All set for Catalan sheepdog contest

A picturesque landscape, a dog and its handler, a handful of sheep, a meadow, and a corral are all that are needed for one of Catalonia's most lasting traditions: the International Competition of Shepherd Dogs, held every year since 1962.

Castellar de N'Hug is one of the most beautiful villages in Catalonia. Close to the Pyrenees, it is famous for its stone houses, for being the place where the Llobregat River begins… and for this contest.

 

How it works

Following their handlers’ orders –usually yelled at them– sheepdogs have to herd a group of sheep into a corral, barking and even biting them, along with other similar events. The winner is the one who successfully finishes the event in the shortest time.

Participants are required to wear the traditional clothes shepherds in their area used to wear.  

Hotels fully booked

This weekend, the 56th edition of the contest will take place with 11 stockmen taking part, with some 4,000 visitors expected, and with all hotels in the village fully booked.

Catalan, Valencian, Basque, Balearic and French handlers will vie for victory for another year.

Despite the high expectations for this edition of the contest, the organizers expressed concerns about the future of the event.

 

"No young shepherds"

"There are no young shepherds," Salvador Juncà told the Catalan News Agency. "The majority of them are 60 or more."

Five years ago, the contest used to attract some 20 participants, but now this figure has been cut in half.

For Juncà, one of the reasons for the lack of young shepherds taking part is that "there are fewer and fewer flocks of sheep, and more of cows, and cows almost look after themselves."