Getting Ready for the Show

We have decided to bite the bullet this year and take sheep to the Royal Easter Show in Sydney. After showing our sheep at a few of the small local shows it seemed it was time to stop mucking about and get on with the job. So where better to start than the biggest show around.

The paperwork has been sent off and the show team selected. Not a full team for every catagory, but a start. The sheep are now penned so we can start feeding them and getting them used to being handled. We have had to improvise as we don't have a suitable shed near the house and a festive marquee has been pressed into service providing shelter.Next weekend the training will begin in earnest - teaching sheep to lead. I'm not too worried about the young sheep, but the older ram is big and strong with a mind of his own, at this stage I'm not sure who will win.

Here is the dog himself - Lysta Scratch
He is an unusual colour for a Border Collie and comes from recently imported UK bloodlines. It will be interesting to see what colour the pups will be. Last litter were all male with five red and one black and white. Maybe this time will be more of a mix. We only have to wait until 20 April for all to be revealed.

We attended the National Sheep Dog trials in Canberra on the weekend, and were delighted when "Lysta Scratch" became National Champion. He is the father of our  working dog's (Meg) puppies, the 2nd litter due in April.
Scratch also won the "Supreme Trial Championship" in Victoria in October.
It was pure artistry watching him and his owner Greg Prince in action.