Sheepherding dogs’ skills put to the test

DOVER PLAINS, N.Y. — Finality Farm in Dover Plains hosted its second annual sheepdog trials last weekend, May 20 to 22.Sheepdog trials are generally competitions for border collies (although in the 1995 film “Babe,” a pig had aspirations of winning the competition). Organizer Michele Ferraro, an equine vet and partner at Millbrook Equine, and herself an owner of border collies, said 99 percent of the entries were border collies, but there was a kelpie or two thrown into the mix as well. Ferraro had three of her dogs entered in the trials: Moss, a proven winner (as a 3-year-old, he won the Scottish Nationals) took a sixth place, out of 77 runs, in the open competition on Friday, May 20.Competitors came from as far away as Virginia and Canada and the judge, Frank Cashen, hails from County Wexford in Ireland. He is a former winner of the International Sheep Dog Society World Sheep Dog Trials. Sheepdog trials are intended to test the natural abilities of the border collie. They are, said Ferraro, “the one breed that truly uses their eyes to move the sheep.” In fact, points are deducted if the dog nips at the sheeps’ flanks, heels or throat. The only contact between sheep and dog that is allowed is a brief bite and release to the face, “because head wounds heal very fast,” Ferraro said. Over three full days of competition, 85 dogs competed at the advanced levels on Friday and Saturday and 120 dogs competed on Sunday, in the intermediate and beginner levels. A dog and handler worked three or four sheep at a time depending on which class they were entered in. Sheepdog trials have been on the wane, as open land and sheep become more scarce. The 90 head of sheep were trucked in from Pennsylvania, and were “undogged,” meaning they hadn’t been used in competition before, making them more of a challenge to the competitors.For more information on sheepdog trials in the area go to the Northeast Border Collie Association website at www.nebca.net.

Latest News

From research to recognition: Student project honors pioneering Black landowner

Cornwall Consolidated School seventh graders Skylar Brown, Izabella Coppola, Halley Villa, Willow Berry, Claire Barbosa, Willa Lesch, Vivianne DiRocco and Franco Aburto presented a group research project on the life of Naomi Freeman Wednesday, April 23. In attendance were U.S. Rep. Jahana Hayes, D-Conn., John Mills, president of Alex Breanne Corporation, Cornwall First Selectman Gordon Ridgway, Cornwall Selectman Jennifer Markow and CCS social studies teacher Will Vincent.

Photo by Riley Klein

CORNWALL — “In Cornwall you have made the decision that everyone here matters and everyone’s story is important,” said U.S. Rep. Jahana Hayes, D-Waterbury, to the seventh grade class at Cornwall Consolidated School April 23.

Hayes was in attendance to celebrate history on Wednesday as the CCS students presented their group research project on the life of Naomi Cain Freeman, the first Black female landowner in Cornwall.

Keep ReadingShow less
Legal Notices - April 24, 2025

Town of Salisbury

Board of Finance

Keep ReadingShow less
Classifieds - April 24, 2025

Help Wanted

Experienced horse equestrian: to train three-year-old white Persian Mare for trail riding. 860-67-0499.

Help wanted: Small Angus Farm seeks reliable help for cattle and horses. Duties include feeding, fence repair, machine repair. Will train the right person. 860-671-0499.

Keep ReadingShow less