Outback-NCTA stock dog trial Feb. 11-12

 February 7, 2017

By NCTA News                                                                                   

Curtis, Neb. – The public is invited to Curtis this weekend to watch skilled stock dogs and their owners compete in a nationally sanctioned low-stress livestock handling contest.

Students from the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture and members of the regional Outback Stock Dog Association will host the Feb. 11-12 trial at the NCTA campus, said Judy Bowmaster-Cole, NCTA Stock Dog Club faculty sponsor.

Entrants will feature handlers and their dogs earning qualifying points in the National Stock Dog Association, said Kelly Popp of Curtis, Outback president.

“We are getting down toward the end of season (April 1) for handlers chasing points for the NSDA finals this summer at Afton, Wyoming,” Popp said.

Aggie students are hosting the trial with sanctioned events through the Outback association, he said. “These students are working hard and doing a great job. They set the course, move the cattle, and help in every way to conduct this contest. We expect about 40-50 dogs to run this weekend.”

Action begins at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday at the Livestock Teaching Center heated, indoor arena, said Bowmaster-Cole.

“The students have been out to practice several times a week at Kelly Popp’s place,” she said.  “They are getting ready for hosting the trial this weekend and putting their dogs through the paces in the collegiate division.”

The contest includes sanctioned classes for open, intermediate and nursery competitors, as well as novice and collegiate classes.

Dog owners are expected to come from Nebraska, Colorado, Wyoming, Oklahoma, Kansas and South Dakota. For more information, contact Popp at 1-308-367-7127 or Bowmaster-Cole at 1-402-340-1260.

NCTA is a two-year collegiate experience at Curtis, Nebraska, offering degrees and certificates in agriculture and veterinary technology programs.  See ncta.unl.edu or call 1-800-3CURTIS for more information about NCTA courses.