10/16/2024
THE 2024 🍑 PEACH 🍑 STATE CLASSIC Weekend Recap (Win photos will be posted in a separate posting)
What a wonderful 2024 Peach 🍑 State Classic Stockdog trial sanctioned by ASCA and hosted by Working ASC of Georgia held at Coosawattee Farm in Calhoun, Georgia. With this being our 14th year to host Stockdog trials here at the Farm, 2024 has played out to be one of the most unusual and probably the best trial weekends we have hosted in the past 14 years!
First, I’d like to commend ALL our competitors and judges for creating such an awesome, fun atmosphere and camaraderie before, during and after the trial. It was a pleasure for us to host this year’s event.
I want to personally thank my village Andrea Killebrew, Angie Jennings, Nan Payne, Allison Lutterman, Ariel Lutterman, Rick Williams, Kathy Walker, Sarah Davis, Tim Allison and newly recruited stockhandler TJ Pendergrass for EVERYTHING they all did to make this trial a success... it’s too large of a list of things they did to write it all down here. And of course, Tony too, who is my rock during all the planning and doing…♥️
Thanks to Pam Miller, Tommy Ann Allison and Nan Payne (and anyone else that passed the stopwatch around when I wasn’t looking) who did the timing and calculating score sheets for our judges. Great job everyone! Thank Sarah for doing a great job as Trial Secretary and having results and awards calculated promptly and correctly.
Of course, we ate well with Andrea, Angie and Nan setting up delicious meals each day for everyone and thanks to Big John’s for donating and catering three large pans of Peach Cobbler (Thanks Jen and Nick!) that we all enjoyed during the weekend.
Our special treat of the weekend was Tim Allison and his marvelous ice cream maker that was so big he had to haul it down on a trailer... It was totally a hit on Saturday and Sunday and cooled down the 95-degree heat that everyone endured for just a little while. It was a wonderful topping for the still warm peach cobbler. It was delicious!
I must also thank Rick and TJ for helping me manage and set out cattle along with Rick’s Cain and GW for handling the sheep set out all weekend. The trial would not have run as smoothly had it not been for them. And a special shout out to Allison Lutterman and Ariel for supplying her wonderful ducks. Again, they were legged up healthy and conditioned and the scores proved it. Thank you, Ariel, for standing in so that your mom could trial her dogs. You did an awesome job too. GW did an incredible job helping to condition the heifers for the past 8 weeks. They were some of the bests we've ever offered with the proof being shown in the scoring and comments made to me after the trial. The sheep were awesome as well, grouping, settling and fetching as per the dogs' directions.
Everyone pitched in and was so willing to help this year so if I didn’t recognize you here, I hope that I did hug your neck and tell you personally how much we appreciated you battling the heat and sweat.
I want to again thank our sponsors and suppliers for their support of our event and supplying all of our farm/livestock needs: Donna Marsh, Art and Carol Landry, Nancy Ross, Chuck and Karen Spriggs, Pawmark, Groomingdale’s, Big John’s Treat Shoppe, Belwood Nursery, LCI, Coosawattee Farm, WAO Stockdog Training, Hodges Badge Co., Smith Farm Supply, Sew Tropical, and Tractor Supply. Thanks to the manager, Shadow at Tractor Supply, for being so gracious and helping with the material for our new duck arena.
Our Judges Jimmy McKay and Tony Padgett did an excellent job of judging some great stock runs and some fun competition. We appreciate their efforts to encourage, mentor and present consistent professional judging for our competitors.
We crowned one Working Trial Champions during the weekend- Diane Swift and Kuper qualified in open and advanced Ducks to finish his championship. Congratulations to Diane and team Kuper.
We did not have anyone competing for the HC WTCH or The Ernest Hartnagle Memorial Trophy this year. The Ernest Hartnagle Memorial Trophy is awarded to the team that finishes the weekend with the Highest Combined scores, as well as consideration is given to the handler who exhibits the best attitude, animal husbandry, and demonstrates the best teamwork and relationship with their dog over the course of the weekend.
Angie Jennings and Nada earned the High Combined Other Breed award and was presented an Ruffland Waterhole with a Peach State Classic Logo on it.
Andrea Killebrew and Tic earned the High Combined Non-WTCH award with some nice runs and was presented with a Ruffland Waterhole with a Peach State Classic Logo on it.
High Combined Started was earned by Laura Clayton and Bandit. They also received a Ruffland Waterhole with the Peach State Classic Logo on it. What a nice stockdog! Bandit had a beautiful Started cattle run and laid down a 97 score which earned Bandit the High score in Started Cattle award sponsored by WAO Stockdog Training and Coosawattee Farm.
We also offered a Stockmanship award sponsored by Donna Marsh in memory of Tex, and our recipient this year was Stacey Edwards and Koora. Stacey and Koora exhibited excellent animal husbandry, sportmanship and care of the livestock throughout the weekend. We were pleased to present this award to this dog/handler team.
Truly the best part about the weekend was watching some new folks’ trial in the ASCA Stockdog program for the first time. We had 9, yes, “nine” started dogs beginning their journey competing in ASCA. Welcome Teams, to the ASCA Stockdog Program here in the South. Seeing the excitement and listening to everyone on the Hill cheering and applauding them as they finished their runs was so worthwhile. I’m all about Stats and numbers truly show the quality of competition, the ability and training of the dogs as well as quality and workability of the livestock. The average Started score for the entire weekend was Cattle 82, Sheep 84, and Ducks 83. The average Open score for the entire weekend was Cattle 106, Sheep 101 and Ducks 99. Many of the Started teams moved up to Open division throughout the weekend. It was impressive.
The ASCA stockdog program is still growing in the South here at Coosawattee Farm!!!
Thank you to all the club members that support our wonderful club. The success of these Stockdog trial weekends is only because of your continued support, participation and commitment to our wonderful Stockdogs.
The Peach this year received entries for 232 runs over 3 days. We are so grateful and humbled for your support.
The following is the High in Trial Winners by Division and Class for each day.
FRIDAY 1
HIGH IN TRIAL CATTLE – Tic 103 (OPN)
HIGH IN TRIAL SHEEP- Tic 99 (OPN)
HIGH IN TRIAL DUCKS – Tex 118 (OPN)
HIGH SCORE ADVANCED – Wes 100 Ducks
HIGH SCORE OPEN – Tex 118 Ducks
HIGH SCORE STARTED – Koora 91 Sheep
FRIDAY 2
HIGH IN TRIAL CATTLE – Pearl 113 (OPN)
HIGH IN TRIAL SHEEP – Tex 115 (OPN)
HIGH IN TRIAL DUCKS – Tex 113 (OPN)
HIGH SCORE ADVANCED – Nada 111 Sheep
HIGH SCORE OPEN – Tex 115 Sheep
HIGH SCORE STARTED – Ace 92 Cattle
SATURDAY 1
HIGH IN TRIAL CATTLE – Koora 116 (OPN)
HIGH IN TRIAL SHEEP – Koora 108 (OPN)
HIGH IN TRIAL DUCKS – Petty 113 (OPN)
HIGH SCORE ADVANCED – Wes 103 Ducks
HIGH SCORE OPEN – Koora 116 Cattle
HIGH SCORE STARTED – Bandit 92 Sheep
SATURDAY 2
HIGH IN TRIAL CATTLE – Koora 117 (OPN)
HIGH IN TRIAL SHEEP – Tic 110 (OPN)
HIGH IN TRIAL DUCKS – Nada 102 (ADV)
HIGH SCORE ADVANCED – Nada 102 Ducks
HIGH SCORE OPEN – Koora 117 Cattle
HIGH SCORE STARTED – Kayce 92 Cattle
SUNDAY 1
HIGH IN TRIAL CATTLE – Tic 113 (OPN)
HIGH IN TRIAL SHEEP – Nada 105 (ADV)
HIGH IN TRIAL DUCKS – Wes 107 (ADV)
HIGH SCORE ADVANCED – Wes 107 Ducks
HIGH SCORE OPEN – Tic 113 Cattle
HIGH SCORE STARTED – Bandit 87 Ducks
SUNDAY 2
HIGH IN TRIAL CATTLE – Tex 121 (OPN)
HIGH IN TRIAL SHEEP – Tic 108 (OPN)
HIGH IN TRIAL DUCKS – Kuper 106 (ADV)
HIGH SCORE ADVANCED – Kuper 106 Ducks
HIGH SCORE OPEN – Tex 121 Cattle
HIGH SCORE STARTED – Bandit 97 Cattle
WEEKEND – 🍑 HIGH COMBINED 🍑
High Combined Aussie/Non-WTCH Andrea Killebrew and Tic
High Combined Other Breed Angie Jennings and Nada
High Combined Started – Laura Clayton and Bandit
High Combined Cattle – Andrea Killebrew and Tic
High Combined Sheep – Andrea Killebrew and Tic
High Combined Ducks – Lynda Hardin and Wes
WTCH – No Competitors
Thanks again for everyone who came out to participate and support our club! Working ASC of Georgia is such a wonderful group of stockdog enthusiast and just good people!! Our member’s rock! If you’re interested in joining this wonderful club, please reach out to me and I’ll be glad to send you our membership form. We have members across the southeast.
Remember our club mission statement: We encourages novice handler and started dogs... you have to start somewhere. We promise you'll be greeted with smiling faces and cheers of encouragement!!! We believe that is the future of our ASCA Stockdog program.
Working ASC of Georgia was organized with a mission to promote the training of Australian Shepherds as a working stockdog and to host ASCA sanctioned stockdog trials in the State of Georgia. We want to provide a friendly encouraging atmosphere of competition along with quality workable livestock.
Working ASC of Georgia is very proud to offer some of the finest working Angus cattle (check out the scores above) and katahdin/dorper sheep available to competitive stockdog enthusiast, and fresh incredible “Dreamwind” Farm ducks.
And remember Stockdogs Rule!!!
Donna Padgett
WASC of GA – Show Coordinator for the Peach 🍑 WASC of GA – Affiliate Rep
