Cappy Pruett - Winter Fundamentals Clinic:

Beat the winter blues at our annual 2-day winter clinics with Cappy Pruett. January 5 & 6th is for Intermediate/Advanced dogs and handlers and will be held at Rancho Terra Norte' (weather permitting - otherwise we will be indoors at the Last Resort Equestrian Center). Beginning/Novice dogs and handlers clinic is scheduled for January 7 & 8th, held indoors at the Last Resort Equestrian Center. <Registration Form>

TBA - Spring A Course Mechanics & Strategy Clinic: April, 2012

Trying to improve your trial scores? This clinic will help - in the morning, each student will run their dogs in a simulated trial run that is scored and video taped. After everyone has run, clinic attendees will then go through the videos and score sheets analyzing both to see where to make changes to improve performance. In addition to running, each student will be learning about proper stock set out procedures, scribing, timing and other skills. <Registration Form>

TBA - Spring Tending Clinic: May, 2012

Join the tending group for a 2-day Spring clinic on the C-course field. We will be working on mastering the take pen, the bridge and roadwork. Cost is $75/half day sessions - Intro to Borders/Boundary PT in the morning and Working the C-course in the afternoon, auditing $20 day. <Registration Form>

July Herding Symposium: July 9 - 13, 2012

We are very excited about our second weeklong herding university! There will be sessions taught throughout the week on a multitude of subjects, incorporating the various disciplines of herding elements from the AKC (A, B, and C courses), AHBA, ASCA, and USBC programs. In addition to course mechanics, we will also be offering sessions on herd health management, sheep psychology, gate & pen safety, sheep 101 and a comprehensive "Introduction to Herding" and "Introduction to Tending" program.

Many of today's most respected AKC, AHBA, ASCA and USBC judges and clinicians have agreed to contribute to our symposium faculty. <click here for our faculty bios>

There will also be courses available for current and future herding judges including, business planning, marketing your herding business, and other related topics.

Register today! Send your completed registration form and tuition by June 15th and get the early bird discount!

Other events: upcoming events

LESSONS

Instinct herding tests and herding Lessons are available during the week and on the weekends. All breeds of dogs are welcome!

HERDING EVALUATIONS

Bring your dog and find out if it is interested in herding! The herding instinct test is done in a small pen with sheep or goats closely monitored by the herding instructor. You get in on the action after your dog has it's introduction to sheep!

Herding lessons are scheduled Monday through Sunday by appointment only. Come and learn to work goats and sheep.

FUN DAYS - Designed for all levels of dogs & handlers. Generally everyone gets together for potluck, then we head out to the herding arena for an afternoon or evening of friendly competition.

Next Fun Day - Sunday, Dec. 18th. Spend some quality time with your dog & friends in the midst of holiday parties and prep. Open sessions on the courses of choice from 9 am. Then PotLuck at Noon, main dish and drinks provided, bring a side dish to share. Fun Ranch Trial with tasks for all levels of handlers & dogs following lunch. Cost $10/dog.

NEXT HERDING INSTINCT CERTIFICATION TEST: New Year's Day with Billy Pickel to evaluate, cost is $25/dog. Written evaluations will be presented to owners at the end of the test.

TENDING SESSIONS -

Do you have one of the dogs who look for straight lines....? In Europe many breeds are used to "tend" livestock - they help take the flock from their home pen out to graze becoming a living fence. This type of livestock management allows for grazing the sides of roads, fallow fields, and other areas where conventional fencing does not exist or isn't feasible. Breeds that do well at tending include: German Shepherd Dogs, Bouviers, Briards, and the Belgium dogs.

Join our Tending group for Tending sessions on Thursday mornings at 9:30 am Cost: $20/dog.

UPCOMING SANCTIONED HERDING TRIALS -

April 21 & 22, 2012 - BVKC AKC Herding Tests & Trial, Course A, all levels on sheep & ducks; Course B, all levels on sheep. HT (goats) & PT (goats)/ PT Boundary (sheep). Judges:TBA.

July 11, 2012: RTN AHBA Tests & Trial, HTDs, HTADs course 2 ribbon pull, HRDs, JHDg and HCTg. Judges: TBA

July 14 & 15, 2012 - BVKC AKC Herding Tests & Trial. Course C, all levels on sheep. HT & PT (boundary) tests on sheep. Judges: TBA

August, 2012: Mountain and Plains Border Collie Club 3rd Annual Dale Goodell Memorial Novice Trial Series and Pro-Novice fun trials on sheep. Judge: TBA.

September 29 & 30, 2012 - RTN AHBA Herding Tests & Trial. HTD & HRD all levels on sheep. HCT & JHD tests on goats, HTAD all levels on ducks - course 4, gather & shed. Judges: TBA

October 6 & 7, 2012 - BVKC Fall AKC Herding Tests & Trial, Course A, B, and C - all levels on sheep/ducks and sheep. HT & PT/PT Boundary tests on sheep & goats. Judges: TBA

October 8 & 9, 2012 - GSDCA National Herding Tests & Trials