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AHBA HERDING RANCH DOG COURSE RULES

GENERAL RULES

GATHER

The gather may be done either in an arena or pasture, and may be done either at the beginning or somewhere along the course.  For instance, sheep may be taken out to a location in the pasture, settled, then the handler and dog may move back to a specified location.  There must be a distance of at least 120 ft. between the location of the stock to the location of a designated handler's post.

For HRD I, whether in an arena or pasture, the dog may be taken to a point halfway between the designated handler's post and the stock, and the handler may go to within 15 ft. of the stock.  For HRD II, the dog is set at the post, and the handler may go halfway to the sheep.  For HRD III, the dog and handler both are at the post.

If the gather is at the beginning of the course, the dog may be positioned on-lead in the HRD I class, but there must be a pause after the lead is removed, before the dog is sent to gather the stock; in the HRD II and III classes, the lead must be removed just inside the course limits.  If the gather is later during the course, the dog will be off-lead in all classes.

WEAR/DRIVE/CROSS-DRIVE

For HRD I, the handler may fetch and/or drive throughout, with the handler in any position. For HRD II and III, the handler's movement will be restricted by the use of handler's posts and limit lines in certain areas.  HRD II must include a cross-drive or drive of at least 60 ft. HRD III must include a drive and/or cross-drive of at least 120 ft. which may be divided into two sections of at least 60 ft. each.  Drives should be related to meaningful ranch tasks such as taking stock to a different location or pasture or moving a group away from the main flock.

On the scoresheet, the wear/drive segments may be set up separately, or set up in conjunction with an obstacle and scoring included within that obstacle (e.g., for an obstacle such as a bridge, part of the course leading up to the bridge may be included in the scoring for the bridge; a section of the course may indicate "drive through second panel").

OBSTACLES

There must be at least one freestanding obstacle in HRD I, and at least two freestanding obstacles in HRD II and III. Freestanding obstacles may include panels, chutes, pens, bridges, trailers, or natural obstacles such as a passage between shrubs or trees.  The course designer will indicate whether specific obstacles may or may not be entered by the handler or at what point an obstacle may be entered.

Any obstacle must be suitable for the number of stock being used and, if entry of dog and/or handler is allowed, must give ample room for the dog and/or handler to maneuver. Solid sides should be avoided for narrow obstacles where possible, and the handlers' meeting should include discussion regarding safe negotiation of any narrow obstacles.

Freestanding obstacles must be at least 20 ft. from any fence.  Openings of free-standing obstacles may not be more than 12 ft.

A bridge may be an actual bridge crossing a gully or ditch, or may be an obstacle set up for the course.  In the latter case, an obstacle designated as a "bridge" is distinguished from a chute in that the bridge has a floor and should be no less than 6 ft. and no more than 12 ft. in width; handlers must cross bridges, but it is up to the course designer and judge whether the dog must cross.  Actual bridges may have any surface and may be narrower than 8 ft. but no less than 4 ft. in width. Chutes may vary from 2 ft. to 4 ft. in width and may or may not have a floor; handlers should not enter chutes unless necessitated by the course design, but dogs may enter chutes.  Bridges and chutes less than 12 ft. in width may have entry wings with an opening of no more than 12 ft.

Dimensions of obstacles are to be given on the sanction form.

SORTING EXERCISE

A sorting exercise may consist of removing a ribbon from a marked sheep, a shed or splitting off one or more head of stock, gate-sorting stock into a particular area, using a sorting race or chute to sort stock, and/or briefly and gently capturing and holding an individual sheep.  Certain sorting exercises may allow use of a crook. Sorting may require only a certain number of animals, or may require the sorting of specific animals.   A particular area to be used may be designated, or any area allowed.  The course designer may choose among these options. Details and specifications must be clearly set out.  A sorting exercise is required for HRD III classes.  If desired, sorting exercises may be used in HRD I and II level classes and may be graduated according to class.

PENS, INCLUDING REPEN

Pens may include a take pen at the beginning of the course, sorting pens, a series of pens to be negotiated during the course, and a repen.

Apart from a take pen and the repen, the course designer will determine which, if any, pens may be entered by the handler and/or dog. Smaller pens which are to be entered by the handler and/or dog may not have solid sides.  Larger pens may incorporate solid sides (such as the side of a building). Any pen must be suitable for the number of stock being used and, if entry of dog and/or handler is allowed, must give ample room for the dog and/or handler to maneuver.  Take pens should not be less than 12 ft. X 12 ft. for sheep (16 ft. X 16 ft. for cattle), and may be much larger.  When stock is removed from any pen, the gate should be closed afterwards unless specifically required to be left open.

Take pens are differentiated according to class. HRD I handlers may enter the pen and may move around to assist the dog as needed but may not touch the dog or stock without penalty.  HRD II handlers may enter the pen but must remain just inside the gate.   HRD III handlers may not enter the pen. If the course begins with a take pen, in the HRD I class the dog may be brought into the pen on-lead if the handler chooses, but there must be a pause after the lead is removed, before the dog is sent to collect the stock.  For HRD II and III classes, the dog must enter the pen off-lead.

The repen may be a free-standing pen, fence-line pen, trailer, barn, corral or pasture.   Classes may or may not be differentiated by required positioning of the handler at the pen.  Holding a rope tied to the gate may or may not be required.  The final pen, trailer, barn, corral or pasture may not be entered by the handler without a significant penalty (other than to remove the stock if necessary after the run is completed).

Dimensions of pens are to be given on the sanction form.