Sheepdog Championship

 

Come visit Soldier Hollow and see the world’s most highly trained dogs (border collies) and their handlers test themselves on Soldier Hollow’s Olympic Hillside. Working up to 400 yards from their handler – these dogs must work with precision and gather wild range Rocky Mountain ewes, bringing them down the mountainside along a preset course and through freestanding gates. The process ends in front of the stands where the dog must separate certain sheep from others and then place the sheep in a small pen.  The work is judged for quality and care of the sheep and must be completed in just 13 minutes.  It has a beauty and intensity that is captivating! Spectator dogs are not allowed.  Service and seeing eye dogs welcomed.

Congratulations to our 2021 Medalists

Gold Medal — Joe Haynes and Pepper

Silver Medal — Scott Glen and Pip

Bronze Medal — Faansie Basson and Jack

Joe Haynes, Pepper, and sponsor, Greta

 

The Soldier Hollow Classic is an invitational sheepdog trial open to all competitors throughout the world.  Most invitations are extended based on performance at selected trials with additional invitations extended based on double lift trial performance, career record and additional discretionary considerations.  We invite you to support the trials below and also to contact us if you know of a handler who might otherwise be a candidate for competition at the Soldier Hollow Classic.  In the event the Champion at a qualifying trial has already qualified for Soldier Hollow, the invitation will pass to the Reserve Champion.  If both have qualified, the invitation reverts to discretionary status and will be awarded at the discretion of the event.  Handlers qualify based on the first trial they qualify in.

1. The current qualifying double lift trials for the Soldier Hollow Classic:
2. The top six finalists at the prior Soldier Hollow Classic Sheepdog Trial.
3. The top three finalists at the prior North American Championship.
4. The Champion at the prior year’s Canadian National Championship.
5. Champions from all Major Double Lift Trials outside of North America.*
6. The top two finalists from the prior Meeker Classic.
7. The Champion from the prior Bluegrass Classic.
8. The Champion from the prior Brenham Sheepdog Trial.
9. The Champion from the prior years Kingston Sheepdog Championship.
10. The Champion from the prior years  WWSDA Sheepdog Trial.
11. Four dogs representing the Utah Stock Dog Association (as selected by the Association).
12. The Champion from the prior Strang Ranch Spring Sheepdog Trial.
13. The Champion from the prior year’s NEBCA Fall Foliage Sheepdog Trial.
14. The Champion from the prior Table Top Sheepdog Trial.
    
15. Any qualified handler with legitimate claim as their country’s top handler in the prior year.
16. Any handler from outside North America who represented their country in the prior years World Championship when held (the World Championships are held once every three years).

*We invite contact from any Champion or Reserve Champion of major double lift trials outside North America.  As a matter of course, we will try to contact winners of National and International Championships, but sometimes acquiring appropriate addresses is difficult.  Please contact us if you feel qualified to compete and you are able to attend for consideration for invitation.

Discretionary invitations beyond these trials may be extended based on diverse criteria as applied by the Event Director.  Factors that might be considered include those who have contributed to the success of the trial, friends of the trial, spouses of competitors, career record, location and other factors deemed significant at the time of the trial.  Normally discretionary invitations are one dog invitations.