Sheep-erb skills earns local a championship title at Stampede

Milton Scott, who lives just east of Airdrie has been named as the winner in the 2023 World Stock Dog Championships that were held at the Calgary Stampede earlier this week. Apart from the title and bragging rights, Milton also won $10,000 as the champion.

The event, which is celebrating its 26th year, showcases dogs and their handlers attempting to herd three sheep through a series of obstacle courses into a pen in less than four minutes. Scott's time in the first round was two minutes and one second, while in the final round, he clocked in at one minute and 42 seconds.

A map of what the final obstacle course at the 2023 World Stock Dog Championships looked like this year. (Graphic credit to Calgary Stampede)

Scott, and his Border Collie, Bob, placed first in the first round and then 24th in the second round.

When asked how he prepares for tournaments such as this, Scott said that while he has several dogs at home that he regularly trains with, Bob is sometimes left out of the loop - but nonetheless, Bob was the star of the championships on Wednesday.

"What I really liked about the Bob-dog, is that the sheep like him and that is so critical," Scott said. "There are handlers that like their dogs - they have a great relationship - but for whatever reason, the sheep just don't like them; and that's difficult if the sheep don't like the dog."

Milton Scott and Bob - his Border Collie impressed the crowds at this year's e World Stock Dog Championships at the Stampede. (Photo provided by Kier Scott)

Though Scott and Bob have been in many different competitions, which also include herding cattle, though Scott said the sheep that the Stampede are quite challenging.

"If you look what happened to my competitors - when the sheep got up to the pen, it was a make or break decision whether they were going to run in or not run in," Scott said. "I got fortunate and they did run in, but with all due respect, there were several handlers in the top 10 [that on] any given day would beat me if we had we redid the competition today." 

However, Scott wasn't the only Scott, so to speak, in the competition. Scott's son, Kier, who is from Carstairs, was also competing this year. The younger Scott and his Border Collie, Blue, placed 19th in the first round and then 46th in the second round. 

"We are very competitive people, we make no bones about it. He would stand on his head to beat me and I would do the same," he said."And when the competition is over, that's when the handshakes come. He would think I'm not myself if I wasn't trying to beat him."

Scott has competed in numerous events and even though he was crowned champion at the Stampede, he is already getting ready to head out to another event this weekend. 

"I have to go to Bowden, so Bob is not going to have any rest. The interesting thing about a field trial is that it's a game of finesse and straight lines and making the sheep walk nice and steady, versus chasing the hell out of them like we do in Calgary."

According to the Calgary Stampede, the competition started out with 60 entries on Tuesday, July 11, continuing with the second round Wednesday. The top 12 dogs advanced to the championship round on Wednesday. 

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