BC Stock Dog Association - 2023 - Sept 21-24 - Cariboo Stock Dogs Arena Trial

Sept 21-24, 2023

Cariboo Stock Dogs Arena Trial

Are we having fun yet?

Well, the Jen L’Arrivee ‘Fundamentals of Trialing’ clinic was a blast, the sheep were wild, and the wedding was beautiful.

Yes.

You read that right. There was a wedding at the Trial. Leave it to Cariboo Stock Dogs (Deborah Armstrong, Natasha Reichlin, Crystal Smith) to make memories.

The Cariboo Stock Dogs would like to thank Jen L’Arrivee for her fantastic clinic on Sept 21-22, 2023. Every level of handler came out to learn how to trial. The sheep from Whispering Pines Farm were well-behaved despite the first 5 Blackbellies rocketing out of the rodeo chutes like caffeine-laden deer. Fortunately they didn’t make a reappearance and the Katahdin/Blackbellies played nice.

On Friday evening of Sept 22, the Cariboo Stock Dogs hosted the BCSDA AGM. It was a hybrid affair with ZOOM for those members that couldn’t attend and live for those that could. It brought back memories of years ago when the AGM was traditionally held at the last trial of the season. For more info, go to the AGM post in the Look Back blog

On Saturday, everyone waited excitedly for the course design that included a bridge and a W-shaped aisleway. Roddie Creek Ranch sheep were…….well…….they made Whispering Pines Farm’s excitable Blackbellies look calm and manageable. Despite the technical difficulties of getting them into the chutes, the pen crew (Kaitlynn Popik-Paley, Lena Smith, Crystal Smith) did a stellar job of getting the sheep settled and keeping the flow steady from Chute 8 and back thru the exhaust pens. The stories that came from the profanity in the pens were epic.

It was a hard secret to keep, but Sunday brought a wedding. Long-time trialer and stock dog handler, Brian Looker (83) and Linda MacInfee (79) got married at the Handler’s Post during the lunch intermission. Twenty-seven dogs and handlers formed the procession line and witnessed the event. Afterwards, champagne and cake were served to commemorate the celebration.

Then it was back to the battlefield of an arena trial.

Cariboo Stock Dogs Sportsman’s Award

Jennifer McDonnell (award recipient)

Ed Weibe (Judge)

Despite many bottles of wine not making it to Monday, the sheep survived, the crew survived, and Cariboo Stock Dogs are already plotting the next trial in May 2024.

Thank You to all the volunteers that helped move panels, set-up course obstacles, made coffee, wrangled sheep, and helped in so many innumerable ways to bring the Jen L’Arrivee Stock Dog Clinic and the Cariboo Stock Dogs Arena Sheep Trial to fruition. Without your support, these events would not have been able to happen

Judge

Ed Weibe

Announcer

Morris Grant

Photographer

Shelley Hoffman Photography

Sheep provider

Roddie Creek Ranch

Whispering Pines Farm

Sheep Wranglers

Kaitlyn Popik-Paley

Lena Smith