Zamora Hills 2008

Zamora: the lift. All sheepdog trial photos by Sharon.

So I'm home this weekend coughing up a lung, and when I tell my cousin [the nurse] that I'm sure I have West Nile virus, she says it's probably not just West Nile but West Nile exacerbated by the avian flu and E. coli, and I should take a Motrin. "Call the waaahmbulance," she says. Odd that such a hostile, unfeeling person works in health care, but the ibuprofen has provided some relief, and on I bravely blog.

I missed the Slavens' Zamora Hills trial this year [see lung, above], but the most excellent Sharon has sent along some terrific photos:

The set-out person on horseback in the distance is Anna Guthrie, my trainer.

The handler's post is out of sight to the right of the photo. It's a big course, and range ewes will be range ewes. You can see the drive panels under the tail of the windmill.

At the cross drive panels.

Out of the creek bed and into the shedding ring we go.

In the shedding ring -- or maybe on the way to the pen. I love them slick-coats.

"Uh, now what?" Sharon writes: "At one point, three of the five decided to make a break for it, and jumped the fence. Once over, they apparently realized they had a dozen border collies to contend with, as opposed to just one." Dammit, Marge, I told you this was a bad idea!

Next year, I hope.

Thanks again to Sharon for the great photos (and to my cousin [the nurse], who is actually a wonderful person whom I love dearly. But you knew that).