The annual Sheepdog Trial hosted by Sandhill Lea Ranch on Aug. 27-28 was a huge success, according to organizer Lorne Landry.
“There was a good turnout and the weather was perfect for both the sheep and the dogs – not too hot and not too cold.”
Landry says they used 80 sheep during the weekend, and for each run, they use two ewes and two lambs.
He explains the dogs pick up the sheep from about 400 yards away.
“The handler sends the dog on an out run, which is a wide sweep in either direction, and the dog fetches the sheep back to the handler and drives them in a straight line and through some wooden panels. The handler gives the dog signals with a whistle usually, to go through the course.”
Then the dog moves the four sheep into a pen.
Landry says the next part of the Open is when the dogs have to “shed” the four sheep into two sets of two sheep.
“The handlers pick the two sheep they want and the dog must hold off the other two from trying to follow them.”
During the weekend, Landry says the dogs and handlers did 110 runs.
He notes there were 50 dogs and 30 handlers, and they came from Seattle to Pink Mountain and from Vancouver Island to Alberta.
The trial at Sandhill Lea Ranch is sanctioned by both the BC Stock Dog Association and the U.S. Border Collie Handlers Association (USBCHA), which hosts the United States National.
The USBCHA takes the top 200 Open dogs to the U.S. nationals to compete.
Landry notes some of the top dogs don’t go to the competitions, so the association offers a spot to the next dogs in line.
At this recent trial, he notes six of the dogs there will be going to the U.S. Nationals.
Landry thanked all of the local businesses that provided prizes and ribbons for the competition.
Results
Novice/Novice
(A class for beginning dogs and beginning handlers.)
First place: Dave Taylor and Brinn from Quesnel
Second place: Sandra Hurst and Ranger from Vernon
Nursery
(For dogs under three years of age by Aug. 1, 2016)
First place: Lee Lumb and Colt from Coldstream
Pro/Novice
(For open handlers with new dogs, and handlers who have moved up from Novice/Novice)
First place: Lee Lumb and Colt from Coldstream (quite a feat for a nursery dog)
Second place: Jennifer L’Arrivee and Bess from McBride
Third place: Ian Ripley and Roy from Duncan
Open
(For any dog and handler)
First place: Carol Nelson and Kale from Pink Mountain (Mile 147 on Alaska Hwy.)
Second place: Dennis Gellings and Tess from Dawson Creek
Third place: Lee Lumb and Gus from Coldstream