Two North Thompson Valley stock dog trainers and their incredible working dogs recently represented B.C. and competed in the 2024 Canadian Cattle Dog finals held in Marwayne, Alberta on the weekend of July 5.
Gord Wilson and his dog Freddy, and Walt McKirdy and his dogs Pete and Mac, both qualified for the finals.
Wilson and Freddy qualified in the Open (which is pro status ) in 19th place. McKirdy and Mac qualified in 50th place, while McKirdy and Pete qualified 42nd in the Open. McKirdy and Pete also qualified for the Nursery division, which is for dogs under three years old.
"This is a big accomplishment, these working dogs coming from the same valley in B.C., as they competed against 120 other competitors from across Canada," said Wilson's wife Brenda. "We've worked with stock dogs our whole lives. We met so many great people during the finals and left talking about returning next year again. An incredible experience to compete against Canadian and national champions."
Brenda explained that the teams get three head of cattle in the arena. The handler stays in one area and runs his dog from there, with voice or whistle commands which signal the dogs to move through an obstacle course. "They are working for points and have a time limit. It's really something to see.
"At the end of the weekend we are proud to say that B.C. was well represented. Gord and Freddy came in 14th place in Canada in the Open. Walt and his dog Pete placed 23rd, and his dog Mac placed 34th in the Open."
The Canadian Cattle Dog Association is a non-profit association that promotes proper cattle handling with the use of stock dogs.
The Wilsons are from Little Fort, and together played a leading role in the founding of the North Thompson Stock Dog Association, which has a partnership with the North Thompson Fall Fair and Rodeo Association. The NTFFRA co-hosts the "Dogs with Jobs" event that showcases working dogs and takes place this year on July 27 and 28 at the fairgrounds in Barriere.
McKirdy is a longtime Barriere resident and farrier with a passion for working with his border collies, not only in herding cattle but also (in recent years) working with sheep, having placed second last year in the Cariboo Stock Dog Trials.
If you are interested in learning more about the Canadian Cattle Dog Association, visit their website at https://www.canadiancattledog.com/ccda-finals. For more information about the "Dogs with Jobs" event in Barriere, visit their website at https://dogswithjobs.ca.
