Border collies compete to be top dog at national championship in Shaunavon, Sask.

Border collies compete to be top dog at national championship in Shaunavon, Sask.

Southwest Saskatchewan is hosting the Canadian Border Collie Association Championships through Wednesday

If you’ve ever wanted to be humbled by a dog, you could attend the Canadian Border Collie Association Championships near Shaunavon, Sask., this week.

“It blows my mind,” said Jamie Gardner, the co-ordinator for the championship and a dog handler herself. “Their thought process and how they can put things together really quick, and how they feel and rate the stock. It’s just incredible. The talent just oozes out of them.”

University of British Columbia professor Stanley Coren once ranked border collies as the smartest dog breed in his book, The Intelligence of Dogs.

Now, 109 of those wily pups from across North America are competing through Wednesday to work live sheep across a large field.

“The first thing you want is a dog to get out nice and deep behind these sheep,” said Gordon Watt, a judge and dog trainer from Ireland. “Doesn't disturb them. Lifts them with power, but controlled power, then can hold these sheep on heavy sides and take the lean and just good control.”

CBCA board member Peter Gonnet noted the 370 sheep provided by Chris Kirwan of Gull Lake, Sask., are putting the dogs to a good test.

“[You need] a good solid, steady dog and probably a dog with experience handling difficult stock, and experience as a handler knowing how to handle difficulties. This was a real trial for a partnership,” Gonnet said after the first day of competition.

Gardner said the right dog can make all the difference in the championships and on the farm.

“Once you have a dog that's trained real well, you can run your farm and operation a lot easier,” she said. “One dog can replace five guys.”

This is the second time that Sheep Creek Farms near Shaunavon, 286 kilometers southwest of Regina, is hosting the national championships.

Shaunavon, Sask., farm hosts border collie national championships

Gardner noted the sport has come a long way even since that event in 2013.

“It's just growing like crazy. I've got some kids that are actually using it to make a living,” she said.

“I think the dogs are getting better because we're getting more education and we're breeding them better, and we've got a lot more opportunities for good coaching.”

For Gonnet, the growth represents an evolution from the early days of the competition.

“It kind of used to be just shepherds and cowboys and we'd have a dog trial,” he said. “Now we're seeing more people that are getting into it as a sport and using it as a sport. The handling's improved, the dogs have improved. I think more people are wanting to do this just for entertainment.”

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While the sport was born on the farm, it is now attracting people from all walks of life.

“I think that's what's amazing about this sport. There isn't a right type of person,” said CBCA president Amanda Law. “There's people who live in the city, there's people who live in the country. There's people who have no stock experience. You can get involved with an open handler.… They offer lessons and help you find the right dog.”

Gardner has been representing Shaunavon as a handler since 1997. She said some placements or an award at the Calgary Stampede stand out, but that the relationships with her dogs are the highlight.

“I had a dog [Jaff] that I had in 2016 that I rescued from somebody that wouldn't work at all. Within a year I had them going to the finals, and he died on the plane coming home,” she said.

“That was heartbreaking, but that dog taught me so so much.”

The Canadian Border Collie Association Championships started on Sunday and wrap up on Wednesday with the double lift and nursery finals at Sheep Creek Farms.

Shawn Mullin is a CBC reporter in southwest Saskatchewan with over 20 years of media experience. He has lived in Swift Current, Sask., since 2010 and started working at CBC's new local bureau in June 2026. You can reach him at shawn.mullin@cbc.ca.