Haute-Loire is hosting the national herding dog final on Sunday August 14 next to the Loudes-Chaspuzac aerodrome. 21 finalists will compete on herds of cattle. Among them, Julien Delabre de Tence will represent the department.
In 2014, 7,000 visitors attended the same final at Mazet-Saint-Voy. Eight years later, Haute-Loire once again hosts this national event with the Association Chien de Herd 43, which has 40 members and trained 77 trainees in 2021, in partnership with the Chamber of Agriculture.
A breeder from Tence in the final
Seven qualifiers took place in France to award the 21 places in the final. The Tençois Julien Delabre and his border collie dog, Oslo, qualified in the Allier by taking second place. The GAEC Vach’mont Bio farmer will be pitted against 20 other breeders for the title of French champion.
What the dogs should do
Competitors will have to complete a 2 km course driving a group of 5 heifers in less than 20 minutes. The driver first sends his dog to fetch the cows 400 meters away. The dog, guided by the shepherd, brings the cows back, stabilizes them, makes them pass between barriers and ends with a climb in a cattle truck.
8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
On August 14, the passages will be linked from 8 am to 5 pm. 55 heifers will be used during the day, i.e. two passages per batch. We will mainly find border collies, but breeders also use the beauceron, the Pyrenean shepherd, the Australian shepherd, the kelpie…
Entertainment all day
Several food-trucks will be set up at lunchtime. And entertainment will accompany the event: face painting for children, horse-drawn carriage rides, inflatable structures, herding dog competition for children on flocks of sheep, and a market for producers and crafts.
Admission will be €4 per person.
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