2017 July August

our program so she could compete and be challenged at a higher
level, much like that schoolkid genius who needs to go to college
despite a young age. Diana accepted my offer and I purchased
Oakley from her.
Even then I was thinking about her becoming my third Supreme
Champion Stockdog. I felt she truly had what a dog needed to win
that prestigious honor – to go to a Finals, compete in nine go-rounds,
and come in first on all three stock. Having by that time trained
and trialed two of them already, plus winning 20 other individual
Finals Championships, I knew that it took a certain kind of dog,
and that Oakley could be that dog.
So began our partnership. The first eight months I owned her
she WTCH’d and earned enough points to qualify for the 2014
Cattle Finals in Bryan, Texas. She did well but, without enough
miles under her, finished 12th. Coming in first that year was my
Mother’s dog Vinny, WTCH Twin Oaks The Vin Man PATDc. But
Oakley tightened her belt and at Nationals won High in Trial for
cattle.
The following year we qualified on all three stock for the
Shelbyville, Tennessee, Finals. I could not have been more proud
of her. The cattle were rank and disrespectful of a dog and we never
seemed to get a break in the three draws we had. But Oakley gave
all her heart to the job and the two of us battled the unwilling cattle
through their required paces. She did all she could do and then
some. We won Reserve Champion Cattle and Reserve Champion
Ducks.
In the months leading to the 2016 Albany, Oregon, Finals,
Oakley became a seasoned trialer. She was so consistent throughout
the whole year on every stock. She was tough on cattle that needed
to be taught respect yet she could put on her ballerina slippers
to work on ducks and sheep. That would come in handy for the
challenges at the Finals because the stock were pretty much up
there in degree of difficulty.
The first go-round was Course D and Oakley led the way –
first in cattle by 15 points, first in sheep by three points, and first
in ducks by two points. Wow, what a way to start! Oakley was so
on and we were completely in synch as a team. But I could not get
overly confident with those scores because, with six more go-rounds
to run, anything could happen.
The second go-round was Course B and we had a really bad
draw in cattle. Oakley was right there mentally and we worked as
a team and we did the best we could in the time frame. We finished
fourth in the round but were still ranked first overall in cattle. We
were third in the round in sheep and again first in ducks. Going
into the third and final go-round, Oakley was first in cattle by 15
points, first in ducks by one point, and second in sheep, behind by
one point.
The final go-round was Course F, a difficult course. As
competitive as I am, I always check the scoreboard before each
round. I want to know where I stand and whether I need to take risks
or just stay consistent, depending on how far ahead or behind we
were. A lot can change in the final go-round especially with using
four scores from six judges, with the high and low thrown out. I
had a significant lead on cattle but it was very close on sheep and
ducks.
The sheep were typical of their type. The dog needed to be
powerful, quiet, confident, and utilize deliberate control with an
honest circle to cover them. Oakley had a phenomenal run, maybe
her best ever on sheep. When those old stomping ewes tried to bully
Sherry Baker and Oakley waiting for delayed trial stock.
her, she let them know that they were no match for this Aussie. She
won sheep by a stunning 81 points.
The ducks were a bit of a challenge to get out of the take pen
and off the fence. The dog had to stay way off them but at the same
time be free to respond to their every movement.
Oakley put on her best tippy-toe ballerina slippers and pink
frilly skirt, walked her ducks through their paces, and won that
stock by an impressive 59 points.
By the time the final cattle go-round approached, most dogs,
and many handlers, were feeling the pressure. But this was no time
to slack off. Once again, the cattle were challenging. They did not
stay together, with most of the groups mixing small ones and big
ones. But at least they were not nasty like the previous year’s Finals
cattle. I was up early in the run order and the dogs sitting in second
and thirdrd place were near the end of the draw. I had to protect a
15-point lead.
Oakley brought them out of the take pen quietly. When I
then asked her to go between the stock and the fence to lift them
toward obstacle #1, she clued me in to the fact that she was glad
I saw it her way and, yes, that was a great plan and so did what
I asked proficiently. Then I noticed something strange. The freestanding
pen gate had been left open by the previous contestant!
A number of thoughts rushed through my head about how I could
handle my dog to keep the cattle from getting back to the back
fence and at the same time close the gate. Then I heard “Stop!” and
my name being called. The judges had seen the open gate, too. As
soon as I stopped Oakley and went over to the judges, the cattle, as
expected, ran back to the fence. I was given a choice to either start
over with this group or be given a new group and run after the next
run. Naturally, since the current group already had rushed to the
fence and knew they could get away with that, I chose being given
a new group and would take the chance they might behave better.
Well, so much for that line of reasoning, because the next group
AUSSIE TIMES May-June 2017 91