HERDING
TEST FOR BORDER COLLIES
The following is
reproduced with the Kind Permission of Doug Collier:-
The Breed Council at its
meeting on 28 July 2007 confirmed the minutes of Working Test Meeting with the
Kennel Club on 17 April 2007. The following is therefore agreed:-
- The test will be called the
Herding Test for Border Collies.
- Any registered Border Collie
over the age of 12 Months can take the test.
- No Limit will be placed on the
number of attempts at the test.
- Any Border Collie who passes the
test and has 3 CC’s under different judges will gain full champion title.
- A Border Collie who passes the
test will be able to use ‘Herding Test’ (HT) aster its registered name
- The test will be assessed by two
judges nominated by the Breed Clubs and Breed Council (not the ISDS).
- The test will be a more
practical test than previously It will not be judges as a sheepdog trial and
the assessors will give a pass or a fail.
- Once a pass has been gained no
further attempts will be allowed with that dog.
- Consideration is being given to
higher grade pass at some time in the future so that an excellent pass can be
achieved If this is adopted, then excellent (Ex) will be added to HT after
the dogs name and those that have normal pass would then be able to retake the
test.
- Consideration is being given to
allowing those who pass the test to enter the Working Class for our breed at
Crufts.
- Exemptions will remain and be
extended to allow experienced sheepdogs to avoid taking the test but still be
able to gain the Full Champion Title.
- To take the test an application
would have to be made to the Kennel Club and a fee of £25 paid.
The first test under the new
procedure would be available in the Summer of 2008. It should be noted that the
breed has some 100 dogs and 116 bitch ‘Show Champions’.
The only one and Full
Champion CH Locheil Look North died some 2 years ago. Let’s hope that owners
will aspire to have the Full Champion Title for their dogs and take and pass the
test.
Thanks Doug
The Scottish Border Collie
Club will keep members updated on the progress of the test and advise when it
will be available in Scotland.