Kuymal Working Belgian Shepherds

Training Lessons and Trials at Kuymal

Kuymal hosts trials annually, both AKC and AHBA events. We have our AKC herding trials in January during Martin Luther King weekend. While we usually offer Sheep and Course A, we have also offered course B, course C and we have offered duck events. In the future, we expect to be offering cattle events as well.

We hold our AHBA trials in the January time frame, usually just before or after the AKC events. We usually hold HRD (ranch course) trials, which can vary from short courses using just the ranch grounds to very long courses involving 60 or more head going down open roads and lasting an hour per run. We try to design our HRD courses a little different each year and provide a good opportunity for dogs to showcase their ability to actually do real tasks. We also occasionally host HTD courses which are similar to the AKC "B" and a smaller-scale "ISDS" pattern. Test classes such as Junior Herding dog and Herding certified tests are also offered. While we always offer sheep events, we have also offered duck and cattle events at Kuymal.

Training: Kuymal has several training areas, from the small (26 x 26) up to our A course arena which is 100 x 200. We have access to open range land for those who wish to work in larger areas and have dogs capable of this work. Because Kuymal raises sheep for the commercial market, we have wool and wool cross sheep, which are more suitable for training the intent looseyed dog. We always however have a few of the hair sheep, as these are the sheep one frequently encounters in other trials.

Kuymal does provide in house training for dogs on a limited basis. Our policy is to take in only one trainee at a time, so that we can provide this dog with exactly the same environment and training as our own dogs. Fees for boarding, training and exhibiting a dog are available upon request.

Events

Premiums for Kuymal ranch events and for other Southern California trials may be found at:
www.jan.mcaninch.net

Links and lists for California and vicinity trials may be found at:
members.cox.net/gsdvominsel/events.htm

AHBA events at:
www.ahba-herding.org