The set-out crew should keep the stock settled at a location as near the “set-out post” as possible. The crew should attempt to keep the stock in that general area until the competing dog either affects the stock on his outrun by coming in tight or straight or the dog has completed his outrun and is ready to begin his lift. The harder the stock is to hold the quieter the set-out dog and handler must be.

Once the competing dog is sent on his outrun, there should be no whistling, shouting, waving of sticks or rash behavior by either the setout crew or their dogs. If it is necessary to recall the setout dog prior to the lift it should be without affecting the stock. Any of the aforementioned acts could result in not giving the competitor a fair chance to show the dog. Consideration should be given to the behavior of the stock. In scoring the outrun, lift and fetch, the judge must also consider the behavior of the set-out crew.

The dog must be positioned close to the handler/post. The handler will remain at the post from the commencement of the run and remain at the post until the first of the stock enters the shedding ring when a shed is required after the drive. The dog should run out, either right or left, in a cast that is neither too straight nor too wide, arriving behind his stock at a sufficient distance from them not to disturb them. Should the stock have moved, or be moving from the post, the correct end to the outrun should be when the dog is in a position to bring them straight to the first obstacle. A command by whistle should be considered the same as a spoken command. The dog should not stop and should not cut in. It is obviously more serious if a dog stops on his outrun than if he receives a re-direction without stopping and judges should mark accordingly.

Waiting for the stock to settle after being set out is permitted. However, the handler should be at the post and ready to send the dog as soon as possible. A good outrun should be the shape of one side of a pear with the blunt end of the pear at the stock’s end of the course (an outrun in the shape of a half circle is also be acceptable). The dog should finish the outrun far enough away from the stock so as not to disturb them. The outrun lasts from the time the dog is set in motion until the dog is in a position to lift the stock. The fence may interfere with the distance the dog can keep from the stock. Any penalties assessed will need to take this into account if it proves to be a factor.

Most judges do not judge the outrun until the lift is complete, as often the lift will indicate if the dog has run out to the correct place. If the dog walks straight toward the stock and they do not lift straight to the handler (or the first obstacle) then the dog may not have stopped in the correct place on his outrun.

At the end of the outrun, whether the dog has come to a full stop or merely slowed down, his approach to the stock should be smooth, cautious and steady. The main feature of the “lift” is an ability to take control in a firm and quiet manner without disturbing the stock.

The dog should not rush in and thus startle the stock and should not lie back and require numerous commands before getting the stock to move.

Judges will deduct points for excessive commands, rash or rough work, slowness of approach, and any other faults. The stock should be lifted directly toward the first obstacle on the course (fetch gates or handlers’ post if there is no fetch gate).

In scoring faults, consideration should be given to whether there is heavy pressure back to the set-out pen, wool blindness, rough terrain, lifting hungry stock off feed, or interference from the set-out crew or their dogs.

Once the stock is on the move (lifted), they should be brought at a steady pace and in a straight line from the place of lifting through the gates and thereafter in a straight line to the handler. If the stock were spotted off line, they should not be brought back on line, but if the dog forces them off line by being tight on his outrun, they should be brought on line before beginning the fetch.

The dog should not hurry or over-flank the stock, especially if this means causing the stock to cross the course in a zigzag movement. Judges should consider all the relevant circumstances contributing to the missing of the gate and adjust their scoring accordingly.

The fetch ends when the stock has passed around behind the handler as close to the post as practical. If the stock initially misses the turn (goes on the wrong side of the post), the handler should make a reasonable attempt to get the stock around the post correctly before going on with the drive. If the handler is unable to get the sheep around the post in correct direction, the judge will deduct points for the missed obstacle as is appropriate and will continue to score the run.

The whole work should be in a steady smooth manner. Over flanking, unsteadiness, rushing, missing gates, deviation from line, and other faults will all be penalized, considering the disposition of the stock and the circumstances at hand. As with all parts of the course, failure to complete this phase of work before going on to the next phase will result in disqualification.

The “Drive” usually takes place in a triangular pattern and can be run either from the left to right or right to left. The first leg of the triangle starts immediately as the stock pass behind the handler. The stock is required to go in a straight line to the first set of gates.

Having either made or missed the first gate, the stock should be turned immediately on to a direct line across the course to the second set of gates. When these gates are either made or missed, the stock should then be turned as neatly as possible on to a straight line to the shedding ring or pen, whichever is required. The dog should show obvious ability to drive steadily without excessive commands. Reasonable turns at the post and at both gates are expected. Good handling in difficult situations will be taken into consideration by the judge. As in the fetch, the gates are guides to the alignment of the stock. Throughout the drive, the stock should be kept moving gently. Bursts of speed and subsequent stopping are not desirable and should be penalized. If a gate is missed, the judge must consider all the relevant circumstances contributing to the miss and adjust deductions accordingly. The handler must remain at the post until the stock enters the shedding ring when a shed is required after the drive.

When the drive is followed by a pen, the handler may proceed to the pen after the stock have made or missed the final drive obstacle. However the drive is not completed until the stock are in what the judge deems to be the penning area. When the shed follows the drive, the handler will remain at the post until the first of the stock has entered the shedding area.

Any deviation from line, missing gates, rashness, circling stock or other faults will be penalized with due consideration to the disposition of the stock and all other circumstances. An honest attempt must be made for each drive obstacle. If the dog is unable to drive the stock to, through or past an obstacle, it may not proceed without loss of points and may be asked to retire.

There should be a clearly designated area for shedding. Although circumstances may dictate a smaller area or an unmarked ring, it is preferable that such an area be clearly marked and should measure 40 yards in diameter. When the shed is after the pen, the handler will proceed to the shedding ring, leaving the dog to bring the stock from the pen to the ring. The handler is forbidden to assist the dog in moving the stock. When the shed follows the drive, the handler will remain at the post until the first of the stock have entered the shedding area.

Having gotten the stock suitably positioned the dog should come in and take off the required stock and, once having taken them off, the dog must have them under control before the shed can be deemed satisfactory. Too much assistance on the part of the handler should be penalized as not allowing the dog to demonstrate his shedding ability to the judge. Nevertheless, the circumstances at hand should determine the appropriate point deduction. When the judge is requiring the last animals be shed, the judge should clearly explain to competitors how the judge is judging this work.

The dog must take full control of the shed stock to the judge’s satisfaction, otherwise the shed will not be deemed satisfactory and the shed should be penalized or the handler asked to reshed by the judge. Shedding must be done within the ring. Sheds performed outside the shedding area should not be accepted but must be repeated in the shedding area. Judges will apply suitable penalty in the case of ragged work, sheep moving out of the ring, splitting the stock incorrectly, when the shed is done by the handler, when opportunity to shed is missed etc. The test here being to ensure that the dog can shed off and control the required sheep.

On completion of the shedding, the dog will reunite all of the sheep, not necessarily within the ring but in a practical and workmanlike manner, and the handler must proceed to the pen, leaving the dog to bring the sheep to the pen.

On completion of the shed, the handler must proceed to the pen, leaving the dog to bring the stock. The handler is forbidden to assist the dog in driving the stock to the pen. The handler will keep hold of the gate rope (6 ft. long) until the dog works the sheep into the pen and the gate is closed. The handler may assist the dog, but over assistance should be penalized, as should stock circling the pen or making breaks away from the pen, unsteadiness, rashness, slackness, or any other fault shown by the dog. Scoring for the pen begins when the stock is within 10 yards of the pen, or it is obvious that the penning has begun, in cases of the pen following the drive. When the pen follows the shed, the pen begins upon the judge’s acceptance of the shed. The pen is completed when the stock has been removed and the pen gate has been closed and fastened.

There should be a clearly designated area for singling. Although circumstances may dictate a smaller area or an unmarked ring, it is preferable that such an area is clearly marked and should measure 40 yards in diameter. When the single is after the pen, the handler will proceed to the shedding ring, leaving the dog to bring the stock from the pen to the ring. Again, the handler is forbidden to assist the dog in moving the stock. When the single follows the drive, the handler will remain at the post until the first of the stock has entered the shedding area.

One head will be shed off within the shedding area and thereafter worn (inside or outside the ring) to the judge’s satisfaction. The cut off must be done within the ring, but the wearing may be outside or inside the ring, the test being the dog’s ability to hold or completely control a single. While shedding is a partnership between the handler and the dog, too much assistance on the part of the handler should be penalized as not allowing the dog to demonstrate his shedding ability to the judge. Handlers are forbidden to assist the dog in driving off or attempting to drive off the single any distance or by forcing the stock onto the dog. When the judge is requiring the last one be shed, the judge should clearly explain to competitors how the judge is judging this work.

If the judge feels that the dog has not been fairly tested owing to the disposition and action of the sheep he may order the handler to collect the stock again and shed off and wear any other animal. As with the shed the dog, not the handler, should come in and cut off the single. The greatest help the handler can give the dog is by getting out of the way and allowing the dog room to prove his ability to take off and wear a single. It is essential that the dog should be able to keep the single away from the remainder and the judge should not express satisfaction until the dog has been thoroughly tested. The judge when deciding whether the single has been effectively completed should consider the behavior of the stock.