How common are Shetland Sheepdogs at herding trials?

[Schaferhunde AKA Sheepdog]

Since there are some upcoming trials in Wisconsin,which I am thrilled to be going to. Actually,this will be first trial I'm attending.So,I'm very excited to see dogs at work. Where hoping to get in contact with some sheltie handlers,learn more about the breed,& to learn more about herding.

 

Just have a few basic questions about the trials:

Typically,how do herding trials run?

What should we bring?

 

Thanks!

[Liz P]

At a USBCHA trial? Never.

 

If you are looking to get in contact with Sheltie breeders you need to go to AHBA or AKC trials.

[Schaferhunde AKA Sheepdog]

At a USBCHA trial? Never.

 

If you are looking to get in contact with Sheltie breeders you need to go to AHBA or AKC trials.

 

Thanks!

[Liz P]

For what to take with you:

plenty of layers, including waterproof ones

warm, water proof shoes

chemical hand and feet warmers if it's cold

chairs

bottled water

snacks and lunch unless you know there will be vendors, which is rare

hat

sun glasses

sun screen

hand sanitizer

GPS unit, because they are generally in very rural areas with few street signs

 

I am sure I have forgotten a few things. I pack my car with the essential items at the beginning of trial season and just leave everything in there until the end.

 

You need to get details about the individual trial, but most start early in the morning. Spectators are welcome as long as they are respectful. Don't sit too close to the fence, don't pester handlers when they are getting ready to run, don't take along a pet dog that will bark or cause a disturbance (and pets are not allowed at many trials), don't get close to vehicles in the handler parking area and always ask before petting someone's dog. Be respectful, use common sense and if unsure of something, ask.

[Gloria Atwater]

Shelties only run in arena trials. They're too small and don't have what it takes to do border collie-type field trials. So if you go to AHBA or AKC arena trials, that's where you'll meet sheltie folks.

 

As for how trials are run, generally the first dog will run fairly early in the morning and there will be a run order or score sheet posted somewhere, listing folks in order of their runs. A good rule of thumb is that if you see someone walking a dog towards or around the field, don't bother them. They may be either getting ready to run or just coming off a run. So feel free to talk to handlers, but it's bests to catch them when they're "off-duty" and in the frame of mind to chat.

 

Liz gave you a good rundown on the "trial survival kit," so follow that list and you can't go too wrong. Have fun!

 

~ Gloria

[Donald McCaig]

Dear Wouldbe Sheepdoggers,

 

In her otherwise useful suggestions, Ms Liz wrote: ". . pets are not allowed at many trials."

 

I don't think I've ever been to a traditional trial - mine included -where mannerly pets aren't allowed. Very rarely, all dogs must be on leash. Since I don't run in AKC or AHBA trials I don't know their customs.

 

Donald McCaig

[Mark Billadeau]

Donald,

I know it's been a while since we've been to Oatlands, but pets were not allowed there; and pets are not allowed at Montpelier.

 

I would guess trials on the host's property will allow pets, trials at rented facilities (historic homes, plantations, living history farms, parks, associated with festivals, etc) may or may not allow spectators to bring pets.

Mark

 

 

[WildFlower]

Since there are some upcoming trials in Wisconsin,which I am thrilled to be going to. :D/> Actually,this will be first trial I'm attending.So,I'm very excited to see dogs at work. Where hoping to get in contact with some sheltie handlers,learn more about the breed,& to learn more about herding.

 

Just have a few basic questions about the trials:

Typically,how do herding trials run?

What should we bring?

 

Thanks!

 

 

Hi! What trials are you speaking of in WI?

[gail]

Claudia Frank in Ohio has run a sheltie in USBCHA trials. She also has border collies.

 

gail

[Liz P]

I didn't say pets were never allowed, but that were not allowed at many trials. In the northeast a lot of them are run in conjunction with fairs and festivals, which are quite strict about pet dogs on the fair grounds. You should always ask ahead of time.

[Pearse]

Claudia Frank in Ohio has run a sheltie in USBCHA trials. She also has border collies.

 

gail

 

Field trials? Or do you mean a USBCHA sanctioned time and points arena trial in a 200' x 500' arena?

 

Pearse

[Donald McCaig]

Dear Pearse,

 

Many years ago I saw Claudia run a Shetland Sheepdog creditably in Pronovice at a traditional trial - 200 yard? outrun. She's won one arena trial against Border Collies. Claudia's Shetland Sheepdogs aren't as useful stockdogs as most working Border Collies, but hers are as good as they get and she deserves credit for trying to reclaim what working genetics her breed may once have possessed.

 

Donald McCaig

[Sue R]

Field trials? Or do you mean a USBCHA sanctioned time and points arena trial in a 200' x 500' arena?

 

Pearse

That's exactly what it was, Pearse, in the instance I am aware of. Don't know the exact size of it (it is an indoor and while quite large, is about 100' x 220' in usable space once you subtract the seating area). She ran her Sheltie to win both days of Open on sheep, USBCHA-sanctioned, points and time only. If she ran him/her elsewhere successfully, I am not aware of it. She did say she was doing it "for bragging rights".

 

I don't think there was a lot of competition (I knew most of the competitors, participants in a clinic prior to the trial). I heard the little dog did very nicely but worked a lot on obedience rather than instinct. I wish I could have stayed around to watch it run because it did a very nice job of it. Claudia is a very good handler.

[juliepoudrier]

My two cents: AS someone else noted, trials held at someone's farm are more likely to allow pet dogs. I'm guessing that the rules may be different for AHBA and especially AKC trials, where there are a lot of rules about stuff that goes on even outside the trial arena.

 

I've been to a lot of trials and have never seen a sheltie run in USBCHA, not even at the Bluegrass, where I keep hearing stories of shelties or regular collies who have gone and done well (at novice-novice). I have seen shelties at the few AHBA trials I've attended.

 

Claudia does run shelties and has won or done well in arena trials. But that's not the same as running in a large open field (P/N isn't open, even out west). And the shelties I've seen at arena trials do seem to work largely off obedience, which requires either well broke stock, a handler who is superb at reading stock, or perhaps both.

 

J.

[TEC]

I would like to see efforts to encourage greater public attendance at USBCHA trials. The NW trials I attend generally have few to nil spectators. When a festival or fair is virtually next door, and bleachers provided, attendance is sometimes quite good, although I have seen poor public numbers in the same circumstances.

 

I travel to a limited number of competitions, so will have blind spots. What is your experience? Do other parts of this Country draw onlookers? Trailing of the Sheep near Ketchum, ID in the Fall is part of a huge multi-community festival attracting numerous spectators, and a few other Western trials, even larger, do exist -- e.g. Soldier Hollow, Meeker, and the like. British Columbia's Metchosin SDT on Vancouver Island is very cool. OTOH a relatively nearby three day well run (double lift final) trial with seating and food/craft concessions close to a nice size metro area (substantial rural economy) didn't get many general public at all. Do most organizers and competitors wish the public to attend in numbers? Is large field trialing overly arcane?

 

Trial budgets are often on a shoe string, and advertising in local media is likely the exception. Are there inexpensive ways to reach out to local farmers to get them to attend, and consider dogs for the first time, or add dogs? What about local ag clubs/associations? Educational/informational efforts? Methods to make the general public who are in attendance feel knowledgeable, and less likely to unwittingly run afoul of unwritten customs? This thread is perfect for those who see it. There must be other strategies to increase attendance and help people understand the competition.

 

Schaferhunde, lots of good suggestions above. Have a good time, try to get answers to your questions, and tell your friends.-- Kind regards, TEC

[Liz P]

I've only seen a good number of spectators at trials that were not held in conjunction with a fair if the trial itself was well advertised and offered lots of amenities (vendors, bleachers, etc).

[red russel]

There are a few trials in the Pacific Northwest that garner public attention... Lynn Johnston's Lacamas Valley SDT and Maggie McClure's Vashon Sheepdog Classic are two. Lovely affairs during the summer and early fall. Nice weather and efforts are made to bring people in.

 

There are lots of other trials that don't but that is understandable... standing in some remote field all day while dodging rain with no food for miles and the only facilities being a well worn outhouse does not a venue for the masses make. I'm fine with that. If I needed an audience I'd do something else.

 

TEC, which trials do you attend in the NW?

 

dave

olympia, wa

[Mark Billadeau]

Do most organizers and competitors wish the public to attend in numbers?

Our farm cannot accomodate parking large numbers of cars or the traffic on our narrow drive; therefore we do not promote our trial (and have declined offers to promote for us).

[waffles]

I can't imagine why the general public would want to go to a sheepdog trial unless they were interested in learning to work their dog or really loved border collies or something. I don't think the general public shows up to watch agility trials either unless they are apart of a festival or such (our county fair had dock diving and it drew a crowd but doubt many would have gone out of their way to attend a stand alone dock diving event).

 

With that said, the one open trial I have attended did not have any spectators except for myself and my spouse. We had so much fun and felt pretty welcomed. BTW, it was chilly, started raining and we had just spent 3 days outside camping. The property was beautiful and so were the dogs and their handlers were amazing.

[juliepoudrier]

I can't imagine why the general public would want to go to a sheepdog trial unless they were interested in learning to work their dog or really loved border collies or something.

 

I think this is key. To folks not interested in stock or stockdogs, watching a trial can be rather boring. As others have noted, the best attended trials WRT the public are those that are associated with events that have a broader appeal: fairs, fiber festivals, and the like. Trials may be held in beautiful locations, but unless you're livestock minded or the trial has a history that the local folks know and care about, I just don't think they're much of a draw in general.

 

J.

[Mark Billadeau]

There were spectators who came year after year to Oatlands to just watch the dogs run; they're were not interested in getting into sheepdogs only watching the dog. There were probably hundreds of spectators every year.

[SS Cressa]

The agility I have been to normally has spectators. Get a group of dogs together and you always attract people attention. Add in something that looks like fun and the crowds will form.

 

I would haze to guess the reason herding competition get less spectators would be because it is in the middle of nowhere. :)/> also I am guessing you probably wouldn't want the public on private land. I can image the horrors of loose children and naive parents. Sure kids go pet the sheep in the middle of the field. Go tackle/"say hi" those dogs. Let's go check out what is in the barns...

[Smalahundur]

I can't imagine why the general public would want to go to a sheepdog trial unless they were interested in learning to work their dog or really loved border collies or something.

The BBC sends out trials (a man and his dog) on prime time television. I find it hard to believe that those thousands of viewers are all border collie owners with stockwork ambitions...

[Gideon's girl]

Yes, but when your watching a trial on TV you can get up and go to the bathroom, get a snack, sit on your recliner, and stay out of the weather.

[red russel]

The BBC sends out trials (a man and his dog) on prime time television. I find it hard to believe that those thousands of viewers are all border collie owners with stockwork ambitions...

 

You do make a good point though. I think a lot of it has to do with tradition. Another good example is the Meeker Classic. Go to Denver, drive northwest for three hours, take a right at the middle of nowhere, go three miles and you will find Meeker in the middle of Rio Blanco County. Ag country. The trial site is a 1/3 mile walk from downtown Meeker. It is a challenging trial that has been running for over 20 years and has over 20,000 people come watch over the 5 days of competition. Great food, lots of fresh and clean outhouses, and events in town that tie to the trial but the dog trial is the central event.

 

The Soldier Hollow Classic has evolved into a fair like event with a number different sideshows that have significant draw as well. It also pulls from the Salt Lake City area. Both can't miss events but different.

 

Another aspect going for them is they are singular events. Annual and unique to their region. If there was a Meeker or SHC going on every weekend the novelty would wear quickly and I'm sure their attendance would drop as well.

 

Lastly, they typically have an army of people dedicated to the success of the event. Meeker has the whole town volunteering and I believe Mark works damn near all year long to promote and host the SHC.

 

 

dave