We went to the Soldier Hollow Classic Sheep Dog competition today, in Midway! It was so much fun!
We started off the day with the Splash Dog competition. There were amateurs and professionals. It was so fun to watch!
These dogs were having so much fun, they kept trying to run back up the stairs to do it again!
It was incredible how far some of these dogs could jump! The furthest jump of the day was 24+FT!!!!
The Sheep Dog Competition was what we watched next, and it was the main event!! This sheep dog competition is the biggest in the WORLD! We watched a handler from Norway, and New Zealand.
5 sheep are released at the top of the hill, and the handler and dog are at the bottom next to the post. When the sheep are released the handler sends her dog up to the sheep via the edge of the trail so as not to scare the sheep. Then the dog has to bring the sheep own and through certain gates.
Then they have to push the sheep back up the hill, and get them through two other gates, then back down the hill. The Dog and handler then, without touching the sheep, have to split the 5 sheep in to 2 different groups, and maintain them in a large circle. After a certain amount of time, they have to circle the sheep up again and get them into a tiny corral. All of this is done under 13 minutes, with using whistle commands! It is so remarkable how smart dogs are!
This man in the last 15 years has been in the finals every year!
He hasn't won every year, but has his share of victories! He worked with his dog so well! It was like art!
This woman and her dog did so well until it came down to getting the sheep in the final corral.
All of the sheep that have gone through the competition.
Before this competition non of these sheep have ever been herded by dogs. So they don't know anything about what is going on, it is totally up to the handler and the dog.
Next we watched dog agility. All of the dogs in this show were dogs that have been adopted from shelters.
This dog was just starting his training and could already high jump 50 inches.
This little pooch was a cocker spaniel poodle mix, just like my dog Maggie! She was so cute, and knew how to stop, drop and roll. She looked so much like Maggie, I loved her!
Our final event we watched was a Duck Round Up. This was for amateur dogs. The real competition was for invitational dogs, meaning they had to qualify at other events to be asked to compete in this event. The duck round up was for anyone who wanted to try there hand at the round up.
It was such a fun day, I had no idea we would stay as long as we did! It was just so captivating how well the dogs were trained, and how well they knew their whistle commands! I highly recommend this even for anyone in the area. And if you buy your tickets at the Homestead or Bank of the West you get $2 off entry!
