The Course

Outrun/gather: The handler should stand at the post and send their dog, on either side,to gather five sheep 400 yds away at the top of the field. The outrun should be the shape of an upside down pear and the dog should not stop nor require any commands before reaching its sheep without upsetting them. 20 points
Lift: At the end of the outrun the dog should lift and take control of the sheep in a firm and quiet manner. 10 points
Fetch: The dog should bring the sheep at a steady pace and in a straight line, through the fetch gates, and the sheep shall then be passed behind the handler. 20 points
Drive: The drive should be run in the direction decided previously by the Trials Committee. The first leg of the drive starts from behind the handler and then in a straight line through the first set of drive gates. Having got the sheep through the gates they should be turned immediately onto a direct line across to the second set of gates. When through these the sheep should be driven in a straight line to the shedding ring. The whole work should be done in a steady and smooth manner. 30 points
Shedding: Two of the three uncollared sheep will be shed within the ring and the dog will show control over the two uncollared sheep .10 points.
Pen: After reuniting the sheep the handler and dog will pen the sheep. 10 points
Single: One of the two collared sheep will be shed within the ring and thereafter worn to the judges satisfaction. 10 points = 110 pts
There will be a judge from each of the 4 Nations, totalling : 110 pts x 4 = 440pts

As far as possible, the conditions and work to be encountered in everyday shepherding on the hills and
lowlands are followed in these trials. On Thursday and Friday the Qualifying Trials are run on a 'National'
course.                Five sheep are liberated some 400 yds from the shepherd and his dog. The latter is directed
to bring the sheep and goes off on a wide outrun. The object of the dog running wide ( onto the outside
of the course is, theoretically, to move sheep inside its run to the middle ground so that when the dog
'lifts' the main flock stragglers can be quickly and easily collected, whereas had the dog gone directly,
they would have been driven away from the flock.                    Having completed the 'outrun' the dog
quietly arrives behind the 'flock' and waits momentarily for them to settle. Then it approaches and 'lifts'
(moves) its charges towards the first obstacle and then bringing them in the most direct line to its master.
When the sheep pass behind the shepherd, the gathering is completed. The dog then moves/drives the
sheep through a pair of gates 150 yds away and 7 yards apart. It then turns the sheep across the field
where again 150 ydsaway is a sim ilar set of gates. Through these, turn again and back to the shepherd
where, in a 40 yard diameter circle, the man and dog combine to 'shed' (separate) two sheep from five. Three sheep are unmarked, and two are marked with red collars and it is any two of the unmarked sheep which have to be shed and control shown by the dog.                        This accomplished ( and not until it is) and the sheep reunited, can the shepherd proceed to a pen 9ft x 8ft with an 8 ft gate. He keeps the gate open by holding the end of a 6ft rope and then directs the dog to manoeuvre the sheep into the desired position to conclude a successful pen. The shepherd must remain at the end of the rope to ensure that the dog does the major part of the work. Once penned ( and consequently mixed up) the sheep are brought back to the ring where the dog has to separate one sheep from the rest. This time it is either of the two sheep with collars and the whole job has to be done within 15 minutes.                On the Saturday the course is increased to 800yds for the Supreme International and the number of sheep increased to two lots of ten. The dog must go out on the right or left side as instructed and gather the first lot, bring them through the gates and return on the other side to gather the second lot, and then unite the two lots and bring them to the shepherd and continue as in the earlier description up to the shedding ring. Here in the 40 yard wide circle 15 unmarked sheep have to be shed off leaving 5 collared sheep which are then to be penned in a total time of 30 minutes.                  In addition to the Single dog classes, there is a class for Double or Brace ( two dogs) working which takes place on Thursday and Friday. The work follows the same course except that they work on ten sheep and are required to pen two lots of five on opposite sides of the field. The first pen has no gate and the dog that pens first has to remain in charge of that pen while the second dog pens in the other pen.
The whole of the Trial is of a practical nature and the ISDS is solely concerned with the practical working capabilities of the Border Collie and its Master

Outrun/gather: 10 sheep will be placed approximately 600 yards from the handler. One dog going either side. Crossing at the completion of the outrun is permissable, but dogs should remain on the side they have crossed and they shouldn't recross. (2 x 20) 40 pts
Lift: Both dogs should complete their outruns simultaneously in order to exercise a balanced lift. (2 x 10) 20pts
Fetch: The dogs should bring the sheep in a straight line through the centre gate 7 yds wide, 150 yards from the handler in the centre of the course. Each dog will keep to its own side until the fetch is finished. The handler will remain at the post and at the end of the fetch shall pass the sheep behind them.
20 pts
Driving: The handler stands at the post and directs his/her dogs to drive the sheep 450 yds over a triangular course through two sets of gates, 7 yds wide and back to the handler. No retry at any gate is allowed. Each dog is to keep to its own side and the handler must remain at the post until the end of the drive. The drive is finished when the sheep enter the shedding ring. 30 pts
Shedding: The 10 sheep will be divided into two equal lots by either dog within the ring. One lot will be driven off and left in the charge of one dog. 10 pts
Penning: The first lot will be penned in a diamond shaped pen by one dog . Once penned the dog will be lft in charge whilst the second lot are penned by the other dog approx 50 yds away. (2 x 10) 20pts
140 pts x 4 judges = Total of 560pts

1st Outrun/gather: The dog should be sent out on the predetermined side to gather 10 sheep approximatelt 800 yds away, preferable out of sight of the dog. 20 pts
1st Lift: The dog should take control in a firm but quiet manner. 10 pts
1st Fetch: The dog will fetch the sheep through the gates. The first fetch is complete when the sheep have reached the pole (20 yds inside the gates). 20 pts
2nd Outrun/gather: The dog having reached the post will then be suitable positioned to be redirected for the second lot of sheep. 20 pts
2nd Lift: as the first lift 10pts
2nd Fetch: The second lot of sheep should also be brought through the gates in a straight line towards a point parallel to the first lot of sheep. The dog will unite the two lots of sheep by gathering the first lot and bringing them to the second lot. At the end of the fetch the handler will pass the sheep around the post/behind the handler. 20 pts
Drive: The drive shall be 600 yds in a triangular course through two sets of gates 9 yds wide and back to the handler. No retry at any gate is allowed. 40pts
Shedding: The fifteen unmarked sheep to be shed off within a ring 40 yds. in diameter. In the shedding the sheep shall pass between the dog and the handler until they are left with 5 collared sheep. 20 pts
Penning: The five marked sheep must be penned and the gate shut. The handler will stand at the gate holding the rope and must not let go of the rope unless it is necessary to reshed. 10 pts = 170 pts per judge, 4 judges = 680 pts total