November 7-9, 2008
Tickets can be purchased at the gate.
14th Annual RURAL HILL
SHEEP DOG TRIALS
U.S.B.C.H.A. Sanctioned Competition
Bring your family and
friends and even your dogs out to Rural Hill to witness more than 100
Border Collies compete!
It just doesn't get any better than this!!
Sheep
Dog Trials have been held in the United Kingdom since 1873 when the
first formal trials were held in Bala, Wales. The trials are a
competition in performance not conformation.
The
competition is based on daily tasks that the dog is asked to do on the
farm. Points are allotted for each phase of the work and the team of dog
and handler who can do the work with the most precision and in the time
interval allowed will win the most points. The Trials are an open
competition and any breed may enter. However, the only breed represented
in previous Trials at Rural Hill has been the Border Collie.
One
of 13 dog breeds that developed in Scotland, the Border Collie, first
appeared in the Border country of Scotland in the 1700's. They are
generally black with white markings, weighing 30-50 pounds and standing
about 18 inches at the shoulder. One of their distinguishing features is
that their fore legs are often shorter than their hind legs. It is said,
"Without the Border Collie there would be no sheep industry in
Scotland".
The
trials are a competition in performance not conformation. The tasks
incorporated into the making of the sheep dog trials are the basic
skills needed to manage livestock. For instance, one of the most
important things that a farm dog can do is to gather the livestock from
far away hills. In the Trials this is known as the outrun (going
out in a wide circle in order to get behind the livestock), the lift
(approaching the animals in a calm but authoritative manner so as to get
them moving in the right direction) and the fetch (bringing the
livestock to the shepherd).
The
next phase of trial work involves driving the livestock away from
the handler toward a specific obstacle in a straight line. Then the dog
is asked to drive the stock to another obstacle and then finally
to a pen and to help to put them into the pen. Sometimes the dog
is also asked to help divide the livestock into two or more groups in a
maneuver called a shed.
The
shepherd will use voice commands such as stand, way to me
(go right), come by (go left), lay down and that'll
do to work the dogs but at a distance these commands are translated
into whistles.
Today
farmers continue to find their Sheep Dogs valued partners in maintaining
livestock herds profitably and safely. As the American family has moved
to an urban rather than agricultural setting, these farmers have been
joined by thousands of suburbanites who have discovered the frustration
and joy of training their dogs to usher scatter-brained sheep through a
series of tasks that have their origins in the every day activities of
farm life. Using arcane commands and whistles, they too have discovered
the special relationship between human and working dog.
In
addition to sheep herding, several sports using the energy and physical
skills of the herd dog have evolved.
Sanctioning boards, rules and prize money have turned simple toss and
fetch into other heavily supported competitions for herding dogs.
Learn
about sports and activities you can participate in including Agility,
Obedience Competition, Therapy Dog Training, Flying Disc and Fly ball.
Hosted by The Greater Charlotte Shetland Sheepdog Club.
Power
of the Past
During
WWI the United States Army purchased and transported most of the
available draft horses to Europe and American farmers were forced to
find another source of horsepower to work their farms.
By the
1930's tractor manufacturers were building high-quality useful machines
that were very durable. John Deere, International Harvester, Case,
Allis-Chalmers, Oliver and Minneapolis Moline revolutionized the
life-style of the American family farm. Preservation of these classic
beauties are an important part of our rural heritage.
Rare
Livestock Expo presented by Egypt Bottom Farm
Llamas,
miniature donkeys, miniature horses, pigs, sheep, goats and the Rural
Hill herd of Highland Cows will be on display.
You can
learn about the importance of maintaining diversity in livestock breeds.
Hayride
Tours
of Rural Hill will be provided at no additional charge.
The
Rural Hill Sheep Dog Trials are presented by the Catawba Valley Scottish
Society, The Greater Charlotte Shetland Sheep Dog Club, Egypt Bottom
Farm
Facilitated in cooperation with Mecklenburg County Park & Recreation and
sanctioned by the
US Border Collie Handlers Association.
Admission
$8.00 Adults
$5.00 Students 5-17 years
Free Children 4 and under
