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This is Chris Redgrave for Zions Bank Speaking on Business.
If you think about our Utah ancestry, especially in the Heber region of Utah, running sheep has deep roots here. The connection between the shepherd and dog is crucial as they maneuver for long distances and through rugged territory. It's quite a sight to sit in the beautiful Soldier Hollow and watch the world's best border collies and shepherds as they maneuver wild Rocky Mountain range ewes down the hillside during the Soldier Hollow Classic over Labor Day Weekend.
This is the 11th anniversary for this Utah classic, which attracts participants from all over the world. As the world's premier invitational competition, the shepherd and their dog has to qualify somewhere else to be invited to the Soldier Hollow Classic. This means you'll see folks participate from as far away as Ireland, Brazil, Canada and South Africa.
The inspiration for this event hit founder Mark Petersen when he was in Scotland 15 years ago. He witnessed a sheep herding/Border Collie contest and thought Americans would also fall in love with this unique competition. Later, when Soldier Hollow was built for the Olympics, the last piece fell into place, and it's now widely recognized as one of the finest sites in the world for this sport.
Of course Mark has added some other fun events besides watching the competition. Kids will love the new acrobatic dog and pony show, Earthwings raptor show and high-flying Splash Dogs Championship. You can also try great food representing the shepherding cultures of the world and enjoy traditional Scottish music performed throughout the event.
On Labor Day the top 15 dogs will face off in the Grand Championship, and that will be followed by something brand new. The Soldier Hollow Shootout will feature 10 great dogs in a new, quick and exciting competition, followed by closing ceremonies steeped in Olympic and Scottish tradition.
So if you're still thinking about what to do over Labor Day weekend, especially if we don't want to pack up and head out of town, how about attending the Soldier Hollow Classic in the beautiful Heber Valley.
For Zions Bank, I'm Chris Redgrave, speaking on business.
Soldier Hollow Classic 648 Parleys Road Park City, UT 84098 435-654-2002 www.soldierhollowclassic.com
