The full Sheep Dog Trials return this year! See below for more information on this exciting event! We are thrilled to have Tildon Kirby judge this year’s event! See below for Steve’s full bio.
On most years, the Montpelier Sheep Dog Trials features four classes of competition, ranging from beginners to the most accomplished dogs and handlers. The trials run throughout the day, both days of the Festival.
The Virginia Border Collie Association (VBCA) has been presenting the Sheep Dog Trials at the Fall Fiber Festival for many years. The VBCA also sanctions and holds other trials throughout the year and recognizes our top dog and handler teams at the end of each trial season. These teams may also earn qualifying points to compete in the United States Border Collie Handlers Association National Finals.
Some of the dogs who have ran at Montpelier have gone on to win the National Finals. In 2013, the “Super Bowl” of sheep dog trialing was held the following week and weekend at Belle Grove Plantation in Middletown, VA.
The VBCA welcomes all Fiber Festival attendees to watch the trials and marvel at the talents of these dogs. The trials will run continuously both days of the Festival.
For more information go to the Virginia Border Collie Association website.
To learn more about working Border Collies and sheep dog trials, please contact the VBCA coordinator Debbie Crowder at realkeenleashes@aol.com.
Tildon Kirby
Tildon Kirby is an accomplished trainer, handler, and stockman. He transitioned to working with Border Collies after several years of training reined cow horses, a background he credits for his refined timing and feel for working with livestock and dogs. He grew up helping his dad handle all types of animals from wild cattle and horses to goats and even pigs. Just about everything…except sheep. Tildon says he learned very early on how to read livestock to avoid accidents and his dad’s impatience for a botched job. He started training horses during college summer breaks to earn extra money. He earned a reputation for having a good hand at starting colts and fixing problem horses. Several horses he worked with went on to be successful in various western disciplines. He also took side jobs with his horses and dogs to help local farmers catch wild cattle. The dogs he used then were a far cry from what he uses now, usually bulldog, heeler, hound, and terrier mixes. Later he turned down an opportunity to work at a top reigning horse facility to instead start a family and a farm of his own. He bought his first Border Collie in 2019 to help save time with farm chores and was bitten by the trial bug shortly thereafter. Tilden was the inaugural recipient of the Purina Outstanding Nursery Dog of the Year, the USBCHA Open Rookie of the Year, Nursery Rookie of the Year, Irish Woods Triple Gather Champion and won back-to-back Tennessee State Championships. If Tildon isn’t out with his dogs on the farm, he’s probably at a ball game cheering for his daughters.