Handhills Border Collie News

After 4 weeks on the road, 2,328 miles, 18 dogs, 4 trials, 1 judge, and couple of art booths, here is what I learned:

You can lose, but you needn't be a loser;
You can ride your bike through sage brush;
The weather in Colorado is dramatic, the people aren't;
Winners always share wisdom with you;
Some people make excuses, some people need to be excused, and for some, there is just no excuse;
Boots, hats, and kids go good together;
Red sheep collars look better than orange;
Some people are grumpy even if they win, and some aren't, even when they lose;
Nothing fixes a bad open run like a great nursery run; 
Range sheep don't like dogs with too much eye;
Hats make great decorations;
Its bad, very, very, bad, when humans throw up by your dog trailer;
Always pack Lysol wipes;
If you put a fake snake in someone's bed, eventually 3 will show up in yours;
Bring lots of metronidazole when you go to Meeker;
Shaving your legs in a trailer shower is harder than doing a marked shed;
Two shedding rings are not better than one;
For the most part, people can enjoy your art, but they have to live the life depicted in it to want to own it;
Life is short, don't be afraid to wear your best clothes to the post, you may not get another chance;
Sheep have really cute buns;
If your dog over flanks, your drive looks drunk;
It is possible to watch a rodeo and a sheep dog trial simultaneously;
It is better to step off a horse than to fly off, you can always pretend you were just checking your cinch;
If you hit the ground, lay there for a moment, people don't laugh as hard when they are worried;
Give the sheep a moment to look through the panel;
Some pen gates can't be shut until the sheep are well inside;
The bigger the crowd, the drier your mouth; 
It is flattering to see your name on a jacket, even if you are pretending it's not;
The farther south you drive, the more your wrinkles show;
People from Texas are slow talkers, but not slow thinkers;
Jack Knox is a funny talker and a deep thinker;
If you form an opinion on a dog based on one run, get used to being wrong;
Hub looks exceptional in pink;
No one entered should go first, that's a variable we can fix;
Watch the old dogs run, it may be your last chance; and
Dorothy was right, "There is no place like home!"