The Border Collie uses a direct
stare at sheep, known as "the eye",
to intimidate while herding.
Working border collies can
take direction by voice and whistle at long
distances when herding. Their great energy and
herding instinct are still used to herd all
kinds of animals, from the traditional sheep
and cattle, free range poultry
and pigs, and ostriches.
They are also used to remove unwanted wild birds
from airport runways, golf courses, and other
public and private areas.
The use of dogs for herding
sheep makes good economic sense. In a typical
pasture environment each trained sheepdog will
do the work that it would take about three human
individuals to do if there were no dogs
available. In vast arid areas like the
Australian Outback
or the Karoo
Escarpment, the number increases to five or
more. Attempts to replace them with mechanical
approaches to herding have only achieved a
limited amount of success. In general stock
handlers find dogs more reliable and more
economical.
Shepherds in the UK have
taken the most critical elements of herding and
incorporated them into a sheepdog
trial. The first recorded sheepdog trials were
held in Bala, North Wales, in 1873. These
competitions enable farmers and shepherds to
evaluate possible mates for their working dogs,
but they have developed a sport aspect as well,
with competitors from outside the farming
community also taking part. In the USA, the
national sanctioning body for these competitions
is the USBCHA. In the UK it is the International
Sheep Dog Society, in Canada the Canadian Border
Collie Association (CBCA) and
in South
Africa it is the South
African Sheepdog Association.
Sheepdog Trials
-
The Border Collie uses a direct
stare at sheep, known as "the eye",
to intimidate while herding at a
trial.
A Sheepdog
trial (also herding
test or
simply dog
trial) is a competitive dog
sport in which herding
breeds move sheep around a field, fences,
gates, or enclosures as directed by their
handlers. Such events are particularly
associated with hill farming areas, where sheep
range widely on
largely unfenced
land.
History
A
Border Collie at the sheepdog trials
at Rural Hill Farm in Huntersville,
North Carolina.
Sheep dog trials of some sort
or another have probably occurred at
agricultural fairs and shows for centuries. The
present form is thought to have developed
originally in the "Borders" area between England
and Scotland from which the Border
Collie also comes. However, the sport's
organizing bodies regard the first recorded
sheepdog trials as those held in Bala, Wales, in
1873.
Event types
An Australian
Kelpie running over the backs
of sheep during a yard dog trial,
Walcha, NSW
There are several events, but
the key element is the control of three to six
sheep by one or two highly trained dogs under
the control of a single handler. Both time and
obedience play a part, as competitors are
penalized if a sheep strays from the prescribed
course.
Another popular event
involves having the dog split six sheep into two
groups of three and conducting each group in
turn to small pens through a defined course by
heading dogs. The group not being led is guarded
by one of the two dogs, an eye-dog (from
its ability to keep the sheep still by head
movement alone). This is more difficult than it
sounds because the two groups of sheep
invariably try to stay together.
Yard Dog Trials are also
gaining in popularity, too. In these
competitions dogs have to move sheep through
several yards, including a drafting race and
sometimes into and out of a truck, with minimum
assistance.
Cattle dog trials, similar to
the standard sheep dog trials, are also popular
in Australia and sheep dogs are usually used for
this sport. Cattle dogs are not used in this
sport.
The Trial Field
The exact layout of the trial
field can vary significantly. Most experienced
handlers agree that there are certain elements
that are important to ensure that the challenge
to the dog and handler is a fair and complete
test. These elements include:
-
The
dog must leave the handler and fetch sheep
that are some distance away
-
The
dog must take control of the sheep and bring
them to the handler
-
It is
against the dog's instinct to drive the
sheep away from the handler so an away
drive is
a good test and should be included
-
The
dog and handler should be able to combine to
move the sheep into a confined space,
typically a pen but in some trials they are
asked to load them onto a vehicle.
Other popular test elements
that are often added include:
-
The
dog must separate the group into two groups
in a controlled way in accordance with the
instructions from the judge. This may
involve some sheep being marked and the dog
and handler working together to separate
them from the rest or some variation of
that. This is known as shedding and
is almost always required to be done in a
ring marked out on the ground.
-
Singling is
another test in which the dog and handler
combine to separate one sheep from the
group.
-
Most
trials include a cross
drive where
the dog is required to move the sheep in a
controlled way in a straight line from one
side of the field to the other in front of
the handler but some distance away from
them.
In addition there are various
elements that may be added to increase the level
of difficulty of a trial. One such example is
the double
lift where
the dog is required to fetch one group of sheep,
bring them to the handler, look back and find
another group, somewhere else on the trial field
some distance away. They must then leave the
first group and do a second outrun to fetch the
others and bring them to join the first group.
In most competitions the dog
will be required to do the fetching and driving
tests on their own. During these test elements
the handler must remain at a stake positioned
during the layout of the trial course. During
the shedding, singling and penning the handler
usually leaves the stake and works with the dog
to achieve the task.
A popular version
of a trial field
Scoring
The most popular scoring
system works as follows:
-
A
judge watches each run and assigns a score
based on their judgment.
-
Each
test element is assigned a maximum score.
For example there may be 10 points for the
cast (outrun) and so on.
-
Each
competitor is assigned the full amount for
each element before they start.
-
As
they negotiate each test element a judge
deducts points for each fault. For example
during a drive the judge may deduct points
when the sheep move off line. During each
element they can only lose as many points as
are assigned to that element.
-
They
must negotiate each element in sequence
before proceeding to the next.
-
A set
amount of time for the whole course, usually
around 15 minutes, is decided on before the
start of the trial.
-
There
is no advantage in completing the course in
a short amount of time but if the competitor
runs out of time then they will lose all the
points for the element they were in the
process of completing and all those that
they have yet to attempt.
-
The
competitor's score is the sum of their score
for all completed elements.
For most elements the judge
focuses on the behavior of the sheep not the dog
or handler. However if the dog rings the sheep
(runs completely around them in a circle) they
will usually be penalized. A dog that bites a
sheep may be disqualified.
This points type of system
has been in use since at least 1979 and
may have been formalized at about that same
time.
