ANNOUNCEMENT: 2011 Specialty: Refunds and Results

The 2011 National Specialty will be held in Albany, Oregon in September, 2011. Headed up by Emily Fish and April Bruce, the event will be held in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, hosted at the Linn County Fair & Expo Center and nearby Wolston Farms. The Expo Center is frequently used for large all-breed shows and agility trials as well as many breed specialties, and caters well to indoor dog events. There are hotels and a park next door. Wolston Farms offers a large B course and strong experience hosting herding trials. Tracking is planned at an area State Park.

2011 Logo: Follow the trail Way Out West...through the desert, mountains, or even on a plane...to the beautiful Willamette Valley of Oregon. How are you going to get to the Nationals?  Thank you to artist Jeanne Hagen-Santiago for all her time and creativity.  Click here to view full-size logo.

ANNOUNCEMENT: Some of the herding tests and trial courses at the 2011 National have already reached their published limits, which is a normal occurrence for a BCSA National Specialty. It has come to the attention of the Board of Directors that it is being suggested in some online discussion venues that the number of herding runs can be increased (by adding more sheep). This is not possible. Chapter 1, Section 13 of the Herding Regulations state in part:
   "If entries are to be limited, the numerical limitation(s) must be stated in the premium list and entries will close when the numerical limit or limits have been reached. Whenever test or trial entry limits are reached, all additional entries that are received prior to the closing date shall be added to an alternate's list ..."
   The published trial limits are an unfortunate necessity when working with livestock. Herding trials are impacted by numbers of sheep, allotted number of judging runs and hours of daylight to safely host a trial. Even if different event numbers and judges were used, Ch. 1, Section 1 of the Herding Rules states that "Applications for licensed and member club herding tests and/or herding trials must be received by AKC at least three (3) months prior to the closing date." It is simply too late to make the kind of changes being discussed.
   Art Sorkin - President, BCSA