The Annual Rhythm of Competition
The herding trial calendar follows patterns established over decades, shaped by weather, sheep availability, and tradition. For handlers serious about competitive success, understanding this calendar is not optional. It determines training schedules, travel budgets, and ultimately, careers.
I have spent seventeen years tracking these events, and the landscape has shifted considerably since I first stood at that fence in Lexington. New trials have emerged, some historic ones have faded, and the geographic center of competitive gravity has moved in ways few predicted. Here is what you need to know about the events that matter.
Spring Season: March Through May
The competitive year begins as snow melts and lambing season ends. Spring trials serve dual purposes: they shake off winter rust and provide early qualification points for fall championships.
The Texas Circuit
Texas hosts some of the earliest major trials, taking advantage of mild weather when handlers farther north are still training in indoor arenas. The Bluebonnet Classic in Fredericksburg (typically late March) draws around 80 Open handlers and has become an unofficial season opener for serious competitors.
“Texas trials run different,” handler Amanda Milliken told me after her win at the 2024 Bluebonnet. “The sheep are range sheep, not the pampered trial sheep you see back East. They got opinions.”
She was not wrong. I watched a seasoned Open dog get dragged around by a particularly determined group of Rambouillet ewes that afternoon. The handler laughed about it later, but not until much later.
Soldier Hollow: The Big One
The Soldier Hollow Classic in Midway, Utah runs the first week of September but demands mention here because everything that happens in spring points toward it. With a prize purse exceeding $40,000 and over 150 Open entries in recent years, Soldier Hollow has become the de facto American championship, even if it does not carry that official title.
Handlers begin their qualification runs in spring, knowing they need strong performances at USBCHA-sanctioned trials to earn their spot at Soldier Hollow. The pressure shapes everything that happens from March onward.
Summer Season: June Through August
Summer presents complications. Heat affects dogs and sheep alike, and many regions scale back competition. But several notable exceptions keep the circuit active.
The Meeker Classic
Meeker, Colorado hosts its classic in early September, technically straddling summer and fall. But the event’s significance and its spectacular mountain setting make it a destination trial that handlers plan their entire summer around.
The course at Meeker runs over 400 yards in some sections, demanding distance work that separates truly talented dogs from merely good ones. I have seen handlers lose their dogs visually in the sage brush, working entirely by sound and instinct. The successful runs at Meeker are something to witness. Understanding the different trial classes helps you appreciate what each level demands at major events like Meeker.
Canadian Circuit
Canada offers relief from summer heat with trials in British Columbia and Alberta drawing handlers willing to make the drive. The Canadian Supreme in Carstairs, Alberta has grown substantially, now attracting strong American entries alongside Canadian handlers defending home turf.
Fall Season: September Through November
This is when everything happens. The accumulation of a year’s work pays off or does not.
September’s Gauntlet
The first three weeks of September can see top handlers competing at three or four major trials, covering thousands of miles between runs. Soldier Hollow, Meeker, and the Virginia/Carolina circuit all cluster in this period. The handler-dog partnerships that thrive through this gauntlet have built the trust and stamina that only years of preparation can provide.
The Virginia State Fair Sheepdog Trial offers a different kind of challenge: an audience. Unlike most trials held on remote ranches, the State Fair runs with spectators close to the field. Dogs must work despite distractions, and handlers must manage their nerves with people watching their every whistle.
The National Finals
The USBCHA National Finals rotate location annually, typically running in late October or early November. The 2025 Finals in Oklahoma drew 160 qualifiers. This is where the year’s champion is crowned, where reputations are made, and where I have seen some of the most heartbreaking retirements from the sport.
I remember watching a handler at the 2022 Finals in Virginia whose dog had been his partner for nine years. They had won together, lost together, driven more miles than either wanted to count. On what they both knew would be their last competitive run, the dog did something I still do not fully understand. He took the sheep perfectly, every movement precise, as if he knew this one mattered differently. They finished seventh. The handler walked off the field and did not compete again.
International Events
For those with ambition and budget that extends beyond North America, international competition offers the highest level of the sport.
The International Supreme Championship
Held in the UK and rotating between England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland, the International Supreme represents the pinnacle. Qualification requires success at national-level trials in one of the four countries, making this essentially impossible for most American handlers to enter.
But watching it, even from the spectator rail, teaches things no domestic trial can. The communication between British handlers and their dogs operates at a level that most American competitors are still working toward. When I attended the 2023 Supreme at Llandeilo, Wales, I saw handling that changed how I understood what was possible.
The World Trial
The World Sheepdog Trial runs every three years, drawing national teams from across the globe. The 2020 event was postponed due to COVID. The 2023 trial in Scotland saw the American team finish respectably, though not on the podium. The genetic foundations of herding ability that researchers have documented play out in real time at these events, where you can literally see different breeding lines performing against each other.
Planning Your Trial Year
For handlers considering their first competitive year, I recommend starting small. Local USBCHA trials offer low-pressure environments to learn the format before tackling the majors. Understanding what each trial class demands helps you plan a realistic progression. Our guide on getting started covers the practical details newcomers need.
For experienced competitors reassessing their calendar, consider this: the handlers who win consistently do not try to run everywhere. They select trials strategically, balancing qualification needs with travel costs and dog welfare. Running a dog hard through every summer trial often means arriving at fall championships with a tired partner.
For spectators interested in attending trials without competing, nearly all events welcome observers. Bring a chair, binoculars, and patience. Do not talk during runs. Do not bring your pet dog unless you have confirmed it is permitted. And expect to stand in weather you would normally avoid.
The trial calendar will keep turning regardless of who shows up. The question is whether you will be there when the gate opens.
For those new to the trial world, understanding how scoring works is essential before your first event.