On October 18 & 19, 2014, the City of Wilbur welcomes you to the first ever Shaded Heart Sheepdog Trial.
Sheepdog handlers will come from all over the Pacific Northwest and Canada to compete with their well trained stockdogs in the town of Wilbur, Washington. The trial is sanctioned by the United States Border Collie Handlers Association and the Oregon Sheepdog Society, and will follow the venue of the International Style coursework and rules.
Starting at daybreak and running throughout the day, spectators will be treated to a show of stock savvy and amazing communication between handlers and their dogs, as the teams strive to negotiate sheep through a timed obstacle course. Each dog will have to master and control a fresh group of wary Columbia/Targee sheep, supplied by commercial sheep producer Jill Swannack of Sprague, WA. Most of the work will be needed at 300 yards distant from the handler, so the dogs are trained to take whistle commands to move the sheep precisely through sets of panals in an open hayfield.
Come watch the challenge! Parking, seating and food vendors will be available.
An example of the type of coursework expected of the handlers at this even :
Outrun (20 points)
The outrun begins with the dog at the handler's feet while the handler stands at a post placed to mark his position. The dog is sent to gather the sheep from the far end of the field. The dog flares out from the handler's side, widening as he goes. The dog's path should go wide and deep around the sheep so as not to disturb them before he is behind them and in position to bring them straight towards the handler.
Lift (10 points)
The lift may last only a few seconds, but is a critical moment in the run. The lift is where the dog makes his introduction. Sheep can read a dog well, and will quickly and quite accurately decide if the dog can be trusted, and if the dog must be respected. The dog should lift the sheep smoothly, neither rushing them nor allowing them to dawdle.
Fetch (20 points)
This is the trip from the point where the dog picked up the sheep to the handler's feet. The objective is to move the sheep quietly in a straight line. On a farm you don't want your sheep running, or traveling any further than needed. There are usually a set of panels about midway along the fetch that the sheep must pass between. Sometimes the panels are deliberately set off the line from the lift to the post. In this case the dog must take the sheep on a straight line from where they were lifted to the panels, then turn and continue on a new straight line to the handler's feet.
Drive (30 points)
When the sheep reach the handler they are taken around the post and started on the drive. This is generally a triangle, with the corners defined by two sets of panels. Like the fetch, the perfect drive moves the sheep quietly and steadily between each point. Sometimes the drive is shortened to 2 legs and the points dropped to 20 points.
Shed (10 points)
Once the sheep are returning to the handler's post on the last leg of the drive they are taken into a marked circle. The dog and handler must keep the sheep in that circle and split 2 sheep off the main group. Sheep do not like to be divided from the flock, but sometimes it is necessary to select certain animals out. Some trials will have collars or marks on some of the sheep and the handler will be directed to choose the sheep to separate based on those identifications. For example if two of five sheep are wearing collars you may be directed to take off two of the uncollared sheep. This shows how well the dog and handler can sort the stock without the aid of chutes or pens.
Pen (10 points)
The sheep must be brought into a small pen. The handler may not enter the pen, and must stand at the gate holding a line attached to the gate.
Sheepdog handlers will come from all over the Pacific Northwest and Canada to compete with their well trained stockdogs in the town of Wilbur, Washington. The trial is sanctioned by the United States Border Collie Handlers Association and the Oregon Sheepdog Society, and will follow the venue of the International Style coursework and rules.
Starting at daybreak and running throughout the day, spectators will be treated to a show of stock savvy and amazing communication between handlers and their dogs, as the teams strive to negotiate sheep through a timed obstacle course. Each dog will have to master and control a fresh group of wary Columbia/Targee sheep, supplied by commercial sheep producer Jill Swannack of Sprague, WA. Most of the work will be needed at 300 yards distant from the handler, so the dogs are trained to take whistle commands to move the sheep precisely through sets of panals in an open hayfield.
Come watch the challenge! Parking, seating and food vendors will be available.
An example of the type of coursework expected of the handlers at this even :
Outrun (20 points)
The outrun begins with the dog at the handler's feet while the handler stands at a post placed to mark his position. The dog is sent to gather the sheep from the far end of the field. The dog flares out from the handler's side, widening as he goes. The dog's path should go wide and deep around the sheep so as not to disturb them before he is behind them and in position to bring them straight towards the handler.
Lift (10 points)
The lift may last only a few seconds, but is a critical moment in the run. The lift is where the dog makes his introduction. Sheep can read a dog well, and will quickly and quite accurately decide if the dog can be trusted, and if the dog must be respected. The dog should lift the sheep smoothly, neither rushing them nor allowing them to dawdle.
Fetch (20 points)
This is the trip from the point where the dog picked up the sheep to the handler's feet. The objective is to move the sheep quietly in a straight line. On a farm you don't want your sheep running, or traveling any further than needed. There are usually a set of panels about midway along the fetch that the sheep must pass between. Sometimes the panels are deliberately set off the line from the lift to the post. In this case the dog must take the sheep on a straight line from where they were lifted to the panels, then turn and continue on a new straight line to the handler's feet.
Drive (30 points)
When the sheep reach the handler they are taken around the post and started on the drive. This is generally a triangle, with the corners defined by two sets of panels. Like the fetch, the perfect drive moves the sheep quietly and steadily between each point. Sometimes the drive is shortened to 2 legs and the points dropped to 20 points.
Shed (10 points)
Once the sheep are returning to the handler's post on the last leg of the drive they are taken into a marked circle. The dog and handler must keep the sheep in that circle and split 2 sheep off the main group. Sheep do not like to be divided from the flock, but sometimes it is necessary to select certain animals out. Some trials will have collars or marks on some of the sheep and the handler will be directed to choose the sheep to separate based on those identifications. For example if two of five sheep are wearing collars you may be directed to take off two of the uncollared sheep. This shows how well the dog and handler can sort the stock without the aid of chutes or pens.
Pen (10 points)
The sheep must be brought into a small pen. The handler may not enter the pen, and must stand at the gate holding a line attached to the gate.