Cowdog Trial
Saturday January 20th, 2024
Will have a novice, nursery, intermediate, and open division.
Overview
Cowdog Competition is a point and time event wherein the stock savvy and skill of the dog and handler are put to the test. The competition centers around maneuvering a small group of cattle through a number of obstacles in a set amount of time.
The goal of the Cowdog Trial is to accurately simulate the way in which cow dogs are utilized in everyday cattle operations on working cattle ranches. And, since most cattle operations take care not to run the weight” off their cattle, the Cowdog Competition places a great deal of emphasis on the stockmanship of the handler and the quiet and controlled manner in which the dog maneuvers the cattle.
Our cowdog trial on foot and not horseback.
This fast growing sport originated out west.
With minimal rules governing the competitions and great prize money, the main emphasis is on fun!
Contestant Information
Rules
While the philosophy of the Cowdog Trial is to have a minimum of rules governing the course, the following will be enforced:
- The objective is to complete the course while achieving the most points in the least amount of time.
- Participants do not need to be mounted
- In the event of a point tie, tie-breaker will be the quickest time
- Majority of Obstacles will require both the dog and handler and complete.
- Quiet and controlled maneuvering of cattle is required. Contestants will be whistled out for excessive chasing or abusing of livestock and/or chasing cattle outside of the boundaries of the course.
Zero Tolerance Policy
The primary objective of Cowdog Trial competition is for competitors to have fun while being challenged to exhibit the superior stockmanship skills of themselves and their dogs. To that end, Cowdog Trial Competition has adopted, and will enforce, a zero tolerance policy at all of its sanctioned events to include the following:
- There will be no abusive treatment of any kind, to any animal, at any time allowed anywhere on the event premises. Abusive treatment will be defined by the event management.
- No training devices, or dummy training devices, will be permitted to be used on, or worn by dogs anywhere on the premises of a sanctioned Cowdog Trial Competition event.
Violations to any of the above will be cause for immediate disqualification, which will include the forfeiture of all fees paid at that event.
