Page 237 - Showsight April 2013

job of sheepherding. The farmers and
shepherds who participated in the first
trials and type competitions were, above
all else, stockmen. (Women did not get
involved in sheepdog trialing until much
later.) As stockmen, they were comfortable
with the idea of evaluating an animal’s
physical structure against a standard based
upon the animal’s purpose: whether that
purpose was wool production, meat for
marketing or working stock. Working col-
lies were shown in the conformation ring
in New Zealand as early as 1886 and Aus-
tralia in 1907. They were shown in Europe
at FCI shows before being recognized by
the Kennel Club in Great Britain in 1976.
Canada did not allow Border Collies in
conformation until 2007.
Border Collies were in AKC’s Miscel-
laneous group for forty years—from 1955
to 1995. They could only enter obedience
and tracking events. Border Collies weren’t
very prevalent in AKC in the early years,
but even in small numbers they made their
presence well known in obedience tri-
als. By 1990, Border Collies were becom-
ing more popular as the sport of agility
appeared and became more widespread
throughout the US. Their popularity grew
even further when AKC started offering
agility trials in 1994.
Meanwhile, AKC’s herding program
began in 1989. At that time, AKC only
allowed breeds listed in the Herding Group
to participate. Since Border Collies were
listed in the Miscellaneous group, as herd-
ing trial popularity grew, full recognition
became an issue. In December 1994, the
AKC made its decision to fully recognize
Border Collies. Registration would begin
April 1, 1995, and the first Championship
points would be awarded October 1, 1995.
Since AKC recognition in 1995, popular-
ity of the breed continues to grow—in
2012 Border Collies were number 44 on
AKC’s most popular breeds list as deter-
mined by number of registrations.
In his book The Intelligence of Dogs,
Stanley Coren announced that Border
Collies are the most intelligent breed.
Their trainability, willingness to work and
athletic prowess make them an excellent
choice for people interested in sports like
obedience and agility. Their speed makes
them desirable flyball competitors. Their
grace and beauty appeal to those who
want to show in conformation. And their
unsurpassed abilities to read and control
livestock make them outstanding herding
trial competitors. Border Collies compete
in just about any activity available and
excel at most. Their desire to work hard
and please their owner is directly related
to how the breed developed. One cannot
truly appreciate this breed without under-
standing that history.
ShowSight Magazine, April 2013 • 237