When I first started, I had dreams of getting a title. But I gave up on that a long time ago. I ain't no great fighter, I can't even say that I had one great fight. Not even one great round. But there have been moments. You see, not a day goes by when I don't think about this one fight in Jersey. In the second round I throw this three-punch combination left, right, left hook. It was perfect. I heard the crowd gasp. For that one second Tony Banta was as great as Mohammed, Sugar Ray, or any of them. I always thought that maybe I could put a few of those moments together someday and have that great fight.

----Tony in Taxi, "Out of Commission," 1981

I confess it: I'm a sheepdogging Tony Banta. I got interested in this sport without any livestock background to draw on (I grew up in apartments and condominiums) and, even though I've messed around in dog sports my whole life, I never was wildly successful at any of them. So I have a lot of strikes against me. But for me, as for Tony, there have been moments, moments when everything flowed, when I seemed to have all the time in the world to make the most minute adjustments to the dog to straighten the line of the sheep, moments when I was blessed with a glimmer of what it must feel like all the time for the "real" Open handlers. It's the thought of those glimmers--so few that I can count them on one hand--that keeps me slogging away through practice sessions, lessons, clinics, and trials. If you're in the same boat, this site is for you. Sheepdogging is intoxicating, addictive, and more intense than anything I've ever done with an animal before. Let's help each other muddle through to see if we can put a few of the isolated moments when things go well together into a single run when everything goes right.

I hope that this site will become a true knowledge repository of articles and other documents that will help those interested in getting started in sheepdog trials. I plan to add articles to it whenever I see something published elsewhere that I think should be preserved, as well as badgering people to write original material for this site. If any of you think of anything that you'd like to see here, give me a buzz and I'll see if I can make it happen.

If you're interested in finding out more about border collies in general, you should check out All About Border Collies.

Quick Guide
to the Site

Talk to others on LittleChats, our forums!

Wannabe Stuff

• Beginner's FAQ: A quick-and-dirty document containing some basic questions and answers; the FAQ is a good starting point for newbies
• Finding a Dog: Information and articles about finding a sheepdog, including links to breeders and agents and information about what to look for when buying a sheepdog
• Finding an Instructor: Information about locating a herding instructor in your area, as well as articles about choosing the best instructor for your learning style
• Clinics: list of upcoming clinics, and information on how to get the most from a clinic when you get there

Apprentice Stuff

• Resources: information about books, magazines, multimedia products, and equipment useful to sheepdog trialers.
• Clubs: list of sheepdog clubs organized by geographical region
• Training: articles and other documents that discuss the mysteries of training a sheepdog
• Trialing: articles and other documents that focus specifically on the intricacies of sheepdog trials

Journeyman Stuff

• On Your Own: Information about finding a field and buying your own sheep
• Sheep Talk: Articles about the care and feeding of sheep

Master Stuff

• Top Handlers: Profiles of some of the Big Hats, both to inspire and to cause good, old-fashioned teeth-gnashing!
• Great Dogs: stories of the dogs who have helped some of the Big Hats make it look easy

Other Stuff

• Forums: come talk to other sheepdog fiends about training, trialing, and other topics.
• Store: great stuff for sale, including clothing and houseware with the inimitable LittleHats artwork!
• Support: Info on how you can help support Littlehats, if you're so inclined. But no pressure!