Work got busy so I don’t have as much free time during the day to write. I’m glad we are busy again, I hate it when it’s slow. I even had to work over the weekend, which is a good thing because I get paid overtime. Bet you can’t guess where the extra money is going to go.
On the way into work this morning I was thinking of the trial this weekend with enthusiasm. This is a good thing! I was rarely excited about going to USBCHA herding trials. I worried and obsessed over them. When I think of USBCHA herding trials now it is almost with revulsion. That’s sad, but I should not look back on my failures.
I do plan to attend an ASCA (the Australian Shepherd Club of America) stock trial in February. These are arena-type trials, which may end up being a fiasco with Gel, we’ll see. These trials usually offer all three types of stock (cattle, sheep and ducks). You have to start out in their Started (beginner) class and if you get both legs in Started, you move up to Open and then to Advanced. Once you get both Advanced legs, you earn the title “WTCH” which I’d very much like. I need to pick the brains of someone experienced with ASCA trials beforehand so I know what I’m getting into. February is a long time off. There is always the chance the trial will be cancelled due to drought conditions. There have been some trials cancelled recently in the south for that very reason. People are selling off their livestock because they can’t afford to feed them. It’s a sad situation.