SHEEP HERDING IN IRELAND AND NEW MEXICO
Posted: March 11, 2019 Filed under: geezerTrips, My Backyard, New Mexico, Uncategorized | Tags: dogs, herding, Ireland, shearing, sheep, sheep dogs Leave a comment »
On a Rick Steves’ tour to Ireland a few years ago, we visited a working sheep ranch and watched the dogs herd flocks of sheep following whistled commands from the sheep herder.
The Kissane Sheep Farm is located in Moll’s Gap, Kenmare, County Ireland, Ireland. It is 7 Euros for an adult to watch the dogs and the shearers in action. You can also adopt a sheep, but if you want to take it home, you have to buy it and put up with an enormous amount of red tape. Better to adopt one in the name of a grandchild.
In addition we were able to watch expert shearers shear one of the sheep:
I like Rick Steves’ tours because they always include something new; something beyond museums and restaurants; and, something that I know nothing about. I wanted to replicate the experience when I returned to New Mexico.
Searching in my own backyard, I discovered the New Mexico Herding Dog Association and on Saturday, May 13, 2017 we went to one of its events on the New Mexico State Fair Grounds.
This was the herding instinct test in which herding dogs, as classified by the American Kennel Club, and which have no experience with sheep, are tested to see if they like sheep, with three sheep. Mixed results. A fascinating new sub-culture to me, and one close to home.
A variety of breeds tried to maneuver three sheep while their owners urged them on. At first the dogs didn’t do much, but after watching the owners race about herding the sheep, the dogs got the idea, and tried it themselves.
About 40 sheep were kept in pens and were maneuvered about by a trained sheep dog which efficiently moved them from pen to pen and then into the arena where the test took place. The trained dog then sat quietly and watched from an adjoining arena.
The next step is to visit the FTB Ranch in Mountainair, NM and watch more events.
If interested you can search for events in your state on Google.
Search terms: State+herding dogs
ie Utah+herding dogs
THINK OLD!