Before all else, before pace and flow, before lines and panels, before pens and sheds and especially before points, this sport is about the sheep. It is also about dogs and hands, but without sheep, there would be no sheepdog. There would be no sheepdog trial, and certainly there would be no sheepdog finals.
Those hands who can see what the sheep need, keep the sheep happy and who maintain respect for the sheep consistently excel.
I admit, I get discouraged when I see sheep run all over the field, panting as they enter the shedding ring, heads hanging low as they warily eye the dog and handler. When the pen gate shuts or the shed is called and the handler's demeanor toward the sheep changes to be more careless, I feel sad. As handlers, we should use our dogs to act as our helpers in our stewardship of the sheep. Anytime the dog is on the course whether the timer is running or not, I feel obligated to do what I can to keep the sheep happy and healthy. I absolutely do not have all the stockmanship of a top handler, it will take another decade at least before I get there -- but I promise to try.
That being said, accidents happen. I think we can all appreciate when an accident happens because of a dog or when a sheep does something unexpected. But before I blame the sheep, I try to take a long hard look at myself. Did I cause a grip? Did I cause the sheep to bolt? Were the sheep handled kindly in the set-out? Did I handle my dog in a way that was not suited to that group (or individual) sheep? If so, I have more to learn and the responsibility is on me to accept what I've created. Most times when I get "bad sheep" I can see that I made them that way with my handling.
What do you think top hands have in common? What is the magic they share that makes them top hands while the rest of us are just part of the overwhelming mediocre majority? There can only be one winner at every trial so by the numbers there will only be so many top hands. Why are so few people consistently at the top? I'd be interested to hear your thoughts.
3 comments:
Like you already identified, they are shepherds. Good stewards of the stock. The know the sheep and care about them - which in turns enables them to correctly train and handle their dogs. I can only speak from my own experience and I am hardly an accomplished handler, but since I have our own sheep the depth of caring that goes into working the sheep and how I expect my dog to treat the stock, raises expectations of myself and my dog. Combined with excellent mental management - I think that is what makes a top handler. Just my .02 cents worth.
I think not only do top hands respect the sheep, they respect their dogs and expect/require their dogs to respect the sheep and be good stewards of the sheep as well. I see a lot of mediocre handlers that do not respect their dogs, I don't mean they abuse them though. I think top hands know how to be quiet too - like a zen master.
I also don't think it is just about winning, I think it is about consistently holding on to that top 15% - or that's what I'm shooting ;) I think consistency is more difficult than winning. When you look at consistency there are a few more "top/very good handlers".
I don't think there's any magic to this sport really. I think this sport honestly takes a really long time and lots of dedication to get good at. You have to want it and you have to be willing to take a hard look at yourself and who you are and what you might need to change about you. It is one of the most humbling and introspective sports I have ever done. The hard people and the soft people seem to plateau but those that can bend with out breaking seem to move up.
Welcome to The Temple of the Jedi Shepherd ;) I think about these things a lot. This is such a mental game.
Well said, Monique!
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