Herding Dogs

As part of last Saturday's sheep shearing program, Howell Farm was visited by a pack of champion sheep-herding border collies, including the #5 ranked dog in the United States. The dogs' trainer explained how competitive sheep herding came about: Because farmers have always had so little time for outside hobbies, when they get together socially they compete at the things they already do for work. Thus plowing matches, tractor pulls, hay bale throwing and sheep herding competitions were born.