Sheepdog classic is a testament to personalities, relationships of both dogs and handlers

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, June 1, 2016

My husband and I moved to Vashon Island in 1992. We had been living in Seattle for several years and wanted to live in a more rural setting and build our own home. While building our home we were living in our barn and a 1968 Airstream trailer. We both loved dogs and, given the rough living quarters we were in, we opted to get a puppy.

It did not take long to decide on herding dogs; devoted, hardworking, and obedient. Over the course of the next few years we would have three ‘aussies”. I started watching the sheepdog trial on Vashon around 2002. I tried herding with one of my Aussies, Nell. It was fun but while learning about herding and watching others I kept being drawn to the Border Collie. I love their working style, speed, and focus. I was impressed with the Border Collie handling community; dedicated to maintaining the working attributes of the breed and responsible care of the livestock.

I took the plunge and got my first Border Collie, Shep in 2008. It has been both rewarding and humbling to learn about sheep herding and the breed. I have also been able to meet many fascinating handler/dog teams including Carol Clawson.

Carol is the current president of the United States Border Collie Handlers Association or USBCHA. This is the national association that sanctions the trials across the country every year culminating in a national final that handler/dog teams must qualify for in order to compete at this level.

Carol has had Border Collies her whole life but is relatively new to sheep herding. For most of her life she has had Border Collies as pets, then she tried agility, a course of jumps, tunnels, ramps and a see saw. While out with a friend at a farm near Salt Lake City, Utah she got to see what the Border Collie is really made for; a big beautiful gather. A Border Collie can do a wide run up a field several hundred yards, dropping behind the sheep picking them up smartly and bringing them straight back down the field to the handler. Carol was instantly hooked and competed in her first trial in 2006. She competed in her first national finals in 2014 the year she was elected president of the USBCHA, competed again in 2015 and is working on qualifying for this year’s finals.

Carol was a bit surprised when other handlers approached her about becoming the USBCHA president referring to herself as “not a big hat” in the Border Collie world. But like many sheepdog handlers Carol is a woman with many talents. Carol is also an attorney and has worked as a litigator, solicitor general of the state of Utah, and an administrative law judge. Her legal background has helped the association update its by-laws and her skills as a mediator have fostered a constructive dialog about trial practices and procedures. When talking with Carol you can tell just how much she loves and respects her dogs. She laughs when she tells you about a t-shirt her sister in law gave her that says “I was normal three dogs ago”.

Carol will be coming to the Vashon Sheepdog Classic to compete with her dogs Timp and Keta. Participating dog and handler teams are expected from all over the western United States. Most of the dogs in the competition will be Border Collies due to the long outrun and tough working conditions but other breeds such as Kelpies and Australian Shepherds may be there as well.

Regardless of the breed, the expectation will be the same; the dog is to handle the sheep in a precise and efficient manner. The course at Misty Isle is based on the classic international course used throughout the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Europe.

The Vashon Sheepdog Classic encompasses a number of fun activities and local food and drink. In addition to the trial visitors can enjoy a fiber arts village with free workshops and demonstrations including sheep shearing and a children’s tent with felting classes and other activities.

— Christie True lives on Maury Island and has been a member of the board of the Vashon Sheepdog Classic since 2010. This article was first published in Pet Connections Magazine.