MIDWAY — Simple calls directed the sleek black-and-white-dogs to herd eight sheep into an open trailer.
On command, the dogs circled and darted at the sheep, pushing them toward the trailer's door. They collected a stray and forced it with the others. Then, with all eight inside, the stock man shut the trailer door and thanked the dog handlers Wednesday afternoon.
"Where were you this morning?" said Doug Livingston, who trades sheep to ranchers throughout Utah. "I had six men and I couldn't get them in."
The dogs and handlers are national sheepdog champions from Wales, Scotland and England who are in town for the Soldier Hollow Classic at Wasatch Mountain State Park — four days of herding sheep that looks like hard work to a casual observer but is bliss for the dogs.
The international dogs are just a few of the 120 that will compete. Sheepdog trial champions throughout the United States are expected this weekend at Soldier Hollow for hours of moving sheep around a mountainside through shrubs and trees and around gates and obstacles.
This is Soldier Hollow's third year hosting the event and the first year as invitation only. With a cumulative purse of $20,000, the classic is quickly moving up the ranks of international competitions worth attending, said Mark Peterson, event director. And being held where athletes in biathlon and cross-country skiing competed during the 2002 Winter Games doesn't hurt, either.
"In the first year, it took me six months of begging and pleading to get 40 dogs entered," Peterson said. The second-year slots filled on a first-come, first-served basis. This year, though, "we picked the best dogs in America and Canada and a handful of dogs from abroad and invited them. Truly, this year it's a tournament of champions."
Dogs obey precise whistle or voice commands from their handlers that direct which direction to turn, how many sheep to keep together, and where to put the group of animals. They and the sheep begin a time trial about 450 yards away from the handler, who stands at the base of a hill. The dog must gently bring the sheep straight downhill toward the handler, then drive the sheep away from the handler through a series of gates. Next, the dog must take the sheep to a shedding ring where it separates marked animals from the rest of the herd. Finally, the dog has to bring the entire herd to an 8-by-8 pen.
They have 12 minutes to do the entire set of tasks. Taking longer is penalized, but quicker times don't necessarily mean better scores, which tend to favor finesse, Peterson said. To the dog, there is no more difficult task — "an obstacle course where each obstacle has a mind of its own," Peterson said.
Dogs can be disqualified if a sheep leaves the course, or if the dog makes any contact with the sheep. Dogs have to be benevolent keepers — in traditional shepherding settings, dog bites can become infected and damage the flock.
"Anything that in any way abuses the animal is the opposite of what this sport is about," Peterson said. "This sport is about taking care of the animal and it's a celebration of that tradition."
Open competition begins Friday and runs through Sunday; on Monday, the top dogs and handlers from the three previous days will compete for medals and cash. Tickets cost between $6 and $12 with coupons available for $2 off at sponsors such as Smith's Food and Drug stores, Bank of the West sites, and the Heber Valley Chamber of Commerce, among others.
The grandstands are not shaded and competition will run throughout the day. Food vendors and craft booths will offer traditional fare. Parking may be scarce on Friday and Saturday because Midway, which is adjacent to Soldier Hollow and Wasatch Mountain State Park, is holding its annual Swiss Days festival.
E-mail: kswinyard@desnews.com