Champion Status and the Working Test

The following is a letter from Doug Collier. The Club would appreciate its members comments on this article. The matter is currently being discussed by the Committee. The Committee have also approached the Breed Council, who will hopefully assist owners in ensuring an acceptable and achievable Working Test is available.

Please email comments via the website. Both Members and Non Members views are welcome.

THE BORDER COLLIE WORKING TEST

At the time that the Border Collie Club of Great Britain approached the Kennel Club in 1973 to recognise the Border Collie and the KC eventually accepted the breed for the show ring in 1976, the Club and the KC were in full agreement that the status of full champion for the Border Collie should only be achieved if the dog could prove its ability to herd sheep. Otherwise the title gained by a Border Collie achieving three CCs would be that of Show Champion (Sh Ch}.

The KC put forward a herding and also made a proviso in their rules for a cattle test, should one be required at a later date. The initial test was fro Border Collies which had gained a Stud Book Number. A fee of 10 would be charged and only three attempts were permissible and only two of them in any one year. The test would be judged by three ISDS Judges, one of whom would be the secretary and pass mark would be 60%. The test consisted of

An outrun of 200 yards (20 points)

Lift 5 sheep (10 points)

A Straight fetch past a post to handler (20 points)

A drive back to post maximum 100 yards (30 points)

A pen 12 x 6 with gate (20 points)

Total: 100 points

Time allowed: 15 minutes

Exemption from the test would be granted to any dog qualifying for the National or International Sheep Dog Trials or gaining a 1st to 7th place at an open Sheepdog Trial affiliated to the ISDS. Several tests were arranged and several dogs took the tests at each session. Only 5 dogs ever passed the test, Ann Leigh with her dog Fordrought Fen and Heather Turner with Locheil Look North who also gained three CCs and therefore took the full title of Champion. This dog died in December 2004.

Believing that the test, the judging system, and its judges were too harsh for any show dog to pass the specialty breed clubs put forward proposals to the KC to modify the test and in 1992 they, the KC; with agreement (presumably) with the ISDS modified the test. The modifications to the test were 10 sheep, a pen 12'x 12' with a 12' gate and a reduction in the time limit to 12 minutes. Everything else remained the same. The Border Collie Club of Great Britain issued a statement when the amended test was published by the Kennel Club as follows 'We, the Border Collie Club of Great Britain wish it to be known that it dissociates itself from the revised working test published in the June 1992 issue of the Kennel Gazette page 91. Contrary to what is stated in the Kennel Gazette this Club was never consulted, nor does it approve of the changes. This statement remains the view of the Club which they have published annually in their Yearbook since 1992. One test session was held under these modified rules. I understand that it was flawed for the fast dog or dogs ran under the old system and had to be given a second go at the new test with 10 sheep. No one passed at that session. Since that test nobody has shown any interest in attempting to gain the full Champion title. We currently have some 100 dogs and 110 bitches with the title of Show Champion an the only full title holder has now died. This situation is likely to continue as no one now appears to care. Deep down many do know and accept that the Border Collie is the worlds foremost herding dog and that as the show dog comes of the same linage and breed it should have retained its herding instincts and be able to work stock. Many show exhibitors, owners and breeders would, I feel, Like to show that their dogs can still control sheep but the present test is both impractical and unfair.

Those of us with show dogs. The Breed Clubs and the Breed Council, should not allow this situation to continue. We do care. We want full Champion status for our show dogs, so why do we not complain and get something done? I do so hope that this message gets through and efforts are made to give the show dog its title by right if we prove its practical ability to herd sheep. The following elements are, I believe, wrong with the present test:

It is judged as a Sheepdog Trial, it is not a trial.
It is judged by ISDS nominated judges who have no sympathy whatever with show dogs or their handlers.
To pen ten sheep, as the test requires, is never attempted in the top grade sheepdog trials, such as the World or International Trials. Not even the worlds most, accomplished sheepdogs attempt it. Those trials are limited to the penning of five sheep. The penning of sheep in a wide open field should not be part of the test.
The test as drawn up mainly by the ISDS is too trial-like in its concept and a more practical test should be devised without consultation with the ISDS which will show the practical aptitude of the dog to work stock.
The final agreed herding aptitude assessment should not be left to the ISDS to judge. Other appropriate assessors should be appointed.
To limit the test to dogs with a Stud Book Number is wrong. Most dogs attain this number when they are at least two years old and by that time it may too late to train them to sheep. No such limit should be imposed. The test should be available to all Border Collies from six months of age onward.
Why is the number of attempts limited to three? There is no need for such a limit. Nor is there a need to limit the test to two in any twelve month period. The limit on the number of tests should be dropped completely.

Border Collie show enthusiasts and clubs should meet to put forward solid proposals to the Kennel Club to resolve this unsatisfactory situation. We do not wish to go on indefinitely with Show Champions only in our breed. We want to prove ourselves that our show dog has retained its working instinct. We want full CHAMPION Status for our breed.

Doug Collier