“Let me have forty-five.”
Wordlessly he extended the bills.
The trial organizer was supervising the crew dismantling the scoreboard.
“It’s, uh, I got a note from my bank…. Apparently, I, uh, overdrew on my account, and, I’m not real sure, but I think that maybe my entry check’ll bounce. I’m real sorry about that but here’s the money now.”
“What would you have done if you hadn’t been in the prize list today?” the organizer asked quietly.
“But I was,” Penny said, surprised.
SECLUSIVAL (2ND TRIAL IN VIRGINIA TRIPLE CROWN)
June 6 & 7, Shipman, Virginia
Judge: Tom Wilson, Gordonsville, Virginia
1st day: 53 Open dogs went to the post
1. Barbara Ligon
Mirk
89
2. Penny Burkeholder
Hope
88
3. Lyle Boyer
Mick
87
4. Candy Kennedy
Coon
85
5. Marilyn Fischer
Connie
84
2nd day: 52 Open dogs went to the post
1. Penny Burkeholder
Hope
95
2. Ransome Barlow
Bute
90
3. Bruce Fogt
Molly
88
4. Lyle Boyer
Jock
86
5. Ethel Conrad
Jan
82
THE SECLUSIVAL TRIAL is in the piney woods south of Charlottesville, and the road cuts are red clay. It’s scrubby country, and fields are overgrown with white thorn and honeysuckle except for the long green trial field at Seclusival.
Night before, Oren Wright let his show sheep out to graze all night on the trial course. At dawn, Oren asked Penny if she and Hope could put his sheep back in his gooseneck trailer, and a few minutes later that’s where they were, surprised to be inside metal walls so quickly. Oren towed the trailer into the shade.
With a sticky donut and a cup of coffee, Oren parked himself in a lawn chair to watch the first dogs. After a bit, he wiped his fingers and licked them and wiped them again. It was chilly, but it’d get hot soon as that sun cleared the trees.
Gangly fellow pulled a chair next to him. Skin tanned so dark it was sun dried. “Name’s Barlow,” he announced, both hands wrapped around his coffee. No Styrofoam cup for him, he had one of those insulated models said RAIDERS on it.
“Wright,” Oren introduced himself. “You’re travelin’ with Mz. Burkeholder?”
“I been on the road since January. Don’t expect to get home until August. Too hot to trial in August. Penny’s talking about the Canadian Circuit, then British Columbia. Not much money up there.”
“You raise sheep then?”
“I buy a couple dozen, train my dog. Sell ’em when I go on the road. Don’t particularly like sheep. If I was raising animals to make money I’d raise hogs. I know some fellows got confinement hog operations. There’s some real money in that.”
“Once you got your loans paid off. If you don’t mind working with sickly animals. If you don’t mind doin’ factory work at minimum wage and payin’ some banker interest for the privilege of doin’ it.”
Ransome took a sip of coffee. On the course, a dog came in too hard on his sheep and despite his handler’s cries, scattered them. “Me and that dog would have words, directly,” he announced.
“What’s she to you?” Oren asked.
For the first time Ransome Barlow looked him straight in the eye taking Oren’s measure. The gaze was so cool it made Oren flush.
“I ain’t rightly sure,” Ransome said. “I’ve not come to any decision about that. You know about her husband and baby girl?”
“Somebody was talking about it at the last trial—. She never told me a thing. She worked for me last winter, six weeks, her and that dog, and she never said a word about it.”
“You think it’s right—her and that dog? Sometimes I think she thinks better of that damn dog than she does any human being. Of course,” Ransome added judiciously, “I got to admit, that dog has been winning some money the last several days. Her and me make a pretty good team. Ain’t nobody gonna teach her more about the dogs than me.”
“There’s more to life than dogs.”
“Oh yeah? What? Sheep? Business? Your career? Anything can be as big as you want it to be. Penny ever tell you how that Hope dog kept her from being raped?” Ransome told what Penny had told him, about the two cowboys, P.T. and Marvin. “Those two bastards didn’t do her any good. She was half crazy after losing her family, those two made her crazier. That rape’s like a sickness with her. She’s completely turned against men. You and her. When she was working for you, you ever get it on?”
On the course, a spotty white dog was making a wobbly fetch.
“Will you look at that?” Oren said. “I like to see a dog work like that.”
Ransome Barlow spared it a glance. “Shows you don’t know nothin’ about dogs,” he said. “What about it?”
“I don’t think that’s any business of yours,” Oren said, pronouncing it “bidniz” and “your’n.”
OATLANDS (FINAL TRIAL IN VIRGINIA TRIPLE CROWN)
June 10 & 11, Leesburg, Virginia
Judge: Tom Wilson, Gordonsville, Virginia
1st day: 65 Open dogs went to the post
1. Penny Burkeholder
Hope
95
2. Ransome Barlow
Bute
90
3. Nathan Mooney
Max
86
4. Stu Ligon
Tynne
85
5. Pat Buckley
Bart
84
2nd day: 20 Open dogs went to the post
1. Ransome Barlow
Bute
92
2. Bruce Fogt
Molly
90
3. Nathan Mooney
Max
89
4. Barbara Ligon
Mirk
88
5. Bobby Ford
Yogi
87
20. Penny Burkeholder
Hope
45
Overall winner, Virginia Triple Crown: Ransome Barlow and Bute.
Bruce Fogt and Molly, runner’s up.
PENNY RAN LATE THIRD from last on Saturday, after dusk had settled in and most of the spectators had gone. Oatlands is a long narrow field bordered by an avenue of trees on the right and a nasty-looking wall of brush on the left. The smell from the smoke of the handlers’ lamb barbecue wafted over the course.
Penny went out and Hope ran and it was quiet and sure and near perfect as a dog ever gets. No mistakes as he brought four flighty Suffolk crosses around the course and dead straight, not a moment’s hesitation, into the pen. That’s how Hope got his shed too—like he could go on all day making perfect sheds. Soon as the shed was done, Penny called him off and went to him and bent and gave her dog a tremendous hug. “You and me, baby,” she murmured into the thick fur of his neck.
In her pocket Penny had $450 in checks from Seclusival—she’d already mailed her Blue Ridge checks to the bank.
“They overcooked their barbecue,” Oren Wright said. “Lamb’s all dry and brown.”
“It’s not much, but it’s paid for.”
“Well I haven’t paid for mine yet and I’ll be damned if I’m going to. There’s a steak house down the street from the motel.”
“You in a motel? I could sure use a shower.”
So Penny bundled up her dirty clothes and dropped them at a laundromat and got a hot shower in Oren’s motel room while Oren sat outside, in the truck listening to the radio. When she came out her hair was still wet. “You didn’t need to wait out here,” she said.
He switched off the radio. “Uh-huh. You ready to eat?”
Mi
tchell’s Steakhouse would be crowded later on this Saturday night, but this early, they didn’t have to wait for a booth. No tablecloth, an array of steak sauces. Oren had the blue cheese dressing and so did Penny. Oren asked what kind of wine she liked and she said ice tea so he had a Budweiser.
“How’d you make out at the sheep show?” she asked him.
“Not too shabby. Ram lamb was reserve, the yearling ewe came second. Fellow from Indiana wants twenty replacement ewes, gate cut, two hundred each, so that’ll pay for my trip.”
“I didn’t know you showed at many sheep shows.”
“Oh yeah,” he said, because he didn’t want to say that he’d traveled so far just to see her. “Too bad your father couldn’t make it today. Your homeplace—it isn’t far from here?”
She clinked her ice tea stirrer through the ice cubes. “I imagine he’s hurt. It’s not like I don’t love him, but every time Daddy comes close I start feeling terrible. He’d chain me to that farm, those old memories. One day I’ll be ready to come home, but not yet. Me and Hope, we … You know how much I won so far this week? Better’n fifteen hundred dollars. I’m qualified for the National Finals, and if I win tomorrow, I’ll be the winner of the Virginia Triple Crown. I’m going to be able to make my own living, on my own terms, beholden to no man.”
The waitress brought their steaks on metal platters, warned Penny her platter was real hot, honey, asked did they want ketchup for their fries? Oren would take another beer, Penny was fine with ice tea, thanks.
Oren stayed with his steak until the edge was off his hunger. “You gonna help me out lambing?”
“Oren, this is June.”
Oren blushed. “Can’t farm unless you plan ahead.” He wiped his lips, took a sip of beer. People were lined up at the front door, families mostly.
Around them, table talk was a murmur punctuated by the clatter of cutlery, waitresses calling through the serving window.
“The best-laid plans …,” Penny began with a smile, but suddenly stalled and looked around the room blankly.
“You all right?”
She swallowed. “Fine.” She coughed, wiped her eyes. “Sometimes I look up and see people who aren’t there.” She forced a smile. “I’ll bet you plan so far ahead you have to keep a list to remember all your plans.”
“Bingo,” he said, softly, his eyes level. “Man with a plan, that’s me.”
She held his gaze for a moment before consulting her watch. “My laundry’ll be dry.”
“It won’t run off.”
The waitress took away their plates and asked did they want any dessert and Oren said he’d like a cup of coffee.
Penny said, “This is the first evening I’ve been off the trial grounds since I left your place. Either I’m at a trial or on my way to one. This”—she gestured at the room—“is like a foreign country to me.”
“You and Hope came a long way.”
“Oh that Hope, he’s … he’s the happiest thing ever happened to me. I mean he’s honest, you can see it. Once he knows what I want he’d near die to get it done. He trusts me, Oren. I’ve never done Hope wrong.”
Oren poured milk into his coffee. “Aren’t you asking a lot of a dog?”
A couple with two young children slid into the booth behind them and the booth walls shook and Penny said softly, “I’m going to be normal again. One day it’ll be me and my little family coming out to dinner, some place just like this, and I’ll tell the kids they have to finish their dinner before they get the dessert and I’ll ask my husband why we don’t get out as often as we did before we had the kids. Oh, it’ll be swell …” She said excuse me and went into the ladies room to wash her face, and when she came back Oren said, “I’d like another cup of coffee but look at all those people waiting. I guess we should go.”
“Get a couple cups to go,” Penny said. “We can drink them in your room. Oren”—she put a hand on his—”I have to try.”
Back at the motel, she stood silently as he unlocked the outer door. Out front somewhere, they heard the howl of tires and a splash of breaking safety glass and somebody’s drunken howl. Penny shivered and took Oren’s arm. “Everybody’s so alone,” she said.
The next morning she said she was sorry, she’d tried, but she’d been thinking about a dog they’d run over out in Ohio, just couldn’t get it out of her mind.
Oren said he’d like to talk about her husband and daughter. She said she had to get dressed and get back to the trial grounds, this was the championship. He said he wasn’t going to give up on her. They drove into Oatlands at noon.
“I walked your dog this morning,” Ransome Barlow said. “And watered him. Me and Bute are high with a ninety-six. You’ll have to lay down a real run to tie me.”
“No problem.” Penny didn’t meet his eyes as she unfastened her dog. “Come here, Hope! Over here!”
Oren Wright brought Penny’s laundry to the truck and slung it inside.
After her turn the day before, Penny needed ninety points to tie Ransome for first place, and that would give her high cumulative for the Virginia Triple Crown.
It was Penny’s first year on the circuit, most everybody respected her father, Lewis, and the handlers were rooting for her.
Lyle Boyer said, “Good luck, Penny. Show ’em how it can be done.”
Penny said, “Thanks. Not yet, Hope. Will you wait a darn second!”
Nine and a half minutes later, Penny came off the course white-faced and silent. Hope had ignored her whistle commands, every shout and entreaty.
NORTH CAROLINA STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
June 14, Bedford, North Carolina
Judge: Ralph Pulfer, Quincy, Ohio
56 Open dogs went to the post
1. Ransome Barlow
Bute
90
2. Kent Kuykendall
Bill
88
3. Roy Brown
Peg
87
4. Roy Johnson
Roscoe
87 (Decided on outwork)
5. Bernie Feldman
Byrn
86
“I DON’T KNOW what I’d do, dog crossed over on his outrun like that,” Ransome said.
“I don’t recall anybody asking you,” Penny said.
BLUEGRASS SHEEPDOG TRIAL
June 17, Lexington, Kentucky
Judge: Jack Knox, Butler, Missouri
60 Open dogs went to the post
1. Tom Wilson
Roy
91
2. Barbara Ligon
Jen
89
3. Marilyn Fischer
Chance
87
4. Stu Ligon
Cap
86
5. Karen Thomason
Lad
84
ETHEL HARWOOD SAID “Sometimes young dogs get fed up with all this trialing.”
It couldn’t have been hotter. Ethel and Penny sat in the shade of Ethel’s motor home and drank ice tea.
“That ain’t what he’s fed up with,” Penny said.
“That nice young Texan, Oren what’s his name? He went home did he?”
“Wright. Yep.”
UNITED STATES BORDER COLLIE CLUB SHEEPDOG HANDLER’S CLINIC
July 2, 3, 4
White Post, VA
Instructor: Ms. Penny Burkeholder
This year’s clinic will be divided into beginning handlers and, on July Fourth, advanced. We will be limited to twenty dogs each day and each dog will be worked twice under Ms. Burkeholder’s supervision.
Our Instructor, Ms. Burkeholder, has had a wonderful year on the trial field, placing high in most of the trials she’s entered and winning the Blue Ridge Trial and Seclusival. Her father, Lewis Burkeholder, is also quite well known in sheepdog circles.
Food: Every participant will be expected to bring one reheatable main dish, a bread or salad and a dessert. Single men attending may bring enough cold cuts for two meals. We will eat lunch togeth
er on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
Decorum: All dogs will be chained or leashed when not being worked. No dog will work except under Ms. Burkeholder’s permission.
THIS IS A WORKING SHEEP DOG CLINIC. THOSE WHO IMPEDE THE WORK WILL BE ASKED TO LEAVE.
Send your check of $75 (two days, beginner) or $50 (one day advanced) to: Ethel Conrad
Sunnybrook Farm
White Post, VA 22663
Tips and insights poured out of Penny in such an overwhelming flood that some novice handlers quit listening by noon of the first morning. Those who stayed with her noticed she kept returning to one theme: the trust that must exist between handler and dog, how the dog that loses trust is said to be ‘soured’ and will no longer work.
“Training is like a conversation,” she said. “The dog who doesn’t trust you won’t talk.”
JACKPOT SHEEPDOG TRIAL
July 24, Independence, Iowa
Judge: Roy Johnson, Gladys, Virginia
23 Open dogs went to the post
1. Ransome Barlow
Bute
94
2. Penny Burkeholder
Hope
90
3. Dick Bruner
Mac
88
4. Mike Neary
Cap
87
5. George Conboy
Raina
82
BANGOR FAIR OPEN TRIAL
July 31, Bangor Maine
Judge: Walt Jagger, Hop Bottom, Pennsylvania
34 Open dogs went to the post
1. Penny Burkeholder
Hope
96
2. Eve Marschark
Spin
89
3. Dick Williams
Jess
88
4. Mike Canaday
Jill
87
5. Ransome Barlow
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