By Daniel Zirin | Special to the HT
MEEKER | The Meeker Classic is an annual sheepdog trials held in Meeker, Colorado (similar to the sheepdog trials shown in the 1995 movie “Babe”). And this year, fans were treated to a surprising champion that barely qualified for the finals to overtake the perennial favorites. A story many Americans will love, cheering for the underdog to overcome the challenges presented and be crowned champion against all odds.
Tournament Format:
First, to understand the rigors of this sporting event, I’ll explain the format of the Meeker Classic. Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday 135 handlers with their dogs take turns performing a run or trial known as the prelims. The top eight handlers and dogs by points earned each day are granted an automatic berth in the Saturday semi-finals. Then the 6 highest scoring dogs from all three days are given wild card entries into the Saturday semi-finals (for a total of 30 handlers and dogs in the semi-finals). On Saturday, the top 12 handlers and dogs advance to the Sunday finals “double lift” (the international term used to describe this very difficult trial course) to compete for the Meeker Classic title.
Trial Scoring:
On Sunday, during the “double lift” finals, the handler and dog (usually a border collie) start at the handler’s post located near the spectator fan seating similar to home plate of a baseball field. A set of tournament cowboys gather a random set of 10 sheep, and place them grazing in a field 500 yards away on the high/left side of the pasture from the post. On the handler’s command, the dog will race away to the left side of the pasture (close to a hogback ridge) and circle around behind the sheep unobserved (known as the “out run” on the scoring sheet) before gently getting the sheep to move towards the post (known as the “lift” on the scoring sheet). If the sheep do not “lift” in a direct line to the post, fewer points are awarded for the “lift” (and the dog should not startle or scare the sheep).
As a general rule, the handler and his shepherds staff (often called a “crook”) as well as the dog should never touch the sheep (disqualification and immediate stop to the run). The dog is also not permitted to bark, bite, or growl at the sheep (also a disqualification). The handler communicates with the dog with spoken words (when close) or through different whistles to instruct the dog to move the sheep in one direction or another.
After the first “lift”, the dog should move the 10 sheep to through the first set of gates (think second base in a baseball field) in as straight a line from the post to the grazing pick-up as possible (known as a “fetch” on the scoring sheet). If the sheep as a group move off this imaginary direct line, points will be reduced from the “fetch”.
Once the sheep are 20 yards past the gates (second base), the dog should be stopped by the handler and commanded to “look back.” The dog is expected to visually find a second set of 10 sheep placed by tournament cowboys during the first “fetch” (also 500 yards away from the post but on the low/right side of the pasture). Once the second set of 10 sheep are found by the dog, it is expected to begin another “out run” on the far right side of the pasture (avoiding detection by the sheep skirting the outside of the pasture during the second “out run”), loop around behind to perform the international “double lift” with the second set of 10 sheep. The “double lift” should point the sheep at the same set of gates (second base) used during the first “fetch” and the second “fetch” of 10 sheep should be a direct line from the pick-up grazing area to the gates as possible.
Once through the gates, the dog should gather all 20 sheep for the “drive” to parade the sheep to the post and herd the sheep as close to the post while circling behind the post as possible. Then herd the sheep away from the handler through a high/left side pasture set of gates (third base), then down the hill and through a low/right side pasture set of gates (first base), and then return the sheep in front of the post to the 40 yard diameter shedding ring (pitcher’s mound location) where the handler will join the dog and sheep. Herding the 20 sheep from second base, behind home plate, to third base, to first base, and back to the pitcher’s mound is the complete “drive” (term used on the scoring sheet).
Finally, a random set of 5 sheep (of the 20) have had orange collars placed around the sheep’s neck before the trial run began. The handler and dog will work within the 40 yard diameter shedding ring to eliminate the 15 sheep without collars (no touching, barking, biting). This is known as the “shed” on scoring sheets.
With the remaining 5 collared sheep, the handler and dog must coax them into a small 6 foot by 9 foot pen, close the gate behind the sheep to complete the “pen”, and finish the trial during the time provided. If a collared sheep runs to the 15 other “shed” sheep, all 20 sheep must be regathered in the shedding ring to start the “shed” (and “pen”) again.
The handler and dog are given 30 minutes to perform all these tasks (if the time limit expires, the handler and dog will receive points for all completed tasks to that point). Each “out run” can yield 20 points, each “lift” another 10 points, each “fetch” up to 20 points, the “drive” can yield 40 points, the “shed” is up to 20 points, and another 10 points are possible for the “pen”. Total possible points are 170 for the finals “double lift” trials.
2025 Meeker Classic Champion:
With past winners Scott Glen (2024 winner and two dogs in the 2025 finals), Faansie Basson (2022 winner, two dogs in the finals, 2024 3rd place), and Fernando Loiola-Alves (2024 8th place) posting strong semi-final scores to qualify for the 2025 final day, Jamie Spring of Union Center, South Dakota and six year old male border collie Monster just barely qualified for the final day by one point seeded #11 out of 12 dogs. Jamie and Monster also placed 9th on the prelim qualifying day (Wednesday) requiring the use of a wild card spot to get a semi-finals berth on Saturday.
Few were expecting much when Jamie and Monster walked to the post to begin the randomly selected eighth run during the Sunday final. Monster had trialed in past Meeker Classics with handler Joni Tietjen before being acquired by Jamie Spring (2023 reserve champion), but few knew the history of Monster at the Meeker Classic now associated with handler Jamie Spring. Faansie Basson with dog Finn were leading the day on 116 points followed closely by Noelle Williams with Clay and Scott Glen with Pip.
At the mid-point of Monster’s trial (two “out runs”, two “lifts”, two “fetches”, and a “drive” worth over 80% of the trial 170 possible points), twenty sheep were gathered in the shedding ring with approximately 18 minutes remaining on the trial timer (30 minute limit). Jamie then gave Monster a command to get some water (the dogs are provided a couple of galvanized steel farmer’s trough water tanks usually used at the conclusion of the runs). Monster took a good 60 seconds off the clock bathing and cooling down from the heat (high 70s) before Jamie summoned Monster back to the shedding ring for the final two stages: shedding 15 uncollared sheep and then penning the remaining 5 collared sheep.
Two other dogs surreptitiously ran and stole a quick dunk in the water bath against their handler’s wishes while quickly returning to complete the trial. Jamie surprised the hushed crowd by commanding the dog get cool while she waited keeping an eye on the 20 gathered sheep in the shedding ring.
Jamie and Monster nearly used every second of the approximate 16 minutes remaining when Jamie closed the pen on the sheep! Jamie’s knees buckled a bit as she closed the pen using her arms to prop her body up against the closed pen gate as the crowd broke out in thunderous applause and cheers. Jamie then released the sheep to close the empty pen and grabbed both of Monster’s ears on her knees to show her gratitude to the hard working border collie. Monster finished by returning to the water trough for a second dip as Jamie shook her head in disbelief walking to the water trough near the pasture exit while the crowd applause subsided.
Ten seconds later, the announcer let everyone know Jamie and Monster were at the top of the table earning a score of 135! The crowd enthusiastically broke out with more applause and cheering as the ninth trial handler and dog began their walk to the post to start the next run. Jamie Spring and Monster had posted the best finals trial run score of the Meeker Classic since 2021.
The last trial (12th entry) during Sunday’s finals featuring Fernando Loiola-Alves and dog Mona posted a strong 123 points which gave the 2025 Meeker Classic Championship to Jamie Spring and Monster.
What a great, and memorable, Meeker Classic finals weekend!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Daniel Zirin is a resident of the south Denver suburb of Highlands Ranch, Colorado. Daniel became a fan of working dogs in the 70s when his parents introduced him to a sheepdog trial in Yorkshire, England and has followed the Meeker Classic since 2021 becoming a dog sponsor in 2025.
EDITOR’S NOTE: The preceding article was submitted with a request to share by the author.
