Host a Trial

The B.C. Stock Dog Association (BCSDA) is a non-profit society that provides sanctioning of stock dog events in British Columbia. Sanctioning provides trial organizers who are BCSDA members with

• $5 million limited liability insurance coverage

• Point accumulation for BCSDA year-end awards

• Advertising on the BCSDA Facebook page, Look Back Newsletter, and BCSDA website

Sanctioned events are trials or clinics where the trial organizer has made a request to the BCSDA Trial Director for BCSDA sanctioning. This implies that the organizer has read and agrees to meet the requirements and expectations of the BCSDA Policy Manual's rules for Sheep Dog or Cow Dog Trials.

How do I get sanctioning?

The application process for BCSDA sanctioning is simple.

1. Contact the BCSDA Trial Director of intent to host a trial at least 45 days prior to the proposed trial date(s) with the BCSDA Trial Sanctioning Form. Currently, the BCSDA will not sanction more than one trial on the same day within 700km of another trial

2. Once the BCSDA Trial Director has determined that the trial organizer's plan meets BCSDA guidelines, they will:

   1. • Advise the trial organizer if their application has been declined or  approved 

      • Advise the trial organizer of the required sanctioning fees that are to be sent to the BCSDA Treasurer via cheque or e-transfer to the BCSDA Treasurer

      • Inform the BCSDA Communications Director to post the event on the BCSDA Facebook page, BCSDA website, and the BCSDA Look Back Newsletter. If the trial organizer has an event poster and/or registration forms, please email to the BCSDA Communications Director for posting.

3. Upon completion of the event, the trial organizer sends the trial results to the BCSDA Trial Director for points calculation and the BCSDA Communications Director for posting of results on the BCSDA Facebook page, the BCSDA website, and the Look Back newsletter

How do the BCSDA Points system work?

All sanctioned trials in BC will count for year-end points for BC residents who are members in good standing with the BCSDA. Placings in trials outside of BC do not count towards year-end points. The BCSDA year-end point accumulation timeframe is from October 1 to September 30 and are annoounced at the BCSDA AGM.

 To qualify for a BCSDA Year End Award, the dog must be entered in a minimum of three BCSDA sanctioned trials held annually. All points earned are formally recorded by the BCSDA Trial Organizer.

Year-end points for Arena and Small Field Trials will be awarded in the same manner as for Field Trials. However, points gained from Arena and Small Field Trials are recorded separately from Field Trial points. 

Total year-end points is calculated using results from 75% of the number of BCSDA sanctioned trials within the year. (ie. If there are 8 sanctioned open trials in BC in the year, points earned in their top 6 of those trials can be counted towards total year end points - 75% of 8 = 6 for each dog). This is intended to give a more equal opportunity to dogs/handlers who are not able to attend all the trials offered.

Dogs running in the event whose handlers are not BCSDA members will count as dogs bested but are not eligible for points. (ie. if in the above example of a field of 20 dogs the second place dog is not a BCSDA dog/handler team then the 3rd place dog still only gets 8 points, not 9 points.)

Points toward year end totals will be given to half the dogs entered in an event. 

The following is the BCSDA Year-End Award categories

• Field Trial

1. Open Sheep Dog & Handler Team  of the Year

2. Pro-Novice Sheep Dog & Handler Team of the Year

3. Novice-Novice Sheep Dog & Handler Team of the Year

• Sheep Arena & Small Field Trials

1. Open Sheep Dog & Handler Team of the Year

2. Pro-Novice Sheep Dog & Handler Team of the Year

3. Novice-Novice Sheep Dog & Handler Team of the Year

• Cow Dog Trials

1. Open Cow Dog & Handler Team of the Year

2. Pro-Novice Cow Dog & Handler Team of the Year

3. Novice-Novice Cow Dog & Handler Team of the Year

• Super Dog Award: awarded to the dog scoring highest in combined sanctioned open sheep field (arena or small field trials are not eligible trials and sanctioned open cow dog trials with the provision that the dog place in the top one-third of the point getters in both categories.

Trial Etiquette

Thank you to the North East Border Collie Association for this valuable resource regarding trial etiquette for dogs and their handlers.

Trial Templates

Below is several templates and samples of forms you may use for your trial. 

Feel free to adapt them as needed to you event.