Dog handlers from over 16 states and 2 Canadian Provinces have ascended on Little Moon Lake located on the Nebraska/Wyoming border for the National Cattle Dog Finals. Trials are an opportunity to see the other bloodlines out there to potentially bring back to your litter, Jim Chant, a rancher from Baggs, Wyoming says it's also a reality check to how well your have trained your cow dog.

Chant says "When you're at home, you may think this dog is great, he's king of the road, the whole deal. Then when you come here and stand by that post and you send that dog 400- 500 yards done there and expect him to listen to every whistle , watch his flanks, watch how he is moving around stock. Then you start to realize some of the holes in your training program. Then you go back and start to improve on some of these things".

To qualify for the National Cowdog Finals you must qualify and be ranked in the top 60 overall. National judge Gerald Bunney of Aladian, Wyoming talks about what each dog has to accomplish in the preliminaries.

Bunney says "They have this course to run. It's time timed and scored. Of course they have to run the cattle through. The best score wins".

Each competitor is given scores from 2 judges on 2 runs. Herbert Holmes of Sanderson, Texas is President of the US Border Collie Association. Holmes says making it into the National Cattledog Finals meaning competing in a less controlled environment.

Holmes says "We do use arena trials and all venues for qualification for this event. When you get to the championship and more specifically the last day we try to expand the dogs to the limit of their working ability. Try to make it a real test".

Following the two preliminary draws, the competition is narrowed to 20 dogs for the open and nursery dog finals. Holmes says those those who make the finals are also put to additional tests.

In the finals, we will have a double lift competion. Which is where the dogs gather two groups of cattle at ...back to back on the same run. The distances are double what they are now. They are running 200 yards to gather cattle. They will running 400 yards on Saturday. They will driving instead of 90 to 100 yards. They will going through obstacles out to 140 to 150 yards".

Ninety to 95 percent of the dogs represented in the finals are Border Collies, but the event is open to all breeds.

The finals take place Saturday, May 17th at Little Moon Lake 7 miles east of Torrington on the Nebraska/Wyoming border. The Nursery Class will start at 9 am and the Open Class finals at 11:30.