compelling, insightful and well-written blog are here.

2 out of 3 times in the history of the event, Welshman, Aled Owen has become Champion at the World sheepdog Trial beating out the Reserve Champion, Ron Snoeck from the Netherlands by 1 judges merit point, each having 583 judges points. Can you imagine, 1 point and a merit point at that? Ron was a 2007 Soldier Hollow competitor who didn't fare as well there. I'd say he's more than made up for that by besting 241 sheepdogs and their handlers from 22 countries around the world. Please click results for the results.

And now for the wrap up that's closest to my heart. How did Richard Millichap do with Taddymoor Cap and Jen at the World Trial and how did Millichap's Ben progeny finish up? Taddymoor Cap finished 14th in the finals at the World Trial after finishing 10th, 11th or 12th in the semi's. There were 3 dogs with his score of 359 and I don't know who won that tie. Taddymoor Jen place 17th in the semi's, which was 1 point and 1 place out of the final, after winning her qualifying trial outright.

Congrats to all the competitors. Here's wishing everybody a boring, uneventful journey home.

Meanwhile, my own Ben progeny, Lad and Mirk, sit hopefully inside the garden gate waiting for a go....