KINGSTON SHEEP DOG TRIALS

Our History

The Kingston Sheep Dog Trials began on a privalte farm on the former Pittsburgh Township near Kingston, and it became an established public event when the Township took it over as part of its bi-centennial celebrations in 1988. From its humble beginnings with a handful of competitors and fewer spectators, it now attracts 7,000 people and many of the North America's top trial handlers and dogs. The trial has developed a reputation for its high caliber level of competition throughout the trialing circuits across the nation and overseas.

The Kingston Sheep Dog Trials and festival has become widely recognized as a quality event that entertains local and regional residents as well as tourists from across North America and around the globe.

Over the past several decades, the Trials have been able to present an authentic re-creation of sheep herding at its finest and a unique collection of secondary attractions in a pastoral setting for the education and entertainment of the public.

Our people & Team

The Sheep Dog Trial Volunteers

Kak Weathers, Mich Ferraro, Sue Schoen, Werner Reitboek, Dave and Mary Ellen Young, Sandra Massie, Beverly Lambert, Tom Hoeber, Gord and Shelly Norris, Tara Dier, Mary Minor, Maria Mick, John Milloy, Louise Hadley, Cynthia Palmer, John Palmer, Teresa Castongay, Helen Knibb, Susan Shipton, Petra Munro.

Sheep Dog Trials Committee

The Sheep Dog Trial Volunteers

Amanda Milliken, Chair; Karen Curtis, Director; Randy Scott, Director; Lesley Kimble,Lynda Breen,Carolyn Barnett

City Staff: Jon Hayter, Mark Rodenhizer, Danika Lochhead, Megan Sirett

The Artist

Michael Walker

Thirty years ago Amanda Milliken asked me if I had a piece of art she could use as a prize for a sheepdog trial she was hosting at her home on Butternut Creek Road. I said "sure, I can give you an etching I did of a sheep". I had no idea at the time that I would be contributing for the next thirty years.

In fact, it has been so long that I do not even remember some of the things that I have done for the trail art. At one point in the early 90's, the idea was that i would eventually create the image and my father would run the screen printing for T-shirts. In 1991, we set up a studio to do the screen printing, but before we could get started my father was diagnosed with terminal cancer. That year I contracted out the screen printing of the graphic and painted each T-shirt by hand in order to get the job done in time for the 1992 trials. At that point is was clear the idea of doing the T-shirts was too much for me alone and I returned to just providing the design and having the shirts printed and painted by others.

Time went on and the painted shirts utimately gave way to photograph images of my artwotk. Gradually, I came to the decision that I wanted the trial art to become closer to my main artworks. Today, the artworks are oil paintings on canvas mounted on panel. Thirty years, i can hardly believe it. Thanks, Amanda, for including me in this wonderful event fo all these years.