One fun activity to participate in with your Australian Cattle Dog is competitive trialing. A herding trial is an organized event, often sponsored by a local club and associated with a local or national herding organization, where contestants move livestock through a prescribed course. It is judged and prizes awarded to the winners. Trialing is broken into competitive levels so dogs and handlers of like skills compete against one another. Some organizations also provide a "test" level which is non-competitive and allows novice handlers to get their feet wet without the pressure of competition. Some national organizations such as the AHBA, the AKC and ASCA offer titles that can be placed on the dog's name to signify their level of accomplishment.
Trials occur in many different types of venues and follow various styles of courses. Some trials are held in an enclosed arena. The livestock is moved about the arena on a prescribed course through various obstacles. Some trials are held in large pastures, and some are designed to mimic ranch work. Not all trialing courses may be suited to you and your dog, and its best to attend as a spectator and learn about the course before you enter, but with a little experimentation you can find the competitive course that you like best.
The AHBA offers both a test and trial program and is open to all herding breeds and herding breed mixes. The test program has 2 courses: the Herding Capability Test, and Junior Herding Dog. The trial program has 1 arena course and a ranch course which is designed by the hosting club but contains prescribed types of obstacles. Dogs can be entered at the level their handlers deem appropriate. Dogs can earn the following titles:
HCT - Herding Capability Tested
JHD - Junior Herding Dog
HTD I - Herding Trial Dog started level
HTD II - Herding Trial Dog intermediate level
HTD III - Herding Trial Dog advanced level
HRD I - Herding Ranch Dog started level
HRD II - Herding Ranch Dog intermediate level
HRD III - Herding Ranch Dog advanced level
HTCh - Herding Trial Champion
The AKC offers both a testing and trial program open to AKC registered dogs only. The trial program has 3 herding courses. Course A is an arena style course which can be held using sheep, ducks or cattle. Course B is an open field course which can be held using sheep or cattle. And Course C is a flock tending course using sheep only. The test program has 2 courses, the Herding Test, and the Pre-Trial test. Dogs can be entered at the level their handlers deem appropriate. Dogs can earn the following titles:
HT - Herding Tested
PT - Pre-Trial Tested
HS - Herding Started
HI - Herding Intermediate
HX - Herding Excellent
HCH - Herding Champion
ASCA offers 5 courses available to all herding breeds and herding breed mixes. Course A and B are arena courses run on sheep, ducks and cattle. Post Advanced Course A and B are large pasture courses run on sheep or cattle. And the Ranch course is run on sheep or cattle and is designed to simulate ranch work. ASCA offers only trial level competition, and all dogs must start at the Started level. ACSA offers the following titles:
STD s, d, c - Started Trial Dog Sheep, Ducks, Cattle
OTD s, d, c - Open Trial Dog Sheep, Ducks, Cattle
ATD s, d, c - Advanced Trial Dog, Sheep, Ducks, Cattle
PATD s, c - Post Advanced Trial Dog, Sheep, Cattle
RD - Ranch Dog
RTD - Ranch Trial Dog
WTCH - Working Trial Champion