Meeker Sheepdog trials

We started our trip about 9:15 AM by going up the Poudre canyon, over Cameron Pass. We stopped briefly at the Moose Visitor Center, part of State Forest State Park, to discuss the status of the various campgrounds. We had lunch outside at the Mad Moose in Walden, which is the new name for what was the Moose Creek Cafe. There is a large statue of a moose outside, so no matter what you call the restaurant, the name should include the word moose.

We went over Rabbit Ears pass, but turned south to Oak Creek and Yampa just before entering Steamboat Springs. Oak creek is clearly a mining community. We headed west on the Flattops Scenic Byway just before entering Yampa. The road turned to gravel, and we kept going. The area is beautiful, with many aspen trees, and occasional views of the Flatops and Pyramid peak. The gravel road turned out to be longer and slower than we had expected; I kept wondering if we were on the right road. On the way down the valley, we ran into a massive sheep jam. The herder on horseback, from Nayarit Mexico, told me had fifteen hundred (mil quinentos) sheep and seven dogs. We arrived at the Bufford Lodge around 5 PM. The lodge is a nice place, with a dozen cabins and about that many campsites; the North Fork of the White river runs through it.

Horses at the Bufford Lodge

On Saturday, we spent the day at the Sheep Dog Trials. We had a great time watching the dog and handlers work, as well as talking with locals. It was fascinating to watch; the sheep, the dog, the handler, the wind, all affect the result. There are several elements to the event, each scored separately, with points earned for completing an activity, but points also depending on just how it was done. I learned that you don't want to train a young dog more than 15 minutes at a time, once or twice to a day, and that a horse saddle is built around a wooden core, to hold its shape. We bought some pottery, and some peaches. Sandi talked to the Border Collie rescue folks, and plans to fill out a fostering application. We chatted with the University of Wyoming about wool judging. The Rambouillet wool is much finer than that of other breeds; other breeds are better for meat.

One of the competitors intently watching another dog work the sheep

We went to church, only to find that the website showed the wrong mass schedule, so we were there on the wrong day; another couple was in the same boat. We admired the quilts at the quilt show; the winters are long in this area. We went to the Jammin Lamb Festival at the courthouse. We drank a beer and watched a ranch wife sing songs, including one about fence work, which is apparently no fun. We were standing in line for dinner when a huge wind and heavy rain blew in. The ladies serving were ankle deep in water, but never stopped serving. We huddled under the pavilion until the rain stopped, and then got a good dinner of lamb. We got talking to a local rancher, and learned more about the local area and the ranching business. As we were leaving, we talked to a lady with a pet goat, only to find out that she had been a county extension agent, and was now a CSU professor, teaching extension agents. Dessa W. knew some of the folks that Sandi knows in Fort Collins, a small world.

On Sunday we went to the finals. For the finals, they increase the level of difficulty, including going from 5 sheep to 20. The top handlers were very patient in working the sheep, and were not constantly talking to their dog. The dog seemed to know what to do. The winner was Scott Glen, a gentleman from Alberta, who appeared to magically separate sheep from a group; it was not obvious to us how he did it. Sandi won a door prize, which she used to buy some yarn; she was very surprised to hear her name called, as she says she never wins anything. There was another thunderstorm, which we sat out under the tent. It was obvious that this is a community event, with perhaps hundreds of volunteers. We left with a good feeling about Meeker. Back at camp, I fixed a broken wire, so the camper slide works again. I fished the river for an hour; no luck, but it is a beautiful river. Sandi grilled beef and vegetables.

On Monday, we got up and went to town, and ran various errands. While waiting to the dump the RV, we had a very interesting conversation with a couple from Northern Idaho. They competed in the dog trials, but did not make the semi-finals, so we did not see his dog work. They said that there are two associations offering pedigrees for border collies. The American Kennel Association is focused on what the animal looks like. The Border Collie Association does not care about what the dog looks like, only how the dog performs in the field. He was British with a Canadian passport. They have what looks like a horse trailer/RV, but instead of horses, they haul dogs. They are breeders, trainers, and sell dog accessories. We very much enjoyed the conversation, and learning more about sheep dogs. We were all really impressed with the winner of the event.

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