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Finally, Finals!<br />
Linda Bell • Georgtown, Texas<br />
The End of the Qualifying Year<br />
and More About<br />
the Texas Shoot Out<br />
May, the end of the qualifying year for the <strong>2017</strong><br />
finals! Wow, how quickly it sneaks up on you! I<br />
hope everyone has had a successful training and<br />
trialing season with their dogs. A quick reminder to<br />
all Finals contestants and judges, there will be pictures before the<br />
handlers meeting both days of Finals! Remember, you are making<br />
ASCA History! The time will be determined later by the Course<br />
Director.<br />
Speaking of the Course Director, I contacted Larry Teaff who<br />
is in charge of the <strong>2017</strong> Texas Shoot Out as well as the Course<br />
Director for both the Finals and Nationals, to get some more<br />
information from him as to what it is all about. In his own words:<br />
“The thing I would like everyone to understand is the Shoot Out<br />
is about showcasing the best Aussie stockdog. We are trying to do<br />
this through the ASCA stockdog program by using the Finals and<br />
the Nationals. I am trying to put together the best stock and arena<br />
conditions to allow the best dog and handler to rise to the top, be<br />
recognized, have fun, and make a little money. I will do my best to<br />
make it fair with workable stock, honest, not easy. We have tried<br />
to make it accessible by using all the Finals scores for sheep and<br />
cattle added together, to compensate for a bad draw on a run.”<br />
This will be the first time something like this has been done<br />
and it should be quite exciting!! They are also hosting a Calcutta<br />
on the Thursday before the Shoot Out and I want to explain what<br />
that is all about for the people who have never heard of a Calcutta,<br />
or have never attended one.<br />
So, just what is a Calcutta?! Well, I have heard it described<br />
as a FUN party time, a chance to get together with friends and<br />
challenge them to put their money where their mouth is! It is really<br />
a chance for spectators to get involved in the Shoot-Out by way of<br />
wagering on whose dog they think is going to be the top dog in the<br />
competition. It’s a way to raise money for expenses, and the person<br />
First-time Finalists, 2016 Finals. from left to right: Melanie Zarchikoff, Raenell Doyle, Kathy Sider, Susan Paluszcyk, and Lou Stemen. Photo: Gail Bates<br />
Photography and Advertising.<br />
AUSSIE TIMES May-<strong>June</strong> <strong>2017</strong> 97
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