Tarwonga Yard & Utility

Once the five sheep were picked up and brought down the ground, they had to be put into a small pen outside the main yards. This proved more difficult than expected.

Some people retired not having got them in and some lost their sheep as, the sheep decided that heading over the fence was preferable to going into the pen. Stopping them was not that easy. Some teams actually struggled to get them down the ground at all.

In the yard the big gathers were the hardest part, as the sheep just turned to face the dog and refused to enter.
The sheep flowed for some dogs but for most, it was  a battle. They were quite good in the race but stubborn in the draft.

The trial started with dry mild conditions, leading to a fairly warm Saturday. The rain started on Sunday morning and continued for hours, turning the sheep yards from a dust-bowl to a mud bath. Everyone dug out their wet weather gear to cope with the conditions and it became fairly uncomfortable by the end of the trial. It was decided not to run any finals, so those with the top scores in the first round were the winners.
Usually after a Yard and Utility trial finishes, everyone pitches in and helps pull down and pack away the yards and fences. However due to the weather, Mayanup club kindly allowed everyone to head straight home, creating a lot of work for themselves at a later date. The gesture was very much appreciated by all the triallers, as the ground (and the triallers) were waterlogged and everyone was happy to head home.