It may have been cooking down south this weekend but the Kelpies were keeping it cool up north. Unfortunately the temperatures were just as hot but that didn't stop these stock dogs or the scores at the 2023 Kelpie Round-Up. This year was PackLeader Farm's tenth anniversary hosting the event and they were ready to celebrate! It was a weekend of a literal ton of food, give aways, and most important, kelpies. Traveling in from Oregon, Idaho and Canada, the kelpie contingent were ready to work. OSDS members Elaine Rochelle, Vicky Avery and Alicia Gonzalez made the trek up from Oregon with their kelpie crews in tow. Elaine travelled up with her very special kelpie Moohollow Belle and Belle's daughter Rising W Tinker. Vicky Avery made her return up with her DeHaro's Pearl. Alicia brought her border collie Leonidas and her ten month kelpie cross Malek who was ready to jump in and get his feet wet. Member Breanna Castell and her border collie .45 Big Earl also made the trip angling for that tenth anniversary belt buckle. Farley Schwantes with GCR Porter from Oregon made the trip as well. It was a packed trial and a weekend of stiff competition.
It was a big weekend for Elaine and her kelpie Tinker. This event marked Tinkers first trial and she did not disappoint. Not only did she earn her first qualifying scores, she placed first in two events her first time out in level one. Saturday she earned a fifth and two fourth places on level one sheep. Sunday she returned for a third place on sheep and a second place on level one cattle. They rounded out the weekend with a show of excellence in stockmanship and pen work with another third and fourth place on sheep.
Vicky Avery and Pearl were the model of good stockmanship and teamwork moving through the courses and pens. Their partnership and grace is the definition of a class act and earned them a second place Friday, a fourth place Saturday and a second place Sunday on their level two sheep courses. Alicia and Leo earned first place in their level three arena ducks Friday. Malek made his debut earning his very first qualifying score and placed fourth on sheep in level one. Leo returned Saturday for a third place on level three ducks and a fourth place on level three sheep. Sunday he closed it out with two fourth places on level three ducks.
Farley and Porter had two Friday first places on sheep in level two and on Saturday returned for a third place on sheep in level two and another second place on Sunday. Farley and Porter ended their weekend awarded High Combined Intermediate. Congratulations Farley and Porter!
Big Earl brought his "A" game earning Reserve High and Trial Friday and finishing with two second places on level three sheep and a second and third place on level three ducks. Saturday they returned for a third place on level three sheep, a first place and another second place on level three ducks. Sunday they finished with a first and second place on level three ducks as well as two third places and a fourth place on level three sheep. They earned themselves a High Combined HTD course and most entertaining shed of the weekend. Congratulations to Breanna and Earl for their excellence in such a tight competition missing High Combined Other Breed by 1.2 points!
A round of applause goes out to all of our members and the gorgeous work put in by their dogs as well as Barbara Davenport and her team for hosting such a fun event. It was a fantastic weekend of competition highlighting the statuesque breed and the value of good stockmanship and the partnership between handlers and their dogs.
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