POWDER RIVER - Moss, Lisa Cunningham's seven-year-old border collie, knows how to make sheep mind without losing his.

Cunningham brought Moss - adept at keeping sheep and cattle in line - from the Meike Ranch near Kaycee to compete in the sheepdog trials at the annual Powder River Sheepherders Fair on Saturday and Sunday.

But for Moss, business is still business.

"He's a ranch dog first and a trial dog second," Cunningham said.

For a long time, sheep ranchers would use cross breeds of border collies and healers or Aussies, she said.

But for the past 25 years, ranchers came to view purebred border collies as more efficient, Cunningham said.

"Most of the dogs working sheep are border collies," she said. "They're quieter, easier to hand, and want to please."

After slurping down some water for relief in the 100-plus-degree heat, Moss trotted to the pens where sheep waited for ranchers' children to guide them into the chute to square off with riders in the arena for the sheep roping contest.

Border collies don't attack the sheep, which mitigates stress in the animals so they don't lose weight, Cunningham said.

While the breed is friendly and polite, the dogs don't become pals with the sheep, either, she said.

They command respect without turning mean, Cunningham said.

Elsewhere at the fair, booths displayed art made of lariat rope and paraphernalia such as cup holders; ranchers talked business; and vendors sold beer, pop, lots of water, and burgers - lamb burgers.

But the lamb burgers couldn't hold a baaaa compared to the leg of lamb and sirloin chops prepared by Thelma Holmes of Casper for the sheepherders fair lamb cook-off.

After marinating the lamb, and cooking with rosemary and garlic, Holmes placed the sliced lamb in a bed of lettuce and garnished the dish with bell peppers.

"Most of the time I stick to the leg of lamb," she said. "It's what people want."

In the two decades she's been competing, Holmes also has seen lamb used with kabobs, tacos, tamales, casseroles and stews, she said.

"Anything you can do with beef you can do with lamb, and it's always good," Holmes said.

Donny Sell, who's related to Holmes, showed off his lamb puff pastries and lamb meat sauce.

Sell and Holmes have been dueling for years in the cook-off, and he wouldn't let her get away with anything.

"She cheats," Sell said. "He uses a recipe of Emeril."

Holmes won't concede.

"Not this year," she said.

Reach Tom Morton at (307) 266-0592, or at Tom.Morton@casperstartribune.net.