December 2010
December 11 and 12 - ASCA NAASA Holiday Classic Stockdog Trial - Buckeye, AZ - Another Great weekend of success!!!
- Border Collie Cowboy, who only competed on Saturday, took a Qualifying leg in Started Sheep in his first trial ever
- Border Collie Sassy earned her Started Sheep title
- Border Collie Mercer earned her first Open leg on Sheep
- Tammy and Molly - 2 Q's in started ducks (4th Place) , 1 Q in started sheep and 1 Q in started Cattle (2nd Place)
All dogs (excpet Molly) were handled by Fran Evans and have only been training for a few months. Each dog did very nice work and looked like pro's.
December 19 - Christmas Brunch at Sweetwater Stockdogs - Everyone had a great time at our second annual Christmas Brunch; especially for the fourteen (or was it fifteen) dogs in attendence. After working sheep, cattle and ducks thedogs took off on a game of "go, go, go" (you kind of have to see to understand). It's hilarious for the people watching and the dogs get so excited. The dogs left mentally and physically exhausted; "my high-drive herding dog slept all day - it's a miracle." There was lots of laughter, good food,and friendship while enjoying time with our special dogs. It was a wonderful way to spend the day. See photos Brunch 1 Brunch 2 Brunch 3
ASCA Herding - December 1 - 4, 2010 in Litchfield: What a weekend for Tammy and Molly - having a perfect weekend with 12 qualifying runs in all three stock. in addition to the 1st Place (Ducks), two - 2nd Places in Cattle and a 4th Place in Sheep, Molly and Tammy got ASCA Started Titles in Cattle, Sheep and Ducks ---- Congratulations !!!! Another Picture .....
The rest of the Sweetwater Group were also very successful --- GREAT WORK
Border Collie – Gwen – 2 Q’s (both with a score of 90), a 1st Place and a Started Sheep Title – handled by Fran Evans
Border Collie – Mercer – 2 Q’s (both with a score of 87) and a Started Sheep Title – Handled by Fran Evans
Border Collie – Chaco – 2 Q’s (score of 88 and 77) and a Started Sheep Title – Handled by Fran Evans
Belgian Tervuren – Pat – 2 Q’s (score of 84 and 72) and a started Sheep Title – Owned and Handled by Troy Ballard
Click Here for The Happy Group Picture ......
November, 2010
Nov. 14 - The Samoyed Club enjoyed their Brunch at the ranch. Not only did they have a lot of fun with "Instinct Testing" but there was also agility equipment and several acres of fenced-in area to run and play. Most all of the dogs showed that they have what it takes to be real herding dogs and they all thought being on a real ranch, with all those wonderful smells and animals, was just great. For the people in attendence, it was a great opportunity to relax, visit and watch their beautiful dogs explore and play. See more..... Samoyeds 1 Samoyeds 2 Samoyeds 3 Samoyeds 4
October 2010
Sweetwater Stockdogs had a great weekend at the AHBA trial at Karen Clymer’s Solarwind Ranch in Chino Valley.
On Saturday:
- Maria Wright and Border Collie Ben picked up a Championship Point in HTADs
- Mary Thornton and Cattledog BlewbyU - HRD II 2nd & Q with a score of 63 / HTAD I 1st & Q with a score of 82
- New Titles - Mary Thornton and Cattledog BlewbyU - HRD II title and HTAD I
- Fran Evans and Border Collie Gwen (in her first trial ever) took Second (it was a tie broken by the free-standing pen)
- Fran Evans took Border Collie Mercer and Border Collie Sassy into JHD and picked up their first leg.
On Sunday:
- Maria and Ben picked up a Championship Point in both HTADs and HRDs. They had the highest score in HTAD but since Ben is Fran‘s dog weren‘t eligible for placements!
- Fran and Doc Holliday picked up a Championship Point in HRDs Level III and HTADs Level III
- Troy Ballard and Belgian Tervuren Pat took First place in Level 1 Sheep earning them a Level I sheep title
- Fran and Mercer decided to not finish up the JHD title and moved up to HTADs Level I scoring 88.5 out of 90 points but weren’t eligible for placements because Fran judged the trial that day. Judge Kathleen Corum graciously offered to judge the runs Fran handled in order to allow her to compete.
- Fran and Gwen picked up her Level I Sheep title
- Fran and 9-month old Sassy picked up her JHD title.
- Mary Thornton and Cattledog BlewbyU - HRD II 2nd & Q with a score of 72 / HTAD II score of 56
This trial is Doc Holliday’s first trial after having his leg amputated due to cancer. The only problem is we were cautious prepping him for the trial, not wanting to overwork him. In typical Doc fashion he rose above his disability and was the fastest dog there - even when Fran was begging him to “sloooow down!”
Congratulations to Fran on her first judging job this trial. Click here to see more photos from the trial .....
Tammy and Molly showed off their stuff at The ASCA Nationals in Waco Texas coming home with a Started Qualifying Duck Run and a 4th Place in Started Cattle. Congratulations on your success.
September 2010
Sweetwater announces that it will be hosting the Samoyed Club for a Sunday Brunch on Novmber 14, 2010
Due to unforeseen cicrumstances the Candy Cane Classic, scheduled for December has been cancelled. We apologize for any inconvenience that this cancellation may have created in your herding plans.
May 2010
ASCA Herding Trial: Fran, Maria and Mary attended the ASCA Herding Trial at . Once again, the students were very successful:
- Qualifying Score: Doc and Maria got a qualifying score and his first leg in Advanced Ducks
- Qualifying Score: Doc and Fran got a qualifying score and a 3rd Place in Advanced Cattle
- New Title: Mary and BlewbyU received their Started Title - Sheep with a 5th and 6th Place
- New Title: Mary and BlewbyU received their Started Title - Cattle with a 2nd and 3rd Place
Sweetwater has confirmed the 2nd Annual Candy Cane Classis on December 11 and 12, 2010 --- Mark Your Calender NOW !!!!
April 2010
Brunch and Herding - What a Combination: Our Sunday Brunch was a great success. Twelve dogs had a fantastic time herding and playing together. Their humans gathered under the ramada, enjoying the food and watching the dogs play when they weren't in the arena's herding. Sheep, cattle and ducks were offered. It was unanimous - this was a fun event worth doing again so look forward to more of these in the future. Photo 1 Photo 2 Photo 3
March 2010
Sweetwater Spring Fling AHBA Herding Trial - March 20 and 21 - What a great weekend and what a successful trial. Many thanks to Karen Clymer and Cindy Traylor, our very helpful judges. Maria and Ben did an incredible job setting out sheep while Pat patiently set out our cattle and Troy did a great job as Secretary. Click here for more photos.....
- The big news is that Laura de la Cruz and Joker picked up three Championship points on Saturday and finished their Championship on Sunday.
- Laura and Bandit also took Hi-combined on Saturday.
- Fran and Doc took Hi-combined on Sunday.
- New Title: Bonus earned his HTADI cattle title
- .New Title: Bandit earned his HRDI sheep title.
- Mary and her very promising young Cattledog took Top Ranch Dog on Saturday
- Maria and Ben took Top Ranch Dog on Sunday
- New Title: Belle picked up a HTADI on sheep in their very first trial ever
- New Title: Chaco Belle and Fran picked up a HTADI on sheep in her first competitive run
- Qualifying Score: Doc picked up 4 Championship points and Ben (handled by Maria) took 2 points
- New Title: Linda Tunick and Ralph picked up a JHD title
- New Title: Doc earned his HTADIII cattle and HRDIII sheep titles
- New Title: BlewbyU earned his HRDI sheep title
- New Title: Rocky Raccoon earned his HTADI sheep title
- New Title: Diva earned her HTADI cattle title
February, 2010
At the ASCA trial Feb. 12-13 Border Collie Doc Holliday had a very successful weekend and is now two qualifying duck runs away from his Working Trial Championship (WTCH)
- New Title:Doc Holiday, handled by Maria Wright, received his Open Duck Title
- New Title: Doc Holiday and Maria also received their Advanced Sheep Title
February 16, 17 and 18, 2010 - The Adrian Lopez Clinic was a tremendous success. First he would have the dogs go in the Round Pen as he got to know the dog and handler then he would send the dog and handler off to various arenas to practice. He would have as many as four arenas at a time going. Fran requested that this not be a theoretical clinic but on-hands, active clinic. It was definitely that! He would call out instructions to each arena and then bring everyone back in to go back over what each individual dog and handler team was working.
Adrian has a talent for communicating and encouraging that really brought out the best in the dog and handlers but the best part the different components were broken down in such a way the handler could continue building on what they had learned during the clinic.
After numerous requests from clinic participants, Fran invited Adrian back for another clinic. Tentatively this will be in the week before the Candy Cane Classic AHBA trial that is slated to be the second week of December.
Check out some of the photo's from the event ...... (click here)
At the ASCA Feb. 20-21 trial several Sweetwater students were successful. Many dogs walked away with qualifying scores and new titles as noted below. Doc Holiday turned in a great run on Sunday as well but ran out of time. Australian Shepherd Blue, handled by Fran Evans, showed how important it is to have control of your dog. He passed his Herding Test the first day, but on the second day, he decided it was more fun to circle the sheep and ignore mom. Back to the Round Pen!
- Qualifying Score:: Doc Holiday (owned by Maria Wright) and handled by Fran Evans received a 2nd place on Advanced Cattle
- Qualifying Score: Raven handled by Fran Evans, qualified with two started Sheep legs
- Qualifying Score: Blue, owned and handled by Fran Evans, qualified with one HT run
- New Title: Pat, handled by Troy Ballard, won her PT title
- New Title: Chaco, hanlded by Fran Evans, won her PT title. The judge commented that it is time for Chaco to move up to competitive trialing.
Check out Troy Ballards two articles on "The Trialing Experience" for Novice Herding Enthusiasts and her "First Impressions" of an AKC Herding Trial.
On February 21, 2010, Fran Evans successfully becomes a Provisional Judge for the AHBA (American Herding Breed Association). So, Fran not only teaches herding, she is also an active participant in herding trials with her Aussie "Blue" and she is also an accredited AHBA Judge.