The Australian
WORKING
STOCK DOG Magazine
TRAINER
Q&A
TEACHING THE STOP & DRIVING DRIVING!
BUYING A
Going Dog
The Way We Were: TONY ELLIOT RRP $10.00 (incl. GST)
9 772205 872003 AUGUST 2021
ISSN 2205-8729
15
Issue 16
A Dogs Life –
Boco Wonder Wonder
HIP DYSPLASIA
IN WORKING DOGS
FROM THE EDITOR It feels a little like we are stuck in purgatory now, with fresh lockdowns, trials being cancelled and more restrictions to try and stay on top of the latest outbreaks of Covid-19 in Australia. Thankfully, we had a period of free travel and were able to hold some of the year’s biggest trials in March and April. I was able to attend both the National Sheep Dog Trial in Hall and the National Yard and Cattle trials at Armidale, though I sadly did not make the National Kelpie Field Trial in Allora, Queensland. I have only positive things to say about each of these big trials, with the standard of competition and sportsmanship extremely high. They do a great deal to spread awareness and appreciation for our Australian working dogs throughout our industry and to the greater public. The National Sheep Dog Trial in particular, being held in Canberra, draws great crowds of spectators, most of whom are not from the land. It was also a great chance to meet a lot of interstate competitors who I may have spoken to but never met in person.
it first began. They fitted the work in around their regular jobs and poured their heart and soul into the magazine. We have recently engaged a new designer to streamline the publishing process, however the contribution these ladies have made to the magazine will not be forgotten and they have been greatly appreciated. It has been very wet in my neck of the woods, and with trials being cancelled I have been taking the opportunity to put time into my young dogs. I wish everyone a good spring!
Cattle and Sheep prices are going strong which is great news for our industry, which has been reflected in the continued rise of auction prices for working dogs. A new Australian record was set at the Casterton Dog Auction in June, with Kelpie Hoover selling for over $35,000 dollars, despite the auction being held online via Auctions Plus due to Covid-19 restrictions. There were some amazing prices paid for young pups as well. The demand for dogs and the quality of dogs on offer at these auctions has continued to grow. I would like to take a moment to express sincere appreciation for Annette Ross and Kasie LoSurdo. These ladies have been doing the hard work of designing the magazine since
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All material in this magazine is protected by copyright laws and may not be reproduced in part or full without the written permission of the publisher. The publisher and contributors does / do not accept liability for any opinions or techniques described within The Australian Working Stock Dog Magazine. Printed in Australia.
The Australian
WORKING
STOCK DOG Magazine
Publisher and Editor: Lauren Vest Email: lauren@stockdogs.com.au Phone: 0431 299 186 Mail: 246 Southwell Road, Wallaroo, NSW 2618
Design Director/Chief Designer: Kerri Hill Email: kerrihillgraphicdesign@gmail.com Advertising Enquiries: Sarah Henney Email: support@stockdogs.com.au Contributors: Contributors: Jess Coster (JMC Photography), Dr. Lauryn Stewart, Patsy Trevor, Danny Ruben (Rubenpics), Samantha Taylor, Wayne McMillan, Mick Hudson, Jake Nowlan, Ken Sykes, Angie White, Peter Brown, Marion Whalan, Sarah Lee, Nicole Cleary, Mitch Bennet, Lawson Gulliver, Chris Wyhoon, Sarah Sydrych, Jan McIntyre, Lauren Vest. Photography. Front Cover Photograph: Boco Wonder by JMC Photography Advertising, Articles & Stories Email: lauren@stockdogs.com.au
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CONTENTS AUGUST 2021
On the Cover
8.
The Way We Were – Tony Elliot
10.
A Dogs Life - Boco Wonder
14..
Hip Dysplasia in working dogs
42
Trainer Q&A Teaching the stop & driving
44.
Buying a going dog
10. A DOGS LIFE 17 Focus on women handlers 29 Vale- Geoffrey “Toby” Lindsay 32 Canine Epilepsy 36 Historic Australian sheep dog trials 42 Training Q & A – Teaching the stop & driving
32
17
Canine Epilepsy
Focus on Women Handlers
44 Buying a going dog 46 The Training Pen - Ken Sykes 48 Stockman’s profile - Steven Weatherly 52 Beginners guide to utility trails 54 Canine Herpes - The puppy killer 58 Not just any dog man
46
The Training Training Pen
48
Stockman’s Profile
62 New Sheepdog club & trial in Victoria South West 64 Auction Toppers - David & Sarah Lee 66 Stock dog challenge 70 The formation of the WASDA 72 The 2021 national sheep dog championships 74 2021 National kelpie field trail
64
Auction Toppers - David & Sarah Lee
76 Armidale Cattle & Yar Championship 82 Breeders directory www.stockdogs.com.au AWSDM
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TONY ELLIOT
THE WAY WE WERE Article by Lauren Vest
T
his years National Sheep Dog Trial was host to an impressive upset when the championship was taken out by maiden dog Gundagai Frosty at only his second trial. Behind this impressive feat is a man who has spent his lifetime with dogs around him and has been breeding quality sheepdogs for several years now. Tony Elliot was born outside of Gundagai in New South Wales on a property called Olive Farm. The family grew corn and crops as well as raising sheep and cattle, with young Tony and his older brother John always working around the farm. John was passionate about his working dogs and went on to become a highly successful trialler, however Tony was getting bored at home, so he packed his swag and took off hitchhiking around Australia. He worked all around the country including Darwin, some time on a cattle station in the Gulf country, and some time spent working on the Moonie Pipeline. He always had a Border Collie dog with him wherever he went – He still remembers operating a digger on the pipeline with his dog Cheetah sitting up on the mound of dirt watching him, moving with him as they progressed along for the day. When Tony made his way back home, he went back to farm work. His brother John used to run the Gundagai sheep dog trial and convinced Tony to give it a go. He had a dog called Possum at the time who was very smart and loved doing tricks as well as working sheep – they managed to win the novice class. A lot of Tony’s early dogs were other peoples rejects that were given to his brother to make something out of, who would then pass them on to Tony. This gave him a great foundation in training, having to deal with other people’s problems and bring out the best in each dog. John was also an exceptionally talented trainer and Tony learnt a lot from him.
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Tony was given a Kelpie bitch by a man named Bryan Brunten who turned out to be one of the best dogs he ever had. Named Honey, she won trials at Gundagai, Tumbarumba, Tumut and Goulburn. He ran her at the Nationals in Canberra, making the finals where she was beaten by one point, and Greg Prince commented that she was the best Kelpie he had ever seen. She was excellent at mustering lambs and a great work dog. He also got a few early dogs from Margaret Gillespie. His brother John only ever had three dogs and always ran Border Collie/Kelpie crosses – he went on to win the National Trial with one of them. Influenced by his brother he started to turn toward Border Collies. In his early trialling days, the family would travel to trials in their white station wagon with four dogs and a few kids! Once he started doing more trials, he had to join the association, and in those days to join you needed your own prefix. Up until then he had just made-up names, such as ‘Flowerpot Ben’! He decided on the prefix ‘Gundagai’ which he still breeds under today. Tony married his wife Beryl in 1968 and they went on to have five children. After they had their first child and with another on the way they moved to a property at Tarrabandra, near the river, that Tony managed for 17 years. They had the rest of their children there and once the youngest was in kindergarten, they moved to Brungle, where they still live today. Tony was asked to move to Brungle to manage a friend’s property – They travelled to look at the old house, but it was very run down so they declined. The friend was desperate for them to come so he ended up building them a new house – Beryl remembers walking around the paddock in stilettos, deciding on the position for the house! The property was very run down, and it took a lot of hard work to get it back in working order. Once the owner died, Tony reluctantly decided to sell his share
of Olive Farm to buy the property. He always remembered his dad telling him “If you have to move, move closer to the mountains”, so that is what he did. They have sold off some land over the years and now have around 250 acres that they live on at Brungle. Tony is known nowadays for running a line of red and white Border Collies that he has had great success with. It all began when Beryl wanted a red and white bitch – a friend, Heather Garrety, found her one in South Australia bred by Matt Combe. She made her way to New South Wales via Cobar, where Mick Hudson saw her and remarked that she was the ugliest pup he had ever seen! Well, she grew up to be OK Indianna Buckles and won the National Sheep Dog Trial in 2019. She grew up as Beryl’s pet, sleeping in the bedroom in a crate and living in the yard. Tony thought one day he would take her up and see how she went on the sheep. Within a fortnight of basic foundation work, he could complete a whole course with her without pushing her at all. Because of her early life as a pet, she has a great bond with both of them, and she is really intelligent. Frosty, the current National Champion, is out of OK Indianna Buckles and sired by Gundagai Luke. Luke is out of a full sister to Indianna, Sherry, and sired by Gundagai Happy. Tony says Frosty is one of the keenest dogs he has come across and will work anything. He is mostly white, but still strong, and is capable with a good mind – an exceptional dog. Tony liked this line of dogs so much that after Matt Combe passed away, he purchased OK Cooper and Lyster Dolly II, the parents of Indianna. He repeated this mating a couple of times, producing more good pups. Gundagai Luke who sired Gundagai Frosty has been another great dog for Tony. He scored 95 points in the first round of the Supreme at Dalby. Gundagai Happy has also sired some excellent pups, including MGH Tri who placed second to Frosty at the National Trial in 2021. Happy was sold out west and now musters goats – He was a dog that needed work to do.
on, the dog will let them down and start looking back to the truck. Dogs blow up when you get cranky with them – leave them alone and let them work. They can be easily insulted, especially under the kind of pressure you find at a trial. One treasured memory was competing at the Tasmanian Championship with Gundagai Bandit. He had 68 points going into the final and Tony thought they were out of it, only to arrive back from the shops and be told to get his dog for the final! The sheep were being released off a ramp out of the truck – his sheep in the final came down the ramp, then turned around and went underneath the truck! He stopped Bandit and let him think about it, and he went in under the truck, got them out, and managed to put up an 88 which was enough to secure the win. Tony says that Trialling has changed a lot from when he started out and has gotten much better. Nowadays it is more professional and more technical. The dogs have to be much better because the rules are stricter, and the sheep are worked more by motorbike than dog. You have two things you must allow for – the rules and regulations must be followed, and you must manage the wilder sheep. Tony says his main mentors were his brother John and Greg Prince. He commented that Greg was very unpopular because of his ability to do the job properly. Tony has more siblings to Frosty at home, waiting in the wings for their shot at trialling fame. With his training experience and his consistent line of Gundagai dogs, I think it is fair to say that Tony’s achievements in the three sheep world are far from complete!
We all like something a bit different in our dogs. Tony says they must have ability and they must be trainable. From there, if they have a good temperament, you can go ahead and train them and prepare them for work. If they have those traits, they will go alright. Every dog has a key to it, you must understand the type of dog they are to be able to get into their head. Use a bit of understanding and respect instead of the old whip and poly methods. In most cases, if your dog disappoints you, it is your own fault. Develop them slowly as you go along and do not try to make them into something they are not. You can pick people who are rough on their dogs – when the pressure is
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A DOGS LIFE Boco Wonder Article by Lauren Vest, Photos by JMC Photography
W
onder is a seven-year-old Kelpie dog by Coogee Wonder and out of Karana Suki, bred by Robert Campbell from Boco Kelpies. Well known throughout the yard trialling community, Wonder has been a very popular sire, as well as a successful trial dog. Despite this, his main value to his owner and handler Matt Sherwood is his ability at home as an all-round work dog. Wonder was sold to Jake Nowlan as a little pup, and this is where Matt first saw him. Having been a big fan of his sire Coogee Wonder owned by Bill Luff, he was impressed by what he saw. Unfortunately, Coogee Wonder had recently passed away. Matt said to Jake that if he ever wanted to move the pup on to let him know. Jake broke him in and had remarkable success with him as a young dog, winning the maiden yard trial at the New South Wales championships at Jindabyne when he was only a little over 12 months old. Lucky for Matt, Jake did decide to move the young dog on, and he moved into Matt’s kennels not long after the trial at Jindabyne. Matt has purchased a few dogs from Jake over the years with great success. Matt says he has really helped him build his team and has had a big influence on how he works and trains his dogs. Once Matt had Wonder home, his winning form continued, winning his two novice yard trials and his two improver yard trials at Henty and Boorowa. This meant Wonder was officially an open yard dog before he was two years old. Over the years Matt and Wonder have been trialling together they have had numerous wins and placings in great company. He is not sure of the exact number of wins, but some of his favourite memories are representing New South Wales at the Australian Yard Championship and placing a number of times at the New South Wales Championships. He also worked beautifully over three sections, yard/paddock/cattle, to score equal first with Sunraysia George at the Ultimate Stock Dog trial in 2017. The winner was ultimately decided by George’s quicker time, so Wonder finished with second place.
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What makes a dog stand out as something special? Matt says Wonder’s strengths are excellent cover and feel for stock, paired with anticipation and exceptional intelligence. He reads situations really well and works out what is needed. A lot of their success is due to his ability to read and adjust himself to whatever stock he is working, which means he will suit most of the stock they come across at trials or at work. When they are out mustering at home, Matt barely has to speak to him, and he is always the first dog he grabs whenever there is a hard job to do. Right from when he first purchased Wonder as a young dog, they have forged a strong connection, and he was a special dog right from the start. He would be a great dog regardless of who was steering him, but the bond they share has played a big part in their success. They have strong trust in each other and don’t work against each other, with Wonder always putting in maximum effort. Wonder has been widely used as a sire for both work and trial dogs. His progeny are proving to be easy to handle and break in, turning out to be very practical workers. He has progeny that have achieved top prices at dog auctions as well as going on to become competitive trial dogs. Matt has a few dogs in his team for work and trial that are sired by Wonder. As a testament to his regard for the breeding and ability of this cross, Matt also owns Boco Doll Crazy who is a full sister to Wonder. She is an outstanding work dog and is proving herself as a brood bitch. A pup out of Doll Crazy sired by Jendara Boss II, Marista Zoe, was this years National Kelpie Field Trial Champion, owned and handled by Bree Cudmore. The winner of the novice event at the same trial was a young dog owned by Gary White, White’s Lucky, who was sired by Wonder. With his own high level of ability combined with the continued success of his progeny, Boco Wonder is a name we will be seeing in Kelpie pedigrees and trial results for a long time to come!
Serrano Mini & Rossco
(Kennallywood Rusty x Serrano Pink) CEA normal
Serrano
Border Collies
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We have dogs that are being trialled and working on sheep and cattle properties. Find us on
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13
HIP DYSPLASIA IN
WORKING DOGS
Article by Dr. Lauryn Stewart What is Canine Hip Dysplasia? Canine Hip Dysplasia (HD) is caused by abnormal development of the hip joint, resulting in instability and laxity. It is usually bilateral (meaning affecting both joints) and progresses to severe pain with significantly reduced range of motion. The hip joint is a “ball and socket” joint, where the top of the femur acts as the “ball” and the acetabulum of the pelvis is the “socket”. This joint type permits a wide range of movement, which is necessary in working dogs to perform their highly
athletic functions. These bones are coated with smooth cartilage so that motion is nearly frictionless. When the ball and the socket do not fit snugly against each other, abnormal movement of the joint results in progressive changes and deformity, including loss of cartilage, development of scar tissue, widening of the acetabulum and formation of osteophytes (bone spurs).
Left diagram: Hip joint with HD, showing as laxity in the hip joint (area between the orange shaded femoral head “ball” and acetabulum “socket”) Right diagram: Hip joint with severe arthritis, loss of cartilage, flattening of the socket and formation of osteophytes (bone spurs) due to chronic HD. Source: American College of Veterinary Surgeons, Canine Hip Dysplasia.
Is HD a Problem in Working Breeds? Hip dysplasia is the most common hereditary skeletal disorder in dogs. Thankfully, there is no known breed disposition for our working stock dog breeds. However, HD has still been identified in plenty of dogs that are Border Collies, Kelpies, Koolies, etc. As HD is a particularly common problem for large and giant breed dogs, working dog crosses including any larger breeds are more at risk. It is important to remember that any disease that affects the joints can have more serious consequences for working animals – as it can cut their working life short. Although HD is hereditary, it is not congenital, which means animals are not usually born with disease and it develops over time as they grow. Arthritis will always occur in dogs with HD, secondary to the abnormal forces on the ball and socket and can be rapidly deteriorating and debilitating. Hip arthritis itself is incredibly
common in working dogs and may or may not be associated with HD. To put this another way - just because a dog has arthritis, doesn’t mean it has HD, but if it has HD, it will develop arthritis. What Causes Hip Dysplasia? There is ongoing discussion about the cause of HD. The condition is multifactorial, with many genetic, environment, exercise, hormonal and nutritional factors. The primary cause is indeed genetic; however inheritance is very complex. For example, normal dogs can breed and produce offspring with HD generations below, as it can skip generations. Despite the complexity, breeding dogs with normal hips is the mainstay of HD prevention. This presents a problem as many dogs do not develop signs of HD until after they have been bred once, twice or many times.
How Can I Prevent Hip Dysplasia? Take care of the hips in young growing dogs by reducing risk factors for joint laxity. Ensure they: • Are not overweight and not fed excessively. • Are not exercised on hard surfaces, eg. pavement and roads. Encourage exercise and play on soft surfaces such as grass. • Are not encouraged to jump and land on their hind legs, eg. jumping and catching balls mid-air.
The benefits of identifying animals at risk of developing HD include: • Early intervention to help prevent or lessen the severity of HD. • Selecting animals with healthy hips for further training and lifelong work. • Identifying animals for breeding with lower risk of HD development for themselves and their offspring.
• Are not exercised excessively. There are two notable hip scoring schemes, the University of Pennsylvania Hip Improvement Program (PennHIP) and Canine Hip and Elbow Dysplasia Scheme (CHEDS). These screening methods aim to identify hip laxity at a young age, to predict whether a dog is predisposed to developing HD. This is because hip laxity is considered the best phenotypic predictor of HD. These schemes involve having radiographs taken by your vet (or a referral vet) with specific protocols for external assessment. The PennHIP assesses hip laxity and can be performed as early as 4 months of age. CHEDS is the accepted scheme by the Australian National Kennel Council (ANKC) and focusses more on the secondary joint changes associated with HD that may not be fully evident at 12 months of age (or even later at 24 months of age). Key Points About Canine Hip Dysplasia: • HD is caused by abnormal development of the hip joint, resulting in instability and laxity. • Working dog breeds do not have a known breed disposition to the disease, but as the development is strongly hereditary, we see it passed through prone lines of working dogs. • There are a range of factors that affect the development of HD including genetics, nutrition, exercise and trauma. • HD can be detected as laxity in a hip joint as a young dog and ALWAYS progresses to severe arthritis. • Pain is related to the remodelling of the “ball and socket” that makes up the hip joint – with loss of cartilage, bone spurs, tissue mineralisation and scarring as well as degenerative arthritis. • Diagnostics including palpation and radiographs are essential to determine if abnormal movement and hip joint pain is due to HD. • It is recommended to not breed from dogs with confirmed HD (in breeds with no known genetic predisposition). • Treatment depends on the clinical picture; medical management alone, or in combination with surgery might be indicated.
Top image: Normal hips on radiograph, with the femoral head (“ball”) fitting snugly into the acetabulum (“socket”). Bottom image: Severe hip dysplasia with secondary arthritic changes on radiograph. The femoral head (“ball”) is deformed, short and rough with many osteophytes (bony spurs) and the acetabulum (“socket”) is shallow with an irregular inner surface. Source: Veterinary Partner, VIN, Hip Dysplasia in Dogs (Dr. Greg Harasen & MarVistaVet).
How is Hip Dysplasia Diagnosed in Dogs with Lameness? Commonly a dog a dog with HD is presented to the vet with hindlimb lameness and a workup is required. This will include a physical exam to identify which joint is the source of the pain after watching the dog move. Signs noticed may include reluctance to rise from sitting or lying down, shifting of weight to the forelimbs, hip pain and loss of muscle mass in the rear limbs. Radiographs are important to conclusively diagnose the condition and are focused on the abnormal joints. Radiographs also help track the degeneration over time and rule out other causes of lameness, such as bone cancer, hip luxation and bone fractures.
As the disease is progressive, greater medical intervention is required as dogs with HD and secondary arthritis age.
Dogs diagnosed with HD often fall into one of two categories:
For more info see: CHEDS (Canine Hip and Elbow Dysplasia Scheme) (ankc.org. au) http://ankc.org.au/HealthAndWelfare/?id=2516
• Young animals (6-12 months old) with pain from joint injury or a gait abnormality due to hip laxity, often severe and marked. • Mature animals (middle aged; 4-8 years old) with more gradual onset of pain and lameness due to secondary OA How is Hip Dysplasia Treated? Surgical options may be discussed depending on the case and severity of HD. For young dogs, Juvenile Pubic Symphysiodesis and Double or Triple Pelvic Osteotomy may be considered to reduce the joint laxity prior to development of lameness and arthritis. In older animals, Total Hip Replacement is the preferred surgical treatment as it replaces the normal function of the hip. Femoral Head Ostectomy involves removing the femoral head (“ball”) altogether, allowing a false joint preventing bone on bone contact to form and providing alleviation of chronic pain but does not allow high level athletic function. Treatment of HD medically aims to reduce pain and progression of disease by minimizing inflammation. It often involves the combined use of long-acting anti-inflammatories (e.g. pentosan injections), short-acting anti-inflammatories (e.g. non-steroidal anti-inflammatories) and various pain relieving drugs. Joint supplements can be given in addition to the current diet in numerous forms (granules, soft chews, liquid, tablets) or within a veterinary prescription joint diet (e.g. Hills Science Diet or Royal Canin). They may act as antiinflammatories and help repair joint cartilage. Physiotherapy, massage and acupuncture performed by specialized veterinarians shows a benefit in alleviating pain. Ensuring the dog is comfortable enough to exercise, and in turn maintain muscle mass to stabilize the painful, compromised hip joints is critical. In addition, it is important the affected dog is kept at minimal body weight, has soft warm bedding and exercise is limited to that within their comfort level only. We all know our working dogs love to over do it, even if they are sore!
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Unfortunately, there is no cure, either surgically or medically for HD. As we learn more about the disease and the specific causes, it is hoped there will be genetic testing in the future (as yet, only available for Labrador Retrievers). The hip screening tools currently available can be used to reduce HD development in your working dog lines. Any working dogs diagnosed with HD will need special care to reduce their hip degeneration and modification of their work requirements to give them quality and longevity of working life.
Monash Veterinary Clinic | PennHip https://www.monashvet. com.au/our-services/pennhip.aspx
FOCUS ON WOMEN HANDLERS by Patsy Trevor PART ONE - PART TWO IN THE NEXT ISSUE Featuring
Bree Cudmore, Rose Facchino & Tamara Kasser
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Rosalie (Rose) Facchino Article by Patsy Trevor
I
’ve known Rose for a little while via Facebook and have always been intrigued about her so here is her story. Rose grew up in the beachside town of Mordialloc in Victoria with her three brothers, her sister, her mother Helen and father Paolo. Her mother Helen is a registered nurse and both her parents came off Dairy farms around Warrnambool in Victoria. Rose’s father came to Australia from Italy when he was 17. He started work in Australia as a tailor and later worked at St Vincent’s Hospital, where he met her mother. A few years after they were married, he started a new business - he was one of the very first Australian manufacturers of fresh Italian cheeses. He started off by building a small factory in the backyard of their family home. The business was very successful, and he eventually moved the business to a factory in Dandenong. A family friend, ‘Aunty Carmel’, who was also an Italian immigrant had a small farm of 40 – 60 acres on the Mornington peninsula where she ran sheep, cows, pigs and poultry. Rose
spent every waking moment as a child nagging her parents to go to the ‘farm’. Fortunately, her parents agreed so she would often go to the farm on weekends where she would help Aunty Carmel feed up and do farm duties. Aunty Carmel would drop Rose home at the end of the day and pay her what seemed like a princely sum of $2 for her help. It was during this happy time that Rose came to realise all she ever wanted to be was a farmer. Rose absolutely loved the farming lifestyle and particularly the animals which led the family to get their first dog - an 8-weekold Jack Russell pup christened Pooch who was born on Aunty Carmel’s farm. Rose remembers her father not agreeing to the pup, so the kids had to hide Pooch from their father. Due to their resourcefulness, he did not find out for some weeks! However, he did eventually find out and fortunately Pooch grew on him quickly and was allowed to stay. Rose also loved horses and she has fond memories of riding stick horses with her brother. Their imaginations were endless. When she was 12, her parents divorced and Rose, her mother and her
siblings all moved to the outer Melbourne suburb of Mulgrave. She remembers never being happy there, it was too crowded, too many people around and she yearned to live on a farm like her best friend Christine. Christine’s family had 30 acres at Officer in Victoria, so Rose spent as much time there as she could. Rose’s first job at the age of 14 was in a butcher’s shop, and soon her brother Matthew also got a job there. She loved working at the butchery and learned a lot about the meat industry whilst employed there. However, something was still missing in her life, namely animals and farm life in general. Living in Mulgrave in a home with an average sized backyard, Rose was allowed to have pet chooks as well as guinea pigs. She built a chook house out of an old dining room table and fenced off the garden into 3 small paddocks and had the guinea pigs and chooks on a grazing rotation. Her mother had always encouraged Rose to pursue her dreams and even though the family never had much money, at the age of 16 Rose’s mother bought her first horse, a paint buckskin Quarter Horse gelding, who at two years old and freshly broken in Rose promptly named Cody. Rose remembers hassling their horse breaker Rodney to teach her how to break horses in. He eventually gave in and taught Rose everything he knew. Rose’s brother Matthew was as usual right with her as he had the same passion for horses. Both siblings did a lot of work for Rodney, who had a property in Strathbogie. The siblings spent a lot of time working for Rodney going to the Echuca horse sales and breaking in horses. Rose also worked as a waitress at night and was still in school, so she was very busy. She finished school in year 10 and enrolled into a TAFE course - Certificate lll in Outdoor Recreation (Equine Studies). She completed the one-year course with flying colours and wishes she could say the same thing about school! Rose soon wanted a dog that was just hers – Enter Faith, a bitsa - BC x GSD x Labrador, who was also known as Lilly. Faith/Lilly went everywhere with Rose. At the age of 17 Rose decided to move out of home. She opened the Yellow Pages and rang the first business in the book! It was a wholesale rose nursery. To cut a long story short, Rose went for an interview and got the job. After 18 months Rose decided it was not for her, so she tried her hand at dairy farming next, successfully applying for an apprenticeship. Her new boss Neil Walker had Border Collies that he used on the farm as well as trialling. Rose remembers being in awe of his dogs and particularly one of his bitches named May. Rose grew very fond of May and was able to use her to get the cows in for milking - this was the start of Rose’s love of working dogs. Rose realised quickly that dairying wasn’t for her. She loved the cows and rearing calves but hated the early mornings, so she applied and got a job with AACo on a backgrounding property out of Windorah in Queensland, comprised of 1.2 million acres. Rose arrived at the new job in the middle of summer. It was stinking hot and the first day on the job was mustering young weaners in 48-degree heat, sure was a wakeup call! It proved to be her dream job. The property sadly had a no dogs policy so Rose was forced to leave her beloved Faith behind with her Mum when she took the job. Big mobs of cattle were mustered by helicopter, and it was up to the ringers on bike or horseback to walk the
cattle quietly to a watering point where they would all meet to then walk them to the yards as one mob. 3000 head at a time were processed through the yards and it was a big job for the first-year ringers. Luckily Rose was part of a great team and learned very quickly. Rose says this was where she learned to read and handle cattle. She lived for cattle and still does to this day. Rose’s next job was on a small, but very intensive property in the Brisbane Valley. It was about 650 acres, running up to 550 weaners, mostly western cattle sent there to grow out to meet the feedlot market. At this stage Rose was reunited with her beloved Faith, however not long afterwards she was bitten by a brown snake and passed away. Rose was completely heart broken. After losing Faith, Rose needed a work dog, so she found a litter of Koolies advertised and bought a bitch from the litter that she named Threepence. She was a neat pup; there were a few struggles to start with but after attending a few Dale Formosa training days things started to come together. Threepence worked every day - bringing weaners up onto feed, rotating mobs and weaner breaking. Eventually Rose decided to get some pups out of her for future workers, so Threepence had a huge first litter of 12 pups. Rose was fortunate to have a neighbour Lynda Friend with years of experience in breeding German Shepherds who taught her the ins and outs of bitch and pup health. It was here that Kandue Koolies was formed. Rose kept a dog pup from the litter, Kandue Flint aka Choco. He was really reserved and just watched everything. A fellow Koolie breeder during a phone conversation advised her “you don’t keep that for work, those types are for pet homes!”. Rose kept him anyway just to see for herself. This proved a good idea as Choco was the most natural working dog she had seen for a long time. He had natural pressure and release on cattle, no bark and handy nose bite if it was required. Rose and Choco had a special bond and seemed to read her mind, going up hills in the bush block to bring stock down. Rose says although she didn’t really know this at the time, most of what he did and the drive to please her was due to the connection the pair had. Rose was hooked on the breed! She researched and hunted around for the type of Koolie she liked and that would fit into her team. She bought a bitch pup in named Butter, she was a beautiful pup, with a heap of work in her. This was the beginning years of Kandue Koolies and since then Rose has achieved so much. She has sold Kandue pups locally as well as internationally and her pups have gone on to do all sorts of disciplines. It took years of passion, commitment, and sheer hard work on her behalf. Her life at this time was not easy, she relied heavily on her dogs, they saved her every day. To quote Rose “I am not going to go into detail on this one, the scars run very deep - thank god for our dogs”. Rose was in a pretty tough spot in life and it was at this point she met a stranger. They spoke for some time and decided to meet up (best love story ever!). She eventually packed up her life (child, dogs and horse) and moved to a property 80 kilometres north of Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, to be with the perfect stranger she had met by the name of Trevor Chown. Trevor was running shearing teams in the area and the pair resided on his family farm. During this time, Rose fell pregnant with their first child, Tristan. To quote Rose: “Well, Trevor had
Kelpies... I never knew too much about them but what I saw I liked.” Her love for Kelpies developed over time, but she still loved her Koolies. She had never worked sheep before and neither had her dogs - it was a whole new world for Rose and her team of Koolies! She helped in the shearing sheds as a roustabout and the Koolies slowly adapted. Rose also did a shearing course in early 2017, although she did say she learned more about shearing at home than through the course. During this time Trevor and Rose also welcomed their second child Dustin into the world. Rose says Trevor had built up a fair team of Kelpie dogs he thought were worth breeding from, and the pair had their first “Kraken Kelpies” litter in 2017. They decided they were doing this together or not at all, and with Trevor’s knowledge on bloodlines and working Kelpies and Rose’s knowledge in rearing pups and dog health they made the perfect team. Rose says she finds it very rewarding training and working her team of dogs beside Trevor and his team of Kelpies. To quote Rose: “I have to say it was quite a change training my first Kelpie to what I had been used to with the Koolies. I guess I had a fairly high expectation on myself to get it right! I still have my first Kelpie, Kraken Pirate (Wandabar Lachi x Karana Jazz II) and he is a beautiful dog, fully connected to me.” Rose now has four Kelpies in her team, all pups bred under the Kraken prefix, and Rose considers them to be magnificent dogs. They tend to stick to the older bloodlines of Capree/ Coogee/Karana/Marabou. They have all-rounder capabilities, strong on stock, plenty of heart with a natural feel for stock. They also place a high value on good temperaments in their working dogs. Rose says they have an extremely strict criteria for breeding dogs. To be considered for breeding, the dog or bitch must tick nine boxes on their list, but if they are missing one thing they are not bred from. That is not to say they aren’t good handy dogs, just not suited for their breeding program. When it comes time to choosing a pup, to quote Rose “I really don’t know an exact answer on choosing the ‘right’ pup, the future champion! I guess if we knew we would all have champions. For me choosing a pup is purely on connection. If I feel there is something great between us, I keep that pup. I feel that is the most important part to begin with anyway, if there is no connection between the dog and its handler it makes it much harder for the dog to want to please and work for you. I do start quite a few dogs we’ve bred or bought in and we do sell started dogs at different levels to suit individuals. Every pup is different, so I assess the pup and what it naturally has and doesn’t have. Sometimes I will drop pups out on a mob of sheep out in the paddock with an older dog for back up and sometimes I will start pups in a yard. I think it has to be a positive experience for them, they remember. I also do a lot of groundwork with the pups - I find basic obedience really amps up the connection and respect. We spend a great deal of time with pups before they are placed into their new homes. They are handled from birth, learning to follow the human leader, interacting with older dogs, quad bike rides, rides on the ute, different noises and surfaces etc. We get a lot of great feedback on how well they settle into their new homes and how adaptable they are, easy to get along with etc. Another huge thing is the correct diet for growing brains and body, I believe this also plays a huge role in pup development.” As far as mentors are concerned, Rose says she is truly fortunate to have her husband Trevor as her mentor. He fully
believes in her and her capabilities. Another person she talks to quite a bit and has a lot of respect for is Steve Weyman, he has been a great help and mentor. Rose says she is incredibly lucky to have them backing her and she has had a lot of great knowledgeable people encouraging her over the years. Rose and Trevor hosted a Catherine and Fred Rains (Lokabe Working Dogs) school at their property and most people that attended were people that Trevor had shorn for or who had bought a Kraken pup in the past. Rose said: “I think that school was the one I saw the most positive impact. I knew the people and their skills and watched their skills really develop. Everyone was happy and felt a part of those two days. Trevor and I also attended a school in March this year with Jake Nowlan, he is an incredible handler. I have taken in what people are teaching in their schools and practiced some techniques they have shown. I think you can never stop learning. Although I have developed my own techniques over the years, I seem to use these schools more of a confidence building exercise, working a dog in front of people, trying to forget the crowd.” In conclusion, Rose says: “To all the hard-working women out there that have kids, juggling the everyday stuff, work and the list goes on, there is hope for us. I know working in male dominated industries can be hard, as well as a lack of understanding of how much we do in day-to-day life and the struggles we face rearing kids. If you have the passion and the true drive to work doing what you love, there will always be a way to get there. When my kids were young, I really felt the need to do something to help Trevor and to keep me motivated and using my mind. I used to put the kids in the pram and go train pups/young dogs. This gave me a purpose other than being a mother and partner. Dogs are a huge part of my life, I have a passion and commitment that runs strong within me, a connection that cannot be taught. People comment on the depth of understanding I have with dogs and livestock; I may not have been the brightest light in school, but I wouldn’t trade what I have with dogs and livestock for the world.”
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Tamara Kasser
Belle Meadow Farm Tennessee , America
Article by Patsy Trevor
G
rowing up on a hobby farm in Columbus, Georgia is where Tamara Kasser first discovered her love of farming, horses and dogs. Tamara’s family owned a hobby farm where she and her brother helped manage a small grove of Pecan trees, goats, their Shetland ponies, a broodmare and her father’s three Tennessee Walking Horses. Tamara and her brother learnt to ride with the neighbourhood kids, exploring the woods and creeks on their ponies, and long after Tamara’s brother had outgrown horses in favour of motorbikes and sport, she continued to pursue her love of horses by riding as often as she could. She never had any riding lessons; she even self-taught jumping on her Welsh cross Connemara gelding. The family were always surrounded by a variety of dogs. Labradors, a Beagle, a German Shepherd, Dobermans, an Old English Sheepdog and Tamara’s first dog, a Scottish Terrier that she trained to do obedience demos at local nursing homes while she was still in high school. Tamara joined the 4-H program at age 10 and her projects mostly revolved around her twin passions for horses and dogs. She also competed on the Livestock, Dairy, Land and Poultry Judging Teams. 4-H satisfied her ‘learning by doing’ approach to life, which she applied to her own instruction of a group of elementary age young girls to teach their
dogs basic obedience. Teaching private horseback riding lessons brought in a little pocket money in summertime. After High School Tamara studied Animal Science at the University of Georgia where she competed on both the Meat and Livestock Judging Teams before going on to complete a graduate program in Animal Science - Swine Breeding and Genetics. At college Tamara worked at both the equine centre, where she got to start a couple of colts, and at the swine centre in charge of the farrowing unit. It was in this job that Tamara met her husband, Tom. He finally asked her out for the first time after she castrated 100 baby pigs for him as part of his research project. She did not herniate a single baby pig and saved all the testicles for a Rocky Mountain Oyster fry up afterwards! Waste not, want no Tamara and her husband had two Labradors while finishing up their graduate studies in Athens, Georgia. When Tom was offered a job with Monsanto near St. Louis, Missouri, Tamara worked on their hobby farm raising a small flock of Suffolk Sheep and in the Neurology Department at Barnes Hospital. They had three kids - a daughter, and twin boys, and moved to suburbia with the dogs, first in St. Louis then to Pennsylvania 17 years later. Whilst living in Pennsylvania Tamara purchased a Jack Russell Terrier - quite pest controller - who rid the property
of snakes, rabbits, cats, groundhogs, and raccoons. Her present-day Jack Russell Terrier is also all about small animal and rodent elimination, exterminating drop-off cats, skunks, mice/rats, ground hogs and has lived to tell his story of going after three coyotes. Tamara considers owning a Jack Russell a small window looking into the world of a working dog breed doing what its instincts direct it to do. Tamara’s first purpose bred working dog was Tilly, an Australian Cattle Dog, who was bought to be her son’s companion. Tamara and her family had moved to her parent’s 600-acre farm in Tennessee. Tilly was not like any of their previous pets, she was very independent, had no requirement for affection and was always looking to get to the cattle. Tamara decided using Tilly’s instincts to work their cattle could be useful on the property and started researching how to train a working dog. Together, Tamara and Tilly competed for six years earning more Stock Dog titles than any ACD to date, including 6 Herding Championship Titles. Tamara’s second ACD is the youngest Triple Herding Champion (AKC, ASCA, AHBA) and the second most Herding Titled ACD. From here, Tamara discovered Kelpies on her search for another cattle working dog after seeing a Kelpie at work and being impressed. She had a connection to Chris Vaught in Utah which then led her to Marissa Taylor at Lonetree Ranch in Wyoming. Lonetree Dude (Silverleaf Cap x Tracker Fiona) was her first Kelpie. Tamara says the transition from an ACD to a Kelpie was a big challenge. Dude is her lead dog in the cattle pens and race and has a lovely wide cast in the paddock. Dude works cattle, sheep and ducks equally well. He is always there to back up another dog and has been and still is one of Tamara’s main trial dogs, bringing her success in trial arenas and on the trial fields, as well as her share of learning experiences as well. When asked about mentors, Tamara’s reply was “I have been fortunate to train with some great stockmen and women, even if some were just a long weekend clinic experience - but the key has been to continue learning with them and applying techniques and learning what to do to make things better. Marissa Taylor needs a special mention for hooking me up with the amazing resources: Sean Barrett, David Hart and Gary White. What a supportive Kelpie breeder Marissa Taylor is!” Tamara shared she learned a lot from her first herding instructor and was fortunate she was not bouncing from clinic to clinic like some do when they first get started - the consistency in training style was important to her. The opportunity to learn by doing, on the job training on her own farm, was another perk that weekend triallers do not have. Learning basics and training two ACDs, which were both quite different, added some much-needed lessons for her. But with the Kelpies, she said the training began evolving in new directions. Tamara had the opportunity to work with Sean Barrett from Woolooga, QLD at the Lonetree Ranch in October 2015 and learn to work cattle like a dog, like a KELPIE dog. Tamara and Tom also hosted a David Hart Stock and Dog Handling School which proved invaluable, as never had the lessons of Livestock Management with their dogs been made so clear. It is David’s stock handling protocol that Tamara and Tom try to implement with their backgrounder steers and weaned calves.
It is Gary White’s step-by-step training program that Tamara follows with her dogs as well as those handlers she helps to train their own dogs. Tamara says she was fortunate to have dogs from pup to mature dogs to work in most steps of Gary’s program. Laurie Batson – a Working Kelpie breeder for 30 years, stock dog trainer and trialler from Parkfield California has also given Tamara lessons with one of her young dogs. Laurie, a Tennessee Autumn Stock Dog Training Clinician for the past three years, is coming back in November 2021 for the Y’ALL IT’S A KELPIE MUSTER - November 10-14, 2021. Tamara cannot say enough good things about David, Gary, and Laurie’s sharing of their stockmanship and working dog knowledge and handling and most importantly their positive and respectful training styles - respectful of both the handlers and their dogs at their clinics/schools she has attended, hosted and participated in. Tamara feels it’s so awesome how they step in the work arena to join a dog/handler team and set an example, to support a handler and/or their dogs. Their styles have certainly impacted her own training and teaching approach. They are a credit to the Kelpie and livestock world and make the challenge of stock dog work fun and meaningful. Working with world class instructors like these mentors with her Kelpies in her transition from an ACD Tamara has learned more about “letting the dogs work, bringing out their instinct, letting the dogs problem solve and figure things out, being more observant and letting the dogs teach me, being present in the moment, relaxing and being confident to try things differently, to learn from my mistakes, to be prepared and strive to set up the most successful learning situations, to roll with the flow and if you’re having a bad day - go to the house and don’t take out your bad mood on your four legged stock hands”. Gary White’s techniques have helped Tamara’s approach to working with pups. Starting young or inexperienced dogs in a small pen, allowing their instinct to develop then testing in a larger area with more distractions then introducing the next step back in the small space – she may have been doing this previously but, instruction has ensured a much more balanced approach. When it comes to picking a pup from an outside breeder Tamara says she has not had the opportunity to choose a specific pup from a litter but has been at the mercy of what the breeder has chosen for her, or the pup that’s been left, but has no complaints. Having raised one litter of pups in Summer 2019 she can certainly appreciate the challenge to predict what pup might be best suited for what person or situation. Although Tamara did not get into working Kelpies to breed, but rather to work on the farm and do a little trialling, she has used one of her males as a stud dog a couple of times. Including an unplanned litter when Tamara mistakenly let one of her males get to one of her females which yielded seven healthy pups. The dam is a daughter and a sister to two successful NCA Cattle trialling dogs and the sire of the litter is a brother to an outstanding successful NCA and Rodear Cattle trial dog. All the male pups went to working homes in mostly neighbouring states and she kept some of the females. It has been great learning experience to communicate with their owners and see most of the pups occasionally and how they are maturing. When asked about breeding in the future, Tamara says she knows she needs her dog’s expertise and wonders if she
can replicate that by breeding future generations herself. In preparation, she has done some health testing on her dogs, especially those that have been bred, and feels it is important to have that information. Knowledge is power - power to make the best decisions for the dogs. At present Tamara has nine Kelpie working dogs, three males and six females, not all are intact. The dogs are not housed in raised off the ground kennels as they often are in Australia but are kennelled individually - males at the house kennels, females at the barn kennels with both having indoor/outdoor runs that are well ventilated with windows and fans and reverse cycle air con for when temperatures hit the extremes. Tamara’s working Kelpies are required to work one-on-one with her, but teamwork is essential to their success as well. Before adding working dogs to their operation, mustering cows and calves was a noisy affair with tractor horns tooting and men hollering. The dogs can go places people and buggies or bikes can’t get to. Tamara has natural searchers that go into wooded and steep areas, strong swimmers that “fish” cattle out of dams and "look back girl” – Griffins Xena (Silverleaf Dan x Sagebrush Tweed). Xena’s motto is “no steer left behind”. There are also the natural driving dogs and one heel biter who earns her keep and then some in winter, when cattle want to surround a hay ring standing in a foot or more of manure “soup” - she has no concerns encouraging them to depart from the hay and move along. In her team Tamara has working Kelpies who are stronger paddock workers while others are more confident in working in the tighter more confined pens - different job requirements - different adaptations to pressure. Her males tend to be pen and race dogs while the females work the fields. The dogs are shuffled around in the team, so all have the opportunity to learn or adapt to new skills. Almost any of Tamara’s working Kelpies can be used in lessons with others, they have no interest in engaging with other people’s dogs when livestock are in the picture. Some of her dogs can help an experienced handler do a chore so that they can see how it might work with their dog. Tamara says her Kelpies have an awesome reputation and with their intense looking faces, they may seem intimating at first, but visitors soon see what a good-natured breed of dog they are. Tamara’s travels have taken her to trial venues and not necessarily to working farms or ranches, except for Lonetree Ranch. The few Kelpies that Tamara sees on the job in the USA are used as all round farm hands while other loose eyed breeds might be the training and trial dogs, which speaks volumes to the handiness of our Kelpie dogs. They do love work. Tamara says in the USA – “there are a variety of opportunities to compete with your stock dog. The AKC, AHBA & ASCA Clubs seem to be meeting the needs of some weekend trailers and more pet owners and the prizes are most often ribbons, maybe a belt buckle or other stock related prizes. On the other hand, the NCA, USBCHA, MSSA and RODEAR which attract those wanting to earn cash prizes along with a few plaques or belt buckles, these are the dogs and handlers who are generally from working farms/ ranches. The mission of the National Cattledog Association for example is to encourage efficient, low stress and humane
cattle handling by promoting the use of and demonstrating the value of well-trained cattle dogs”. Although she has had her share of success trialling her Kelpies in AKC, ASCA, AHBA, NCA & USBCHA competitions, earning titles and High in Trial awards with plans to continue polishing up their teamwork for future events, Tamara says her most rewarding experiences are those real-life experiences on the farm with her Kelpie team. According to Tamara working Kelpies are gaining in popularity in the USA, which she believes is due in part to the success of Kevin Lippe and his team of dogs in the NCA. Tamara’s hope is that new working Kelpie owners will have some of the same opportunities to work with knowledgeable working Kelpie mentors as she has had. “The Kelpie to me is not like a Border Collie or a Cattle Dog. Their instinctual and independent nature does not want to be controlled – managed, but not controlled. I hope for responsible breeding of the Kelpie in the USA and have my concerns that colour selection in Kelpies (like in some ACDs, Aussies and BCs) might be ranked higher in selection criteria than work ethic”. Tamara said her hopes also include continuing to learn more about this unique breed, the working Kelpie, through work with her “stock hands" on the farm and to create more connections within the Kelpie community. Thank you to Tamara for all her help with this article and for the glimpse of the world of the working Kelpie in the USA and its working and trialling life overseas.
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Bree Cudmore Article by Patsy Trevor, Photography by Jan McIntyre and Danny Ruben
B
ree grew up in Traralgon Victoria, splitting her time between her mothers in town and her father’s two acre block at the foot of the Strzelecki Ranges. She says she grew up being able to access the best of both worlds and she attributes this time to igniting her a love of the land. In the early years, the family always had hunting dogs around – starting with staghounds and later changing to an English Springer Spaniel and German Shorthaired Pointers, each breed bringing with it new training challenges. Although Bree did not grow up on a farm, she has always had a passion and connection to animals. On the suggestion of a friend, Bree tried her hand at rouseabout work after she finished school, finding a love for the wool industry. She worked in shearing sheds for about 3 years in various roles such as penning up and wool pressing. Working with sheep in the shearing sheds was where Bree gained her appreciation for good stock flow and how to move stock without dogs. Bree says she was then lucky enough to meet shearing contractor Travis Scott. She asked if he would have a place for her on his lamb marking team and he kindly offered her a chance. Over time Bree worked her way up to 2IC. Travis gave her the opportunity to use his dogs and shared advice on everything from how to achieve better stock flow to getting more out of the various types of working dogs in his team. After three great
years with Travis, Bree moved to the Western Districts and began her first on farm role as a station hand at Chrome Sheep Stud near Hamilton in Victoria. After the years of guidance and mentorship from Travis, this was the chance for Bree to put all she had learned to work and her team of working dogs were a huge contributor to her success from there on. Bree has since moved on to a role of livestock overseer in October 2020 and her team of work dogs has grown. Bree’s first working dog of her own was a 2016 born, black and tan Kelpie bitch named Marista Zoe (Jendara Boss II x Boco Doll Crazy) bred by Marista Kelpie Stud at Murringo NSW. Bree says Zoe is a once in a lifetime dog and that there are very few words she can think of to adequately describe how much Zoe means to her. She says that without Zoe, no one in the dog world would really know who she is and credits Zoe with putting her on the map. Zoe is an affectionate, hardworking, reliable and sweet natured dog who has always seemed to know instinctually what Bree wants. Zoe has taught her so much about training working/trialling dogs and is very forgiving when she makes a mistake. Bree feels that it will probably only be years after Zoe has gone that she will really come to appreciate how special she is and how amazing her achievements have been. I asked Bree about her Mentors and in Bree’s own words “Many who know me, know that Travis Scott has played a
huge role in my road to success. On my very first day pushing up to him on the crutching trailer, he went home and told his wife “I don’t think Bree’s going to get it (Working dogs)”. But he persisted with me and my endless questions. He was there for my first time competing in an Australian Yard dog Championship to give me a hug and moral support. He still to this day gives me advice and pep talks. Travis is actually the one who found Zoe for sale on Facebook. He helped me get started with her training and has continued to help me now and all it ever costs me is a case of beer. He has celebrated my success and helped me become a better trainer along the way. I constantly pick his brain when sitting on the sidelines at a dog trial about stock flow, judging and dog work. I value his opinions and know without his assistance I wouldn’t have gotten to the place I am in today”. Another dog man whose knowledge Bree values is Gary White. Bree went to a Gary White working dog school put on by ‘Ewe, Me and the Dog’ in about her second year of owning working dogs. The night before the 2021 NKFT finals, Bree asked Gary for any advice he might have for a greenhorn. He simply told her to just keep doing what she was doing because what she was doing was obviously working. According to Bree, this was nice to hear from someone as accomplished as Gary and really helped her set her own mind up for the final. Bree also said “As any Victorian trialler knows Joe Spicer is the king of yard trailing down here, so i’ll take any chance to pry out his secrets and point of view. VYUFDA held a training day with Joe called ‘secrets to trialling’ and I found it extremely useful. He taught me that there is more than one way to tackle an obstacle and depending on the position of the sheep in the arena and other circumstances, which option is most likely to be successful”. There are also two young handlers who Bree has looked up to for different reasons. Being a young woman who lacked self-confidence early on, entering the trialling world was a big step outside of Bree’s comfort zone. When she met Kate Jubb, she thought to herself, that was the kind of trialler she wanted to be. Bree says she has a lot of respect for Kate and thinks she is a great person and to back it up the girl can work a dog. She is a great sport and between her and her family they make trialling a lot of fun. The other young trialler Bree respects is Adam James of Jindi Kelpie Stud. He has achieved a lot early on and he is a very
skilled dog handler. He is also someone who’s advice she seeks when at a trial and she feels he has a great knowledge of bloodlines and has seen a lot of dogs in the flesh that Bree has not. Bree and Adam share a love of working dogs as well as a lot of fun picking on each other like siblings. After Bree’s first attempt at a utility trial, she found it sparked her interest. She believes it is the ultimate test of both a dog and handler’s abilities. In Bree’s eyes working on farm, she wants a dog that can handle their stock well in the paddock but is also capable of efficiently filling a drench race and pushing up to the draft. Bree says you must trust your dog more in utility trials and that you can’t hide flaws or mistakes out in the open the way you can in the yards. It also shows a great amount of control when working a dog out in the open and she believes it is a great test of stockmanship as well. There are a few good handlers who have given Bree tips on utility trials along the way. Norm Severs judged Bree at her first utility trial. Later that same day she went up to him and asked what advice he had for her after seeing her runs. He said “You’ve got a couple good dogs that could do this for you. You need to pay attention to your sheep. They will tell you every move they are going to make before they make it. They’ll look out to the side, turn a head or stamp a foot. You have to see that and make the right call.” Bree says there are a few sayings she runs through her head before running a dog in a trial. ‘Watch your stock not your dog, the stock will tell you where your dog is’. Bree says this has led to a big shift in her approach to all trials and believes it is a huge contributor to her success. When asked what’s the best way to achieve the pen in a utility, Adam James jokingly responded with “Just put them in the pen and don’t f**k it up.” Valuable advice! Bree said her takeaway from that advice was that we as humans tend to overcomplicate things. If you try to over work sheep in a utility it normally bites you in the butt, usually at the pen. The sheep get jack of being pushed around and generally won’t settle. She has learned that you should do as little as possible to achieve the ultimate outcome. This seems to get the best result because the stock
are in a calm and kind state of mind because you left them alone as much as you could. She is a firm believer in how you handle your stock is how your trial will go. Bree’s first meaningful trial wins were in 2018 when she won the ‘Encourage Handler of the Year’ as well as the Encourage Challenge. It was her first year of trialling and as she had won her way out of encourage status in that same year, it was going to be her only chance to compete for those titles, so she worked hard and travelled to a lot of trials to earn the points to win. They are still some of her most valued trophies. In Bree’s words - humble beginnings. In October 2019, Bree went to the Victorian state yard championship where she entered Zoe in the novice and improver. Her goal was to make the novice final. She achieved that, coming equal second, then went on to win the improver class as well, allowing them to also compete in the open class. They were the last dog out in the open and Bree was so nervous she could hardly believe it. They put some great runs together and they ended up placing 3rd overall, and because Adam James in second place resides in NSW, they also earned a place as VIC state representatives. The 2020 Lucindale, SA yard dog championships was Bree’s first time attending and competing at a national level. It was such a great experience and she felt incredibly special representing Victoria. It was a great trial, with some tough places to get stock to flow nicely. In the first round Bree messed up a gate sequence which saw the duo scoring a 79.5. The second run according to Bree was awesome, she could not have asked for more from Zoe and was right there with her dog trying to make the right choices. The pair came out with 83.5 which saw them sitting in second place for the final round. The final did not go to plan, Bree mis drafted and was a little shook up afterwards causing some more critical errors. The pair did manage to finish the course with just seconds to spare and placed 9th. This experience helped Bree realise that if she could keep a cool head, the pair could compete with the big boys. Bree’s biggest achievement to date has been her win at the 2021 National Kelpie Field Trial held at Allora in Queensland. Of her dogs, only Marista Zoe and Highfields Cooper were eligible to compete. According to Bree, Cooper is not much of a trial dog and does his best work on farm. Bree had entered him first, knowing that Zoe was her real hope. After four long days of travelling to Queensland, the dogs were pretty fresh.
Cooper came out and in Bree’s eyes, ran amuck, so he was retired just before the yard section. Bree then had her first run with Zoe and says as soon as she saw Zoe’s cast, she knew they were in for a good time. She stayed true to herself and lifted her sheep well. In Bree’s words “We went around the course with a few minor heart stopping moments and reached the pen. Once I closed that gate, I let out the breath I was holding and gave Zoe the pat she deserved. Making the finals amongst such a high class of competitor was an awesome, as well as daunting feeling. I had the highest score in the first round which gave me some hope that if I could do it once I could do it again. I try not to dwell on who my competition is in any trial, it is a good way to psyche yourself out really. I knew I had my work cut out for me in the finals because handlers like Gary White, Kevin Howell and Adam James don’t make mistakes in a final, they just get better. I remember sitting with Zoe before my run just trying to keep my head cool. I was running through the two things that I thought where the most important things to focus on when out there. The first being “keep the sheep in the corridors as much as possible”, I am fairly sure that is where I lost a majority of my points in the first round. Second was “just do your job, don’t over think it, just do your job.” Reality is, at work I handle all sorts of situations where if I let the pressure get to me it would fall to pieces. Running that through my head helped me keep my cool and meant when I went out on course, I just did what I do at work, with just a little more finesse. I came off the course in the end feeling I had an okay run but unsure if it was enough to keep the big boys at bay. I remember seeing Linda James, who congratulated me, and my response was “I’m not sure it was enough.” After all the runs, none of us could say who had won, it was anyone’s. When I was told it was me, I’m embarrassed to say my response was “Get stuffed, seriously?” I still don’t think the enormity has sunk in but the amount of support from everyone was overwhelming. Final scores were 79+87=166”. As the first lady winner of the NKFT in over 50 years, and that on her first attempt, Bree is one to watch out for in the future and at only 26 years old the trialling world is her oyster. I’d like to thank her sincerely for her time in speaking to me and answering all my questions and congratulate her again on her and her dog’s famous victories!
VALE
Geoffrey (Toby) Lindsay
Written by Lauren Vest Toby Lindsay was a highly respected and admired sheep dog trialler among any other achievements in his life. Along with football and horse racing, breeding and training sheepdogs was a much-loved hobby. Working his dogs and judging at trials took Toby all around Australia as well as overseas to New Zealand. An avid promoter of working dogs, he exhibited their talents at the Sydney Royal Easter Show. Some of his achievements in three sheep trialling included winning national titles and representing both his state and his country numerous times – he even appeared on TV when competing in the New Zealand Trans-Tasman! Fellow triallers always held Toby in high regard and said he was always happy to assist or help people with their dogs. Toby and his eldest grandchild Aaron worked dogs and travelled Australia and New Zealand together, and like all Toby’s grandchildren they formed an unbreakable bond. Toby and his wife Pat had four children – Sandy, Bernard, Tony and Kim, as well as a number of grandchildren. Toby thought he was the luckiest man ever and anyone who knew him would be familiar with the phrase ‘the best ever’. - Rest In Peace.
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CANINE EPILEPSY Article by Samantha Taylor For many, owning working dogs is about having a handy offsider (or five) without whom, the working of stock would be difficult or even impossible. At the end of a long day, your best friend might go back to his yard or run with a big bowl of dinner as thanks for a job well done. But for some, the reality of managing some of the genetic disorders or medical issues inherent or more prevalent in some working breeds comes a little closer to home than the kennel out back. For Panda, a Border Collie x Blue Heeler with no family history of genetic disorders, out of the ‘best cow working bitch’ an old stockman who had worked his whole life as a ringer had ever seen and by a handy Blue Heeler used for forcing wild station cows through the yards, her future as a cow dog seemed a bright one. That was until at age two she suddenly and inexplicably went from being a healthy, neurologically typical dog, to a chronic epileptic, with no explanation or apparent cause. With symptoms ranging from hyper salivation, choking, eyeball rolling to leg paddling, aggression and unresponsiveness, anyone who has borne witness to an epileptic seizure knows just how confronting and terrifying it can be to contend with this medical condition. The most prevalent form of canine epilepsy is known as Idiopathic Epilepsy - essentially, a condition that has no underlying diagnosed medical condition. Idiopathic Epilepsy is a complex and fickle affliction, with relief from symptoms found through a combination of medicinal, nutritional, behavioural, and homeopathic treatments. With an estimated prevalence in the canine population of between 0.5-5%, it’s a disease we as dog owners should know how to identify, and what steps should be taken to provide primary treatment for our four legged friends.
This disease can rear its ugly head wearing many masks. A seizure might be a localised or ‘focal’ - one which may present as an eye twitch, compulsive licking or air biting, all the way through to generalised or ‘grand mal’ seizures, which may include convulsions, loss of consciousness or hyperactivity. Although they are distressing to bear witness to, clinical studies of human epileptic patients indicate there is little to no knowledge of a seizure when it occurs, unless an injury is sustained. There is no evidence to suggest any different for our canine companions. Management means making them comfortable and reducing the risk of injury, which coupled with correct treatment can ensure they live a long and happy life. The good news is that while the cause may be unknown, there is a wide range of treatment options which could make all the difference for your four-legged friend. Many dogs following diagnosis might be prescribed a once or twice daily medication and never suffer another seizure again, while some might require trial and error to find an effective treatment option. Any working career for Panda was cut short with her diagnosis, due mainly to a refractory rejection of pharmaceutical therapies, but that is not the case for all working dogs with health conditions. Sometimes the best thanks for what our dogs give us is to offer them back the opportunity to live life with a handicap. They might not be the same as before, but effective treatment for some might be no more effort than taking a vitamin each day, and your best friend could still put all the heart and soul they can into working for you. Panda lives a full and happy life as a pet with epilepsy and not making that final, hard decision years ago was the best decision we didn’t make. Patterson, E. E. 2014. Canine Epilepsy: An Underutilized Model. ILAR Journal, Volume 55, Issue 1, Pp 182–186. https:// academic.oup.com/ilarjournal/article/55/1/182/849051
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HISTORIC AUSTRALIAN SHEEPDOG TRIALS Article by Wayne McMillan Early Victorian Trials from 1868 to 1880 By 1867 there were around 30 agricultural associations functioning in Victoria and many were holding annual shows. The earliest recorded trials or matches were either show or paddock trials, held in paddocks between neighbours or held at the local show or local racecourse. As we move into the 1880’s show trials became popular, but field or paddock trials still continued on throughout the 20th century. These early trials, or matches as they were known, were mostly paddock trials or held inside showgrounds or at a local racecourse. Some were held close by a showground under the auspices of the agricultural/pastoral society/ association at farms owned by an agricultural society/ association committee member.
The First Australian Sheepdog Trial
A trial held by the Ovens and Murray Agricultural and Pastoral Society at the Wangaratta Spring Show on 5 September 1868 now appears to be the first recorded sheepdog trial held in Australia. It precedes the Burrangong (NSW) April 17, 1871 trial by three years. This was the fourth show or exhibition organised by the Ovens and Murray Agricultural and Pastoral Society, and their first planned sheepdog trial. This is an excerpt of a report announcing the trial to be held in September 1868: “The prize-list for the spring show in September was adopted and added to this there is a prize of £20 for the best working sheep-dog in the yard, a few of the settlers having subscribed the amount specially for the purpose. Of course the canine competitors will have to be tried in the field, and if a few really good dogs are brought together, this trial will not be the least interesting feature of the show.” (Reported in The Argus, Melbourne, July 1868) This is the report of the trial from ‘The Leader’ September 1868. "There was also a trial of sheep-dogs, a match having been made for £20 between Messrs J. Rutherford and H. S. Smith. The dogs were worked by their owners and the judges awarded the stakes to Mr. Smith. A subscription hat was opened on the ground for next year's show, and as a proof that the association is growing in popularity amongst the squatters, names were put down for something over £70." Sadly, there are no available records of any further sheepdog trials being held at Wangaratta until around 14 September
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1916. If further trials were held at Wangaratta after the 1868 trial and before the 1916 trial, they must be recorded in some lost record of the Ovens and Murray Agricultural and Pastoral Society, which I have been unable to discover. Not much is known about Henry S Smith, the winner of the trial, except that he owned ‘Upper Moira Station’ and he had a daughter born on in March 1872. The other competitor, John Rutherford, was a well-known wealthy landowner and stockman. John Rutherford is mentioned from the late 1860’s to late 1870’s as a sheep and cattle breeder from Yarrawonga in The Argus newspaper. His name also crops up at sheep sales at Geelong and other places during these years. The dog John Rutherford used in that first trial named ‘Clyde’, was the first male import to Australia from Gideon Rutherford’s famous Sutherland Kildonan strain of sheepdogs. John Rutherford was the third youngest son of Gideon Rutherford, a Scottish shepherd and breeder of top-class sheepdogs. John went back to Scotland around 1864 and secured the export to Australia in 1865 of two dogs, ‘Clyde’ and ‘Lassie’, to ‘Yarrawonga’ station. This early Rutherford collie strain was to become a powerful influence in the development of the Kelpie. John and his younger brother George were President and Vice President of the Ovens and Murray Agricultural and Horticultural Society in 1867.
Rosebank Farm Trial, Victoria, Monday 9 June 1873
(Reported in Sydney Morning Herald, Saturday 21 June 1873) “A Sheepdog Match took place at Rosebank Farm, Woodford on the 9th instant. The Warrnambool Examiner reports that the contest was between Mr John Davidson’s dog, against Mr John Taylor’s slut, for $10 a side. The first lot of twenty sheep were let out of a yard, and taken down to a clear paddock a distance of about six hundred yards. Mr Davidson then sent his dog for the sheep, which were brought up and put through the gateway in good style by the dog. Twenty others were prepared for Mr Taylor’s dog in a similar manner and were put through the gate after some delay. Two lots of five sheep each were then taken to the
paddock and in passing through Mr Davidson’s dog decidedly had the advantage. The next lot were three and two sheep respectively for each dog, when Mr Taylor’s had the best of it for the smaller number. As Mr Davidson’s dog became tired he was unable to bring up the sheep, consequently the judges awarded the stakes to Mr Taylor. Many present stated that they would prefer Mr Davidson’s animal as being more generally useful in bringing up a large number of sheep.” The Rosebank trial is the first recorded paddock or field trial in Australia, and it firstly indicates that 3 sheep arena trials had not yet gained ascendancy and secondly, that farmers and stockmen of this time valued a dog that could move mobs of sheep and could be cast out a fair distance to fetch sheep.
Hexham Trial, Victoria, Wednesday 24 May 1876
(Reported in Border Watch, Saturday 3 June 1876) “There was a sheepdog match at Hexham on May 24, for which there were four prizes of 15 pounds, 5 pounds, 3 pounds and 2 pounds, respectively. Mr G Mackay’s Bob won the first, Mr A E Whiting’s Tony the second, Mr M Robson’s Jet the third and J Taylor’s Swallow the fourth.” (Reported in Mortlake Dispatch)
Geelong Trial, Victoria, Friday 20 Oct 1876
(Reported in Geelong Advertiser, Saturday 21 October 1876) “A trial of sheepdogs took place in the yards, but no prize was awarded, the judges considering that the animals did not show any merit. A mistake was however made in erecting a very difficult fold for the sheep to be driven into, and a capital little working dog by Mr Wyatt was fully entitled to a prize, for the clever way the sheep were brought up and constantly headed for the fold, which was round and allowed the sheep so much space.”
The National Show, Sandhurst, Victoria, Tuesday 24 Oct 1876
(Reported in Bendigo Advertiser, Friday 27 October, 1876) “Three very knowing-looking and intelligent sheepdogs figured conspicuously in the ranks, and these were subjected to a trial of their abilities on the first day of the show, which proved them to be very clever dogs indeed in their particular line. Mr A J Rathie of Marong was awarded first prize and Mr S Irvin of California Gully the second.”
Farnham Park Trial near Warrnambool, Victoria, Monday 5 March 1877
(Reported in the Argus, Tuesday 6 March, 1877) “It was really an interesting sight, watching Mr. Kennedy’s and Mr. Davidson’s sheep-dogs competing for the Ten Guinea stakes. The rendezvous on Monday last was at Messrs. Rutledge Bros Farnham estate, on a spot commanding a splendid panoramic view. There were about 200 gentlemen present, and all were astonished at the instinct and reasoning displayed by the sagacious creatures in the masterly way in which they yarded the sheep. Twenty shepherds could not
have managed it better, quicker, or more carefully than Mr. Kennedy’s imported dog, which was declared by the judge, Mr. Allan Jenkins, to be the winner.” (Reported in Bendigo Advertiser, Saturday 17 March, 1877) “A sheep-dog match came off at Messrs. Rutledge, Brothers’ estate, last week, and was a most interesting display of canine sagacity. Eleven dogs were entered, the conditions being that each dog should fetch two sheep from a marked place, 800 yards from the hurdles, within twenty minutes, the man working the dog being allowed to go 100 yards from the hurdles in sending the dog on his journey, otherwise no assistance whatever was to be given the dog except by word of command. Five prizes were offered, the first being £10, which was awarded to Maggie, an imported slut, who, in the hands of her owner, Mr. W. Kennedy, who worked her, did splendid work, going away out of the paddock, and crossing the fence again immediately behind the sheep. She then moved them up well, keeping wide, but still controlling the sheep most effectually. On nearing the hurdles she came closer, steadying her sheep. She then went to work most “cunningly”, getting them in quietly, and showing the highest sagacity. Great cheering took place at the finish. Time, 11 ½ minutes. Maggie was also awarded a gold medal, presented by Messrs. Wilson, Brother, for the best field dog on the ground.”
National Agricultural Society Show, Friday 8 November 1878
(Reported in The Argus, Friday 8 November, 1878) “The respective owners of sheep dogs having drawn lots for precedence of trial, Mr. John Brown’s yellow dog “Toss” was the first competitor. He worked very steadily, never giving his three sheep a chance, but waited patiently, and yarded them in 3 ½ minutes. Mr. John Neighbour’s brindle-and-white slut “lady,” which came next, worked less quietly, but got her sheep home in good style in 2 ½ minutes. Mr. T. W. Hatton’s black and tan “wag” would have taken his sheep right home at once had his master preceded him more quickly; as it was, the time was 2 ½ minutes. Mr. Hatton’s second dog “Bob” was next out. Being unaccustomed to town life, he seemed afraid to follow his sheep near the crowd, and thus some time was lost, making it 5 ¼ minutes before he accomplished his task. Mr. Hendry’s slut “Rose”, bit one of her sheep, and John Brook’s “Rosie” lost two. Riley’s “Tweed”, which came last, worked well (he is two years and a half old), and took his sheep to pen in 3 ½ minutes. Wag was placed first, Lady second, Tweed third, and Toss fourth. This trial excited great interest, and such competitions will be sure to become more popular year by year.
National Agricultural Society Show, Thursday 6 November 1879
(Reported in The Australasian, Saturday 8 November, 1879) “The competition of sheep-dogs was, as last year, a most attractive feature of the day's proceedings. Four dogs had been entered for the trial, and lots having been drawn for precedence, the first three sheep were turned out at a quarter
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to 3 p.m. to Mr. T. W. Hatton's black-and-tan dog Wag. The sheep being exceedingly wild and intractable, the dog lost patience, and scattered them several times, but got them to the pen after taking them the prescribed course in 8 minutes. John Brown's well-known dog Toss was next tried; but as he had been ill, and the sheep were even more obstinate than the first, he had not penned them within the stipulated 10 minutes. John Neighbour and his black and-tan dog Toss had the next turn. The dog worked quietly and well, never breaking his sheep, but taking them the prescribed course almost without a hitch, and penning them in 3 minutes. Mr. Hatton followed with his second dog, Bob, a steady, quiet worker. He had little or no trouble with his sheep; indeed, he was a good part of the time leading the way; the sheep reached the pen in three minutes. The judges, Messrs. Cameron, G. Rutherford, and D. Macpherson, awarded the first prize to J. Neighbour's Toss, the second to T. W. Hatton's Bob.” One of the judges was no doubt George Rutherford the younger brother of John Rutherford.
National Agricultural Society of Victoria Spring Show, Thursday 4 November 1880
(Reported in The Australasian, 6 November, 1880) “Both in the forenoon and afternoon, trials of sheepdogs also took place on the lower part of the grounds. After several trials, the judges decided in favour of Jillet’s Dick, who yarded his sheep in nine minutes and a half; the second prize was given to Clifton’s Boss, who put his sheep home in three minutes and a half, but who barely escaped disqualification on the ground of his having been unduly helped by his owner.”
Karabeal Trial, Victoria, Monday 24 May 1880 (Reported in Hamilton Spectator, Thursday 27 May, 1880) THE KARABEAL SHEEP-DOG MATCH. “The first sheep-dog match that has been held in this district took place at Karabeal on Her Majesty's Birthday, and was a success. The credit for this is, to a great extent, due to Mr. Donelan. We are not aware who was the originator of this novel trial of skill, but we do know that Mr.Donelan took a most active part in securing entries, arranging preliminaries, etc., and we trust the manner in which the efforts of his coadjutors and himself were rewarded will lead to the Karabeal sheepdog match being made an annual event. Notwithstanding the doubtful appearance of the weather during the earlier part of the morning, fully two hundred assembled to witness the sport and as the rain kept away some really excellent work was done, they thoroughly enjoyed the day's outing. It is, perhaps, needless to add that the pastoral and agricultural interests were well represented, and the skill displayed by each coolie in rounding up and yarding the sheep was watched with a considerable amount of interest. This being the first affair of the kind ever held in the locality, it was feared that the competition would be limited to dogs owned in the neighbourhood, but this was not the case, as
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animals were sent from Hensley, Hyde, and Bushy Parks, Mokanger, Strathkellar, Kenilworth, Woodhouse, Warrayure, etc., and it was noticeable that only two succeeded in yarding their sheep. The first event was for the Cup, and the judges were Mr. M. Donald, of Hyde Park, Mr. Ferguson, of BrieBrie, and Mr. Guthrie, of Mokanger. Mr. O. Anderson, of Moutajup, acted as timekeeper, and the sheep to be yarded were turned adrift about half-a-mile from the pen. Seven minutes or so were allowed them to scatter, and the dog, whose turn it was to bring them home, was granted twenty -minutes in which to perform its allotted task. There were twelve entries for the event, and Mr. A. Wilson's Rover was the first despatched, but did not succeed in yarding, nor was Mr. F. Begg's Fairy more fortunate. Mr. D. McDonald’s Moss showed himself to be a good steady worker and did all that was required of him in ten minutes, a splendid performance. Mr. W. Sartain's Glen and Mr. G. J. Hesketh's Hope failed to distinguish themselves, and Mr. McIntyre's Sharp showed splendid points, but lost his chance through not yarding. Mr. C. Hadden's Sailor was not up to the standard of excellence, whilst Mr. A. A. White's Nigger showed himself to be such a splendid held dog, that the judges awarded him the second prize, although he did not yard. The other competitors were Mr. M. Donald's Bess, who showed some good points, and Mr. McIntyre's Nancy, Mr. Lamphier's Laddie and Mr. Kennedy's Wevis, none of which signalised themselves. The Karabeal Cup was therefore decided as under:
1. 2.
Mr. D. McDonald's Moss Mr. A. A White's Nigger
An adjournment was then made to Mr. Donelan's Hotel, where a first-class lunch received ample justice at the hands of the assembled yeomanry, after which the Consolation Stakes were run off. For this, seven dogs were entered but only six competed, and it was agreed to reduce the time from 20 to 15 minutes. The first dog to go was Mr F. Begg's Fairy, who showed rare form, and executed her task in nine minutes, one minute less than it took the winner of the Karabeal Cup. The second prize was won by Mr. R. McIntyre's Sharp, and the other competitors were Glen, Rover, Hope, and Sailor. Rover and Sharp worked well under the instructions of their respective owners, but could not equal Fairy's performance when she got her sheep up to the four hurdles and left them there in safety. In the evening the visitors sat down to a good dinner, provided in Host Donelan's best style, and speeches appropriate to such an occasion were delivered, it being unanimously agreed that the match should be made an annual affair. Further, it was decided to hold a Puppy Stakes Meeting shortly, particulars of which will be duly advertised, and after spending a few hours most enjoyably, the company separated.”
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Trainer q&A
little tickle and give a short, sharp but soft stop whistle. From then on, every time I feed my pup, I will call him to my leg. I make sure he is carrying himself correctly, and once he is, I give the tickle and the stop whistle and then he gets his food. You have to feed your dog every day, so why not use it to your advantage! By practising this, I can get a stop, come and the beginning of sides all at the age of about ten weeks, using very minimal pressure. Once you go to stock, most of your training techniques to get sides, stop and a call off have already been imprinted. The other big thing is that you are opening clear lines of communication with your dog from an early age.
JA KE NO W LA N Jake Nowlan is a young stockman based in New South Wales who works predominantly Kelpies and Huntaways. He has had a successful work and trial career including winning the Ultimate Stock Dog trial in 2015 and the All-Round Stock Dog title at the Stock Dog Spectacular in 2018. Jake has spent a lot of time working with and learning from top stockmen, including a recent stint in New Zealand for two years where he learnt a lot of different training techniques. Jake regularly travels to teach dog training schools all around the country. How do you teach a dog to stop? I have two stops. The first is a check whistle that stops the dog but enables it to keep working. It is handy for a lot of situations including trialling or if you are working in steeper country, and you need to take the weight off and just be a bit more cautious. The second is a hard stop that means the dog will not move until commanded to do so. The dog must remain on its feet with both these commands. I start imprinting these commands as soon as I get a young pup. When I teach him to come to me, I have the pup standing at my leg. I wait until it is in the right frame of mind – cool, calm and collected, showing no signs of anxiety in the forms of tail wagging, licking, jumping on me, sitting down etc. Once it is correct, I will rest my fingers on his back in between the hips and the last rib and give a
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Getting the stop on stock. I will go into the yard, and I will call the pup and make it stay at my leg until I release it. So, walk in, call the pup to your leg and once it is in the right frame of mind, I will give it the stop whistle and the light pat/tickle between the hip and back rib. They already associate this contact with a calm mind because you have imprinted it with food from when they were a little pup. The next step is to get the sheep in a corner and create a stop with your body pressure. You want to use the smallest amount of your pressure that you can, so make sure you are not facing your dog when you stop it. If you are, I believe you are desensitizing your dog to your pressure. So, move it around and get into a position of control which is in between the dog and sheep, ideally in a corner. Use your positioning to create a space where the dog can go where it will feel comfortable to stop itself and not feel too much pressure once it has stopped. Once it gets used to stopping off the minimum amount of your pressure, just add the command. The hard stop. Once you have the check stop, it is easy to teach the hard stop. You just put a little extension on your stop whistle that sounds a touch harsher, and do not let the dog move at all until you ask it too. The key to a good stop is consistency. Like any command, if you cannot enforce it, do not ask for it.
How do you teach a dog to drive stock? I start breaking down the dogs’ instincts to get to the head early in their education. After an initial assessment you can assess a dogs’ heading ability or lack of it pretty early, and I believe it is something they will never lose. With that said, 99% of my stockwork is driving, so I start it early. All my sides are put on with the dog between me and the sheep and I get them driving with a simple walk command. I will position myself three to ten metres beside the pup in a big area, and just ask it to walk into the sheep, and I will walk along with him. A good stop at this point helps, and if he goes to flank, I will just give a soft growl, a stop, then a calm walk command. They soon take it pretty well. The hardest dogs to teach driving too are pups that are really fixated on the head. They will struggle to just walk toward the sheep – they will want to keep shifting side to side and can get rather anxious about letting the sheep walk away. If one is struggling, you can get a cord about five metres long and just calmly walk with the dog. You can put a bit of weight on the cord to bring it forwards and if it flanks you have the cord to stop it. Once the dog is confidently walking into the sheep, I gradually fade my position back and away from the dog until they can comfortably drive sheep away from directly in front of me or from a distance. One of the main things you need to be careful of, is to make sure you get your dog walking well into the sheep and with a good understanding of taking sheep away before you ask for side commands. If you start asking for them too soon it can take away their force on the drive.
How do you teach a dog to stop? I do very little dry training (training away from stock) so nearly
everything aside from a dog's name and a recall is done on livestock. I use quiet, well broken young sheep and initially
I teach the young dog to block off my body and training aid. Once a young dog knows what to do when it is being blocked, I block both sides with even amounts of pressure and raise my training aids, one in each hand. The dog should stop without command. After a few lessons when I raise my training aids the dog will stop automatically. It is being educated to stop while working livestock without command. It is quite easy from there to introduce a whistle or voice command at the same time as you raise your training aids. The most important thing handlers should keep in mind is that once the dog understands the command, it must stop on only one command. I often see handlers repeatedly asking a dog to stop, with little result. This is creating ignorance in their dogs. How do you teach a dog to drive stock? This is the last thing I teach a dog to do, as I educate the dog to drive using voice commands. Before I teach a dog to drive, it is well educated to work livestock correctly. The dog will have several voice commands already learnt and reliable. These commands will be stop, walk straight, steady, and clockwise and anticlockwise directional commands. I always make sure to use quiet suitable livestock. I position myself to the side of the dog initially, at the tail of the livestock, and ask the dog to walk forward behind the sheep. Reward is a particularly important part of any training, so as the dog obeys the command, I reward with my voice. If the dog gets out of position, I stop the dog and use my directional command to put it back in the correct position and ask it to walk forward again. Repetition is a major part of any training and with time, repetition, and reward you can achieve major goals with your dog. After a handful of lessons, the dog will start to understand what you are trying to teach and should catch onto driving quickly. The more experience the dog has at driving, the better they become. There is no substitute for experience in any training.
M IC K HU DS ON Hypro Premium ambassador Mick Hudson has been around livestock and working sheep dogs all his life. He is a thirdgeneration stockman and dog trainer and has had generations worth of knowledge passed down to him. He musters cattle, sheep and wild goats with his MGH working dogs and also competes with these same dogs in 3 sheep trials, where he has had huge success including multiple Dog of the Year and Handler of the Year awards. Mick is a big believer in educating dogs to work stock correctly, with minimal command, and offers clinics and lessons at his property at Eumungerie.
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Buying a Going Dog Article by Lauren Vest
M
oulding a working dog from an untrained pup into a fully trained and useful worker takes a lot of time and a lot of skill. Even with those things in place, not every promising pup will have what it takes to make it as a worker or to suit a particular job. Buying a dog that is already started or trained means you can see what you are getting, whether it will suit you and your job, and often take it straight to work. However, buying a started or trained dog is very much buyer beware. The onus is on you to thoroughly vet the dog and whether it will suit what you are looking for. The wrong dog can cause a myriad of issues, from raised stress levels in stock and handler, through to stock injuries or escapes, as well as a lot of wasted time and money. It is well worth the time taken to do your due diligence to make sure you end up with the right dog for your needs. Be honest about your own abilities A good working dog does not just work on its own – It can only work as well as it is handled. Certain dogs suit certain handlers and vice versa. If you are a loud, assertive and quick-tempered handler, make sure you look for a dog who is very solid in temperament and can handle higher pressure situations without shutting down or getting stressed. If you do not have the skills or time to finish off a dogs training, look at dogs that are fully trained and experienced – you will still need to spend time bonding and ensuring obedience, but the rest of the hard work is done. If you are a gentler handler, look for a softer dog who is biddable and obedient. Often people say
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a dog will work better for a man or a woman, but it is usually about how the handler approaches training and bonding, versus the actual gender of the handler. If you are new to using working dogs, your best chance for success will be to buy an older, fully trained dog who can teach you as you go. It takes a lot of time to train a working dog, and those that have been trained properly are usually not cheap – so be clear on your budget and what you can expect for it. Be clear about what you need the dog to do Everybody’s work situation is different, and the right dog will make your job easier instead of harder. The broad considerations are things like sheep vs. cattle vs. goats, hill country vs. flat country, paddock work vs. yard work, hot climate vs. cold climate. There are a few elite dogs that can be excellent in nearly all situations, but they are not often sold, and if they are it is for a lot of money! Most dogs are more suited to one thing or another and may be passable in the rest. Other considerations come down to personal preference on work style. Do you want a dog who barks, or is silent? Do you want the dog to mostly bring sheep to you, or would you rather both be droving stock from behind? Do you have large numbers of stock that need a bit more force to move, or are you working flightier stock that need to be worked with finesse? Do you want a dog who is obedient and easy to work with, or a dog who is more independent and able to work under its own initiative? Do you want a dog who knows a stop and a go command, or fully educated with side commands and other commands? Do you need a big casting dog to muster large
areas? Do you need a short coated dog so it doesn’t attract burrs? Do you need a dog who can back sheep in the yards? Do you need a dog who will bite cattle or a dog who never bites? Do you have any ambitions to trial? Those who only have one dog will often need a better quality allrounder to be useful in most situations. Many people have a team of dogs with different strengths, so they are covered in all their varying jobs. Injury can easily sideline a dog and leave you short, and busy times will often necessitate rotating dogs to manage fatigue or heat stress. Make your own judgement on the dog Do not ever take anybody’s word on a dog’s abilities. Most people are not trying to scam anyone, but everyone has a vastly different idea of what makes a good dog. One person’s champion is the next person’s cull. If you want to make sure you end up with a dog that will suit you, it is particularly important to see the dog working for yourself. In person is best, video a poor second. If you are clear about what you want the dog to do, you can ask to see the dog working in situations as similar as possible. If you want a dog for cattle, see it on cattle, and vice versa for other jobs. If you value obedience, make sure to see how it responds to commands. If you value particular attributes like cover, walk up strength or bite, make sure you check that the dog has these. If you are restricted to video, try and get unedited video of the dog doing a real job – a myriad of faults can be hidden or managed by using quiet sheep and editing video! Ask as many questions as you can think of. Make sure you judge the dog in front of you and do not rely too much on its breeding. Bloodlines give some idea of potential in a younger dog before it has been tested, but plenty of dogs are champions on paper and fall short when tested at real work.
compared to private sale. Many auction vendors are happy to show you the dog before the auction if you get in touch, though of course you run the risk of being outbid on the day! Private sale dogs are generally more affordable but require much more time and travel if you want to view multiple dogs. There is no pressure of an auction and you have much more time to view and consider the dog. Once you get the dog home Once you have found your new dog and brought it home, don’t expect to take it straight to work. Some dogs will take a significant amount of time to bond with their new owner. Be wary of letting it loose before it has bonded – many dogs have been lost looking for their old owner. Keep in mind that the dog will not work for you the same as it did for its previous owner – your commands, body language and personality will all be quite different. It can take time for you to both get used to each other – even more so if you want to change the commands used. Make sure you have safe and secure housing for the dog and check what it was used to at its old home. If you run into any issues, the first port of call should be the previous owner. Buying a working dog can be risky, but if you are honest with yourself and the seller and do your homework, you should end up with a dog who will make your life easier for years to come.
Thoroughly check the health of the dog If you want a dog to have a long working life, they need to be healthy. Make sure the dog is bright and energetic with no visible signs of pain or illness, paying particular attention to their gait. Body condition should be neither overweight nor too thin. They are athletes and should be muscled and built like one. Check their teeth and look over their feet. Check the vaccination, worming and flea/tick prevention history with the owner. Things you cannot see but should definitely check are genetic diseases. There are several diseases common in Australian working dogs – thankfully the most common ones can be tested for. In Border Collies ask if they have been tested for CEA (Collie Eye Anomaly), TNS (Trapped Neutrophil Syndrome) and CA (Cerebellar Abiotrophy) as a minimum. In Kelpies, ask if they have been tested for CA. These are all diseases that can impact a dogs working life if they are present. There are other diseases to test for if you plan to breed. Not all dogs have been tested – if that is the case, you can test the dog yourself or take the risk. Other health issues like hip dysplasia, heart murmurs, hearing issues and vision issues are all things to keep an eye out for. A vet check before or soon after purchase is never a bad idea. Auction vs. Private Sale You also need to think about how you want to buy. A dog auction can be a great way to look at several dogs in one place and have contingencies in place if your first choice goes over budget. Generally, prices will be higher at an auction
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THE TRAINING PEN
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Think like
Livestock Guardian Dogs Part One
T
he most important consideration with any working dog, whether herding or guarding, is to start with the right dog. There are around five or six breeds of livestock guarding dogs available in Australia at present. My own experience has been with Pyrenean Mountain Dogs and Maremma Sheepdogs. While there are good and bad dogs in any breed, these are the two breeds I recommend. We have been using guarding breeds for around 35 years and have had excellent results with both these breeds. Before starting training, it is important to have realistic expectations and be aware of the serious misinformation often circulated about livestock guarding dogs. There is unfortunately some very misleading information circulating regarding livestock guarding breeds which can cause real problems. Firstly, the myth that desexed dogs don’t make effective guardians, and also that livestock guarding breeds will not mate with dingoes or wild dogs. I have used desexed dogs with complete success. All breeds of guarding dogs will mate with any other breed of dog, or with dingoes. I am aware of feral Maremma and Maremma/dingo dogs being found in the Eidsvold area of Queensland. Another dangerous claim is that on large properties guarding dogs do not need to be fed as they will scavenge or kill game enough to survive. Two significant risks of this approach include the possibility of ingesting hydatid tapeworm if scavenging, and the risk of what animals the dog may consider game. This could include sheep in neighboring paddocks, your neighbors’ goats, or even animals in their own flock.
add.indd a Canine
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KEN SYKES Ken Sykes has been working with sheepdogs most of his life. A successful competitor at sheepdog trials, Ken runs regular training for livestock producers and gives working-dog demonstrations. He is a feature writer and speaker. His expertise draws on a broad range of research as well as practical experience.
Another misconception that has the potential to cause significant problems is the idea that guarding breeds should not be socialized with humans. Ideally, the dog should remain in the paddock and not be kept around the homestead, but the dog should always be able to be caught in the paddock and handled for any necessary health treatment. I have taken a Pyrenean from the paddock to a dog show and then returned the dog to the paddock! There is also the old chestnut we come across with herding dogs as well – that working dogs shouldn’t need training. Many think that if they are any good, they will work it out for themselves. As with working dogs, many guarding dogs work reasonably well despite, rather than because of, the way they are trained. Taking the time to give the pup the best start will significantly reduce the risk of failure. Care should be taken when selecting a pup. Maremma pups are very readily available which is the strength and weakness of the breed. Many Maremma pups are bred indiscriminately or even crossbred. Crossbred pups, unless crossed with a similar guarding breed, should be avoided. Select a pup from dogs that are successfully guarding the type of stock you have. The pup needs to be introduced to stock before twelve weeks of age. Pups introduced to stock after sixteen weeks of age have a high failure rate. In the next issue, we will look at the practical aspects of starting the livestock guarding dog.
The Most Famous Dog of All Written by Angie White The trial began and it was clear, big things were going to happen here.
His chest it expanded, he stood strong and proud, awaiting the loud applause from the crowd.
No pig dogs would show their face today amongst the Collie and Kelpie fray.
Reporters they mobbed him and begged for his story; he swept them aside and basked in his glory.
The dogs were keen, ears pricked high, the morning sun hot in the sky.
The boss he fell back, they didn’t want him; it was the dog receiving the crowd’s wild din.
The men were restless, Akubra’s down low, their wives unsure whether to stay or go.
Then all of a sudden, his whole body shuddered. Tongue rolled to the side; a loud noise thudded.
The judges paced awaiting the start, time passed by with each beating heart.
A hand shook his shoulder, he felt himself shake. “Dream times over dog - are you awake?”.
The crowd could feel the general unease, nothing stirred not even the breeze. TV cameras swept the ground, every small thing its lenses found. Newspaper pens ready and poised, it was eerie, the lack of background noise. Then all of a sudden - a Mexican wave! The crowd all awoke, as if from the grave. The judges walked out, confident and tall - then out came the most famous dog of all. The other dogs shrank. They knew they’d been beat; this dog set a standard they just couldn’t meet. The boss strolled in front, he walked with a swagger. He didn’t talk loud - he wasn’t a bragger. He walked on the field with a laugh and a whistle; he fondled his dog while chewing on gristle. The judge yelled “right, we’re ready at last”, the Boss waved his hand and the dog did his cast. Excitement had hit a high fever pitch, the sidelines were crowded, no room for a stitch. Two women had fainted right up the front; I heard someone whisper “publicity stunt”. It really was plain for all there to see! The dog was amazing, fantastic, lovely. Each movement a slice of poetry in motion; some say the handler gave him a potion. He conquered the race and the bridge in a minute, then cockily eyed the pen and sheep in it.
STOCKMAN PROFILE
Steven Weatherly
Article by Lauren Vest
S
teven Weatherly was born on a dairy farm at Newry, near Maffra in Victoria. He had working dogs from around seven years old and living in the foothills of the high country, he remembers annoying all the old mountain stockmen around the area to teach him dog and stockmanship skills. For a kid with a keen interest in stockmanship, he was extremely fortunate to have so many good stockmen around to learn from. Once he was old enough, he was employed as a drover for Gilbertson’s abattoir in Melbourne, working with all the old Newmarket drovers. He stayed there for ten years, learning a lot. He then moved into stock contracting, followed by a stint managing a composite ewe farm at Rosedale, then a steep and rough property at Mount Eccles and a property at Mortlake. He is currently the livestock manager for Andrew Sheridan, looking after properties at Wyang, Bengworden and Wuk Wuk in the Gippsland area. They run sheep and cattle, shearing around 18,000 sheep last year and running a combination of superfine Merinos, First Cross ewes, and Angus cattle. Steven says they are good people to work for, and he even met his partner Kate through the job – she started out as their wool classer and now has a full-time position there as well. The team is rounded out by the third worker, Ben, who is just starting out in working dogs. Steven is really enjoying helping him get started. A good stockman called Jim Jorgeson gave Steve his first working dog, a red merle Koolie bitch. He did not know what he had at the time – she did everything he ever asked of her, working sheep, cattle, dairy cows and cows and calves. He was also lucky enough when starting out to purchase a
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Kelpie dog off John Gedye, 30 odd years ago at Lardner Park – Scoriochre George. George is the best mustering dog he has ever had. John sent him another Scoriochre bitch to join to George, and Steven still has that same line of dogs today, including two sons of George. They are big casting, natural mustering dogs. They will do a job in the yards but really excel out in the paddock. Steven does not mind what breed a dog is – if it is a good dog, it’s a good dog. He has run Kelpies, Border Collies and Koolies, as well as crossbred dogs. They just purchased their first Huntaway from Pip Flower in Tasmania, and so far, they are impressed with her as a yard dog. He currently has three collies, one of which is a good cattle dog, and one they purchased from Sarah Lee for Kate to work. He likes a natural dog – if the dog is meant for paddock work, it must be a natural casting and mustering dog. If it is a yard dog, it must be free backing and barking, wanting to do it, not needing to be pushed or over commanded. They must bark easily – he doesn’t want to wave his hands around to make them bark. Having natural dogs makes it easy – you just put a handle on them and away you go. He likes dogs that are free moving and do not have too much eye or the wrong sort of eye. All the natural casting dogs he has had do not show much eye. The Scoriochre dogs see their sheep and just keep on kicking out and going. At Mt Eccles Steven did nearly all the stockwork from horseback as the country was too steep and rough to get vehicles in. You often hear people say that working from horseback used to make better dogs, but Steven does not agree. He says you
drop in at the right point, or run up the outside and jump in where needed. The dogs were next level. Working on grating in stifling heat, with one dog, all day. I asked Steven if he had any advice for people starting off with working dogs or wanting to improve. He said to find the best stockman you can and annoy the shit out of them! Ask questions – they will usually be happy to help you. As far as dogs go, look for natural dogs and do not make excuses for them. They should naturally do everything right. You will get the odd thing you don’t like in every dog, but they have to be natural above all else. They also must be able to move sheep or cattle. There are too many dogs getting around nowadays that cannot shift stock. Steven’s favourite dog job is mustering stock in hill country. You must have a real handle on your dog at a distance, and the dog must do it all himself – You cannot be there to help. You soon find out how good a dog you have! The same goes for yard work – putting big numbers through yards, often by yourself and with time limits, the dogs just have to get it done. Not much beats putting your dogs to the test and watching them do what they do best!
can work them just the same off a bike, ute or buggy – it’s more about how you choose to use them than what you are driving or riding. Even though he does not use a horse as often anymore he will often pull up at a gate and send the dog to muster the paddock under its own steam. It helps break your stock in and give the dogs more work. He saw a lot of dogs that were really good in the bush as a kid, and did not think there were many around nowadays, however he has recently seen some videos on Facebook that show really good, brainy mustering types. If you go to the steeper and rougher country, you can still find them. Nowadays he sees a lot of dogs being bred with too much eye or the wrong sort of eye. Trialling is not something Steven is keen to do – he did have a go once at Elmore and another time at Bairnsdale, winning a novice, however he says he is not a good enough handler or trainer to be competitive. Hats off though to the people who do it, there are some excellent and talented trial handlers about and he enjoys watching trials when he has a chance. Some stand out memories from his life with dogs were seeing the old bush stockmen send a dog into thick timbered country where you would not think any stock were. They would send and forget, leave the dog to go and do something else, then sometime later the dog would emerge with 20 or 30 cows. He thought he had seen good yard dogs until he saw the old Newmarket drovers working their dogs at Gilbertsons. The sheep lane was a kilometre long and the old hands like Bobby Wadden and Gus Fisher, legends at Newmarket, would send their dogs up the lane and they would back the whole way and
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Beginners Guide to Utility Trials
Article by Lauren Vest What is a Utility Trial? So far, we have covered yard, three sheep and cattle trialling. Utility trials include a combination of elements from both yard trialling and three sheep trialling, with the aim to test the allround ability of dogs working sheep in both the yards and the paddock as you might need on a station. Sheep are worked both out in the paddock through obstacles that resemble a three sheep course, as well as through a simple yard course usually including a drench race and a draft. Generally, three or five sheep are worked outside in the paddock and a larger number of sheep are worked through the yard section. Utility trials require a dog to be able to settle and steer smaller numbers of sheep well enough to guide them through obstacles and around the course, as well as be forceful enough to push sheep through the tighter confines of the yard section. This contributes to smaller entry numbers at utility trials when compared to the other trialling disciplines, as dogs need to have a broader range of skills to complete a utility course successfully. The first part of a utility course is the cast, which is usually as long as is practical within the grounds being used (often a country show arena/ring). As in a three sheep trial, the handler stands at a post and casts their dog in the direction of their choice around the sheep at the other end. The dog must lift the sheep calmly and bring them in as straight a line as possible to the handler. Points are lost for the sheep moving off course (away from the straight line between the starting point and the handlers post). There is a marked area around the handlers post called the delivery area and the sheep must be brought within this area before you can leave the post. Some utility trials differ in order from this point; however, most proceed into the yards from here. Generally, there are sheep already within the yard section waiting to be worked through, and you will either box your outside sheep into the yard mob or put them in
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a separate yard to be taken back outside once you complete the yard section. The yard section is usually a simple version of a yard trial course, including a drench race that may require backing to fill or unload, and a draft section. Higher levels may include a trailer to load and unload. Usually, the yard sheep will stay in the yards for several runs being recycled, before they are swapped out. You will either draft the correct number of sheep out to take back outside or recover your original sheep from where they were placed, as you go on to complete the last paddock section of the course. The final paddock section usually resembles a three sheep course with obstacles that may include a gap or a race, corridors to keep your sheep within while moving between obstacles and a pen to finish the course. ach trial may add novel elements as they choose but these are the most common. Points are lost for sheep leaving the corridors, getting too far ahead or behind the handler or the sheep going around an obstacle rather than through. The handler will lose points if they do not walk a straight line between obstacles, leave the assigned point to stand at obstacles before the sheep are through or influence the sheep. The dog will lose points for tail turning, unwarranted biting or toileting on the course. The dog crossing between the sheep and the handler usually results in disqualification out in the paddock section and a points loss inside the yard section (though this is at each judge’s discretion). The trial is complete when the gate is closed on the pen with the sheep inside. The course is timed, which varies between trials but is usually around 15-20 minutes a run. If you run out of time before you complete the course, you will lose a set number of points for each obstacle left incomplete. Points start from 100 at the beginning of your run and are deducted for any errors as you proceed through the course.
What do my dog and I need to be able to do, before we enter a trial? Your dog should be well under control and experienced working sheep up close as well as at a fair distance from you, as both will be necessary to complete the course. You will need to be able to cast your dog up to a few hundred metres to find a small number of sheep and bring them to you calmly. A good stop command is essential as well as a steady or keep out command if needed, as small numbers of sheep can be very flighty and may need to be worked from quite a distance until they relax. The bulk of a utility trial is worked on balance but if sheep go off course you will often need to send or pull your dog off balance to correct it, so side commands are useful. In the yards you will usually need your dog to back the sheep, as well as be comfortable working in close pens without biting or crashing sheep about. A bark on command can be especially useful for the yard section. What are the levels? Handlers start at encourage level, until they win a certain number of encourage classes (often two or three) or one higher class trial. Dogs begin at maiden level, and as they win trials, move up to novice, improver and then open. Some utility trials run a nursery class as opposed to an encourage or maiden, which is also for dogs and/or handlers who have not won a trial. Double check eligibility with the organiser if you are not sure.
When you arrive at a trial, make sure your dog is always under control and does not go near the ring when someone else is working or near other people’s dogs when exercising. There will usually be a scorer’s tent or shed and this is where the draw will be posted, and questions can be asked. At the start of each class there will usually be a judge’s talk – this is where the judge will walk the competitors through the course and explain how they want you to work the course and any special instructions. This is also the time to ask the judge any questions you have, so do not miss the judge’s talk! Check things like where to stand at obstacles, where the corridors are, where the delivery area is, what the draft is and anything else you can think of. This is also a great time to introduce yourself to the judge and let them know you are a newcomer. They will usually be happy to help you while you are having your run if you get lost! All that is left do to now is watch a few runs to get a feel for the course and then go out and have your go. Make sure you have emptied your dog out well before your run, as going to the toilet on course will lose you points. Try to relax and enjoy the experience – and prepare to get hooked!! *This article is written from the perspective of someone who trials mostly in NSW – rules can differ slightly between states and trials, so make sure you clarify things you aren’t sure of with the judge or committee at the trial.
How do I enter my first trial? Utility trials are usually run under the state yard or farm trial association as there are no utility trial specific associations. Events may be advertised on these state association websites or through relevant Facebook groups – If you are unsure where to start, I suggest calling a committee member of your state yard trialling association and they should be able to point you in the right direction. You will usually need to be a full or day member of the association to compete. Keep in mind that there are far less utility trials held compared to the other disciplines. Your dog does not need to be registered to enter a utility trial. Entry forms include contact details for trial organisers – do not hesitate to give them a call if you have questions about the levels, the rules or anything else.
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CANINE HERPES
The Puppy Killer
Article by Peter Brown Canine Herpes is a viral disease that is prevalent in the dog population. In adult dogs it is usually asymptomatic, but when contracted by newborn puppies it effects the respiratory system and is almost 100% fatal. Those that do survive after infection are likely to have on going health issues. How is Herpes spread? In adult dogs it is transmitted by several means, but the most common forms of spread seem to be aerosol inhalation (droplets in the air), sniffing fluids from an infected dog, sexual transmission at joining, or from secretions on clothing after contact with an infected dog or puppy. Puppies may acquire Herpes as they pass through the vaginal canal of an infected bitch at birth, in utero prior to birth or by contact with respiratory aerosols or vaginal discharge from the infected bitch after birth. What are the symptoms of Herpes in pups? If a pregnant bitch contracts Herpes she may abort the litter. Pups that do survive to be born or contract Herpes after being
born don’t normally show any signs of illness for 2 – 3 days. Once symptoms do start to appear they may include appearing listless, not wanting to suckle, eye discharge, nasal discharge, shallow breathing, red spots on the gums and a lowered body temperature. A lowered body temperature is key to allow the Herpes virus to multiply. Diagnosis via autopsy of dead pups is the best way to establish the presence of Herpes. Best practice to protect pups from Herpes Nearly all dogs have had contact with other dogs that have been exposed to Herpes. It is generally thought that Canine Herpes is present in 40 - 70% of the dog population - exact numbers are not really known, but it is endemic. Have your veterinarian check your bitch for any vaginal infections prior to breeding as this may be enough to produce an adverse effect on resistance to Herpes. Reduce stress on bitches prior to and after mating as it may activate Herpes - possibly resulting in early embryonic deaths, resorption, still birth, weak puppies, and neonatal death. Do
Superior Canine Feed Supplements Rikono's Gold - Complete everyday multi vitamin & mineral supplement not take pregnant bitches to shows, trials, work or other properties as the risk of infection will increase. Isolate the bitch from other dogs as much as possible for the last three weeks of her pregnancy and for the first three weeks after giving birth. Puppies cannot regulate their body temperature for the first three weeks of life, so it is important that they are kept warm at close to 30 degrees Celsius. These first three weeks of life are the most crucial because puppies that are not warm enough are ideal candidates for Herpes infection and consequentially death. A recent outbreak in a litter was quickly bought under control by consulting a veterinarian after three puppy deaths which commenced at three days old, with the three pups dying in a little over 24 hours. This litter were under a heat lamp but the air temperature was only 20 degrees Celsius. The remaining pups were given prescribed medication and their body temperature was raised using the heat lamp and constructing a roof over the brood box to prevent heat escaping. If puppies in a litter begin to show any symptoms of a Herpes outbreak immediately contact a veterinarian for advice. If you do have a Herpes outbreak, any dead puppies should be removed immediately from the brood site, placed in a plastic bag and stored in a fridge. It is easy for a veterinarian to diagnose Herpes by autopsy as there is visible mottling on the kidneys and liver which indicates a Herpes diagnosis. Surviving pups may need treatment to prevent any other disease from establishing due to their weakened immune system. It is good practice to maintain high standards of hygiene around the brood bitch and puppies to prevent the spread of Herpes and other infections, as well as washing your hands before and after handling the pups to avoid spreading the virus. Also consider replacing the bedding in which an infected litter has been born. If possible, burn that bedding.
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NOT JUST ANY
DOG MAN
Article by Angie White
A
s a young man, John White had vision in his eyes and a spirit of adventure that led him from the green and sometimes snow-capped mountains of Victoria to the red dirt and dust of western New South Wales. His father was a mining Engineer working in Penang, a Malaysian state located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia. He had taken his young wife with him on his journey to work in this pioneering role, as she raised three children in a foreign land far from the life they had known in a small town south of Melbourne. This alone taught John that passion and tenacity were winners in life, and he adopted this mantra as he headed off on his life adventure at the age of 18. Not to mention that his father was a bravery medal recipient during the Second World War. John had a fine example to follow as he waved off his parents at the train station. While Johns father had his eye on rocks and dirt, John was passionate about the land and animals, completing his final years of schooling at Dookie Agricultural College. Even his brother Don had a love of animals, spending years as the curator at the Werribee Zoo with a passion for all things wild. A passionate interest in birds saw him travel to several countries lecturing and contributing to research with his findings. But for John, it was to the land, and he found himself on a station eleven kilometres east of Nyngan, in the Centre of NSW, as a Jackeroo. The long days of dry winds and heat were a far cry from the more tepid temperatures of his home state. He settled in and his conscientious nature and ability to work harder than required soon saw him promoted to head overseer, an important role on the station.
It was here amid bustling station life that he discovered his love of working dogs, most particularly the Kelpie. He admired the work ethic and natural ability the dogs showed along with their gentle nature, which appealed to John, as he himself is a gentle man. Kind in nature, he was quiet but with a determined air that made him very affable to those he worked with. He was fascinated by the Kelpie, and soon began to breed his own, from good station dogs whose attributes he considered would produce a top dog that would make his stock work on the station easier. With large mobs to move around a vast area and on horseback to boot, these selected dogs soon showed they were worth their weight in gold. Gaining a reputation for being wiry and tough with unparalleled propensity for hard work, they soon started to be noticed by the other stockmen in the area. It was not long after, as all good stories go, that he met a quiet, shy, local girl Joy Murie. She was the daughter of a local property manager and the pair married in a quiet ceremony at Nyngan and went on to have three children. It was during this time that John and Joy decided to begin their own Working Kelpie Stud and “White’s Kelpie Stud” was born. It is to this day one of the longest running Kelpie Studs in Australia and once again is a clear indication of John’s passion and tenacity. With the mission in mind of producing dogs that were all round workers, John set about producing a team of Kelpies that could go from paddock to yard and yard to paddock without the need for a specialist dog for each job. In no time at all his dogs became well known for this and he had requests for dogs from all over Australia, and also the USA.
Not a believer in prolific breeding, John produced quality litters in smaller numbers that he felt were good mating’s. He spent hours researching breeding and only mated those he believed would produce valuable working dogs for the man on the land, as well as for himself and his work. John decided to try his hand at dog trialling as a way of meeting other breeders and as a form of social outlet. It was also a great chance to see other dogs and find out what other breeders’ thought were creditable attributes in a good working dog. He enjoyed success in trialling, but still maintains to this day that the mate ship was by far and away the best thing he liked about it, along with the chance to travel the country on family holidays, taking time away from the daily grind of work. He also became involved early in the Australian Working Kelpie Council and was one of the vice presidents for many years. He was also named WKC Patron in 2019. John has a comprehensive knowledge of the Australian Kelpie in his head and has many tried and true methods for training which he still uses today. In recent years he has handed White’s Kelpie Stud over to his son Gary, who inherited his passion and is making a name for himself and the Stud all over Australia, USA and Europe. Gary has become a sought-after clinician and is continuing with the breeding and promotion of the Australian Working Kelpie wherever he travels. Although Gary has been highly successful in his trialling career, he always maintains that this is partly a result of watching and listening to his father from a very young age. Combining Johns methods with those of his own have produced these results, along with methods of family friend and renowned Australian trainer Greg Prince.
John turns 89 this year and is still taking an active interest in his Kelpies. He has a couple of Kelpies at his home and spends many hours with Gary, working and caring for the dogs and simply enjoying the fruits of his labour. Australia has been blessed with many men and women who have taken a passion and forged forward with it to amazing ends. John is one of those. Never with an agenda, never with a self-serving attitude, purely out of interest and love he has worked at his stud and today all the Australian Kelpie breeders and enthusiasts are the lucky recipients of his years of work and research. John tells me he is an ordinary man and that may be so to him, but others would disagree, saying he is extraordinary in many ways. One thing stands out, he will keep following his passion for the Australian Kelpie until the day he dies.
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NEW SHEEPDOG CLUB AND TRIAL IN VICTORIA’S SOUTH WEST Article by Marion Whalan The South West Sheepdog Club Incorporated is a non-profit organisation (affiliated with the Victorian Working Sheepdog Association) which is dedicated to promoting the sport of three sheep trialling and encouraging new people into the sport. The club supports owners, breeders, and workers of sheepdogs by conducting training days and trials. The South West Sheepdog Club was formed in 2020. Club president and vet student, Irishman Conor McConnell said the club provides opportunities for members to gain knowledge, share their interest in sheepdog working and to become more proficient in the sport of sheepdog trialling. “I have been fortunate to train with some of the best sheepdog workers in the country and I want to share the knowledge that has been passed on to me by these experienced triallers. If our sport is to grow, we need to improve the knowledge of workers and help everyone trial more successfully.” Recently, from July 9th to 11th, the club successfully ran its first Trans-Tasman three sheep trial at Branxholme in western Victoria. The Trans-Tasman course is a test of dog and handlers' ability to navigate a course that combines the best of Australian
sheepdog trials with those from New Zealand. With 112 dogs and 40 handlers entered, the trial ran from dawn to dusk over the first two days at Branxholme, with the last 10 dogs running on Sunday morning, followed by finals in the Novice, Improver and Open competitions. Competitors as young as six years of age competed, along with handlers from across Victoria, South Australia, southern New South Wales, and some travelling from as far as Queensland to attend. The trial attracted strong local support from sponsors and the community, enabling the club to post $1000 on offer for first prize in the Open competition, which was won by Jim Dodge, from Snake Valley in Victoria with his dog Paton’s Cooper.
FINALS
Open - Top 10
NO
Worker
Dog
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Jim Dodge Stefan Cross (SA) Stefan Cross (SA) Conor McConnell (NSW) Conor McConnell (NSW) Conor McConnell (NSW) Paul O'Kane Paul Darmody (NSW) Conor McConnell (NSW) Jim Dodge
Patons Cooper Echo Park Lady Echo Park Bazza McConnells Lad Jandoree Blue Marong Murphy O'Kanes Majorie Jackson Wondara Troy Echo Park Glen McConnell's Cash
59 88 110 33 12 71 109 64 31
OPEN 93 87 89 87.5 78 91.5 78.5 86 80 79
FINAL 84.5 88.5 86 68.5 60.5 42 43.5 30.5 R X
TOTAL 177.5 175.5 175 156 138.5 133.5 122 116.5 80 79
PLACE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Improver - Top 5
NO 12 25 31 36 51
Worker
Dog
Conor McConnell (NSW) Bill Paton Jim Dodge Ken Jelbart Conor McConnell (NSW)
Marong Murphy Wondara Texas McConnell's Cash MGH Sammy McConnells Goldie
NOVICE 91.5 76 79 54.5 52.5
FINAL 42 39.5 X X DQ
TOTAL 133.5 115.5 79 54.5 52.5
PLACE 1 2 3 4 5
Novice - Top 5
NO 12 17 25 58 31
Worker
Dog
Conor McConnell (NSW) Richard Davies Bill Paton Brad Clarke Jim Dodge
Marong Murphy Coopendale Bindi Wondara Texas Nolans Ginger McConnell's Cash
NOVICE 91.5 75 76 72.5 79
FINAL 42 46 39.5 41 X
TOTAL 133.5 121 115.5 113.5 79
PLACE 1 2 3 4 5
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AUCTION TOPPERS David & Sarah Lee
Article by Sarah Lee | Photography by Nicole Cleary
D
ave grew up in Queensland and left school at the age of 14 to go droving, before venturing into working in various stock camps around Australia. After his stint in the stock camps, he became a horse breaker and rough stock rider. He went on to become a contract musterer, travelling all over QLD with a team of horses and dogs. He has always had a passion for working livestock and it is something that has come naturally to him. He has tried his hand at many other things, but his path has always led him back to working with his canine friends. His fond love for his horses and dogs has led us to where we are today. I met Dave on the second day of my holiday in Australia, arriving from my little family farm in England at the young age of 20. Dave was contract mustering on a very large cattle property in northern Queensland at the time and we soon worked out we had a lot in common. My two-month holiday soon turned into 12 years and counting! Eight years from when we met, we decided to make the move from Queensland to the cooler climate regions to pursue our passion for dogs and open our minds to different methods of dog training. We had spoken for a while about selling our dogs at auction instead of privately because we were unsure of how to value our dogs. The value we saw in them and what others were willing to pay differed a lot. We felt we were underselling our dogs, considering the time and effort that goes into training them and the capabilities of the dogs. By selling our dogs through an auction, we could let the bidders tell us what they thought our dogs were worth and could also safeguard them
with a reserve. We knew there was a market for quality, fully trained dogs with experience, after seeing the results from working dog auctions over the last three years. After much thought, we decided to put a quality, well trained Border Collie through Jerilderie Working Dog Auction in early 2021. We knew it was risky, as it is predominantly a Kelpie event but were pleasantly surprised. Not only was he the highest priced Border Collie sold through an auction in Australia, but more importantly for us he went to the most fantastic home with Rowena and Gus Munro in Northern New South Wales. They use him as an everyday farm dog, as well as a sire for their breeding programme. The great feedback we got from Roe and Gus gave us the confidence to then offer Hoover at the Casterton Working Dog Auction. We knew he was a quality all round dog - Dave was using him as one of his main workers and he had the experience and attributes that would make him stand out. It is always hard selling our dogs, but it is wonderful to know they have gone to great homes where they will be loved and appreciated. Hoover sold for an amazing price of $35,200, making him the highest priced working dog sold in Australia. We have had great feedback from Hoover’s new owners in Northeast Victoria. They are absolutely amazed with his all-round ability and have placed an order for another fully trained dog. Our training programme varies with each dog’s ability and personality. We like to take time to get to know our dogs and establish a training regime tailored to the needs of that specific
dog. We have found this is the best way for us to understand how they think and to help the dog fathom what we are asking them to do. A lot of dedication goes into training dogs, and you only get out what you put in. Our dogs are like our kids, and we like to take them from Kindergarten to PhD standard, making sure they pass each level and have a full understanding before they can progress. This approach allows us to quickly identify faults or misunderstandings and then try a different approach so that the dog is not confused or developing bad habits. We think timing is crucial and giving dogs plenty of time, and not rushing, allows them the opportunity to just think and read the livestock for themselves. They understand and feel a lot more than we give them credit for! We feel a solid foundation along with effective timing and quality stockmanship has been the key to our auction successes.
AUSDS Inc. ‘Stock Dog Challenges’ Article by Mitch Bennett and Lawson Gulliver
T
he Australian Utility Stock Dog Society Inc. is pleased to report, with the easing of Covid restrictions, that two successful ‘Stock Dog Challenges’ were able to be held. Even with short notice, volunteers got on board, both sheep and cattle where made available, and willing competitors entered their dogs in the test of the ‘all-round’ utility stock dog. On the 27th March at the local Racecourse Recreation Reserve of Chiltern in Victoria, there were a total of 30 runs for the one-day event. Sheep proved to be tricky out in the paddock section, but it was great to see many of the dogs accomplish the various obstacles including the ‘Drive Away’. A holding cage for the sheep was used at the end of the long cast to ensure that the dogs cast far enough before the sheep were released. The sheep worked well through the yards, and respected yard trial judge, Roland Pell, commented “It took me a while to comprehend the AUSDS system, but I like it, and would be pleased to judge and compete in future events”. Andrew Newell judged the cattle section – the cattle were tough, yet the calm strong dogs were able to handle them.
Guyra Level 1 - Jeremy Grills, Grace Halsted, Chris Egan and Judges John Rosten, Ian Berry, Jeff Ritchie.
Chiltern - Rod Cavanagh, Lawson Gulliver, Roland Pell, Darren Harcoan, Justin McDonald, Aoidh Doyle, Andrew Newell.
PLACEGETTERS WERE: Chiltern Level 1; 1st Justin McDonald with Molly, 2nd Darren Harcoan with Wyanbah Trigger, and 3rd Darren Harcoan with Wyanbah Kenny Chiltern Level 2; 1st Darren Harcoan with Wyanbah Trigger, 2nd Darren Harcoan with Wyanbah Kenny, and 3rd Aoidh Doyle with Whisper Elvis. On the 10th and 11th of April at Lock Roger’s property, ‘Stratton’, Guyra NSW, the other ‘Stock Dog Challenge’ was held with a total of 41 runs over the two-day period. It was pleasing to see the amount of nominations received from younger handlers who worked their ‘everyday’ stock dogs. The long cast was a real challenge. Due to the wonderful autumn season and green feed, the dogs had to be cast out on the ‘blind’. It was terrific to see many of the dogs gathering the sheep and bringing them back to their handler naturally. The judge, Jeff Ritchie, just loved this aspect as well as the varying tests of the paddock
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Guyra Level 2 - Mitch Bennett, Will Nicholls, Property Owner Lock Rogers and Darren Harcoan.
AUSDS Inc. is grateful for the judges, sponsors, livestock donors, venue holders and caterers that were happy to get on board and make these two challenges possible. They were also enjoyable and social events. The Society is looking forward to running more ‘Stock Dog Challenges’ throughout the remainder of 2021. The Australian Utility Stock Dog Society Inc. has a website www.ausds.org and Facebook page. Also, the AUSDS Inc. Database for Assessments of Registered Dogs, and the AUSDS Inc. Stud Register Report are available upon genuine enquiries.
obstacles. Over the weekend, John Rosten and Ian Berry also officiated as judges. All three gentlemen are considered of the highest calibre as top judges of stock and stock dogs. The sheep were in great condition and worked very well in both the paddock and yard sections. In the cattle section, the weaners were a bit sensitive and at times difficult, but the dogs with the ability to read stock well, handled the situation. PLACEGETTERS WERE: Guyra level 1; 1st Chris Egan with Anntre Ray, 2nd Grace Halsted with Karana Emma IV, and 3rd Jeremy Grills with Tammy. Guyra Level 2; 1st Darren Harcoan with Culgoa Deb, 2nd Will Nicholls with Graham, and 3rd Mitch Bennett with Bendit Charlie
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* DOGS AT STUD - FEE ON ENQUIRY * PUPS AVAILABLE BY ORDER * STARTED AND TRAINED DOGS Breeding and training versatile dogs for the paddock, cattle, sheep and trial arena. NSW MAIDEN -NOVICE DOG OF THE YEAR 2011 YOUNG ROBIN 2013 YORKLEA SAM 2014 SHADY ACRES JIMMY 2018 TARRAWAY SAM NSW OPEN DOG OF THE YEAR 2012 SHADY ACRES PATTIE 2015 SHADY ACRES PATTIE 2016 SHADY ACRES JIMMY 2017 SHADY ACRES JIMMY 2018 SHADY ACRES TANIA 2019 SHADY ACRES TANIA
NSW HANDLER OF THE YEAR 2014,2015,2017,2018 AND 2019 MEMBER OF STATE OF ORIGIN TEAM FROM 2009-2020
AUSTRALIAN DOG OF THE YEAR 2013 SHADY ACRES PATTIE 2016 SHADY ACRES JIMMY 2017 SHADY ACRES JIMMY 2018 SHADY ACRES TANIA
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The Formation of the WASDA
Article by Chris Wyhoon
The cliché that said that ‘all in good time’ certainly resonates with the formation of the Western Australian Working Stock Dog Association, which held WA’s first cattle dog trial recently. The idea for the new association was born nearly seven years ago. Passionate working dog owner and breeder Chris Wyhoon kicked the idea off, following several visits to NSW and being inspired at the Scone Working Dog Futurity. “I travel regularly to Tamworth (Chris is a Director of the Australian Bushmen’s Campdraft and Rodeo Association) and anywhere I can take an opportunity to visit a trial, I will” Chris said. Chris took great inspiration from the likes of Tony McCallum, who advocated the value of the stock dog challenges he had run. He has also spent a lot of time in the US and Canada in the past watching stock dog events. “I love the principles around making the competition as real and practical as possible and wanted to do something similar in Western Australia”. Chris kicked off a group with good friend Aticia Grey, of Pilbara Working Dogs fame, who invited a few others including stock managers Tim Bending, Lee Warrington, Darryn Browne and Courtney Robinson. A meeting was held, and all went on from there. The six in the group all agreed that trials alone were not their key ambition. They wanted to incorporate a range of events and practice sessions, ensuring they were
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handling stock in a low-stress way and mimicking real working conditions. “That was eight or so years ago – then before we could get something happening, they pretty much all took off up north with various jobs, and the whole group sat in hiatus”. Unfortunately, with a 200-hectare livestock operation in the Avon Valley, a growing rural training business, a couple of part-time jobs, and several Boards, Chris just never could muster the time to keep it going by himself. “The sheepdog triallers over here laughed at me; they thought it was a great joke to think that we wanted to start another association that included all types of stock, but in a more practical, real-life working stock dog context’. Chris purchased a bitch called Craiglea Tess from Jamie Sturrock in 2014, a daughter of Beacons Rees. Tess would help with his cattle operation and be a decent trial dog. “The moment of clarity that I finally needed to do something about this ambition came after we tragically lost Tess to an accident a couple of years ago, without ever coming close to using her potential”. Whilst Chris has loads of passion, and was making room to make the time, it was time to bring in someone with youth and energy, and access to large volumes of cattle, as Chris
– who has a relatively small stud herd of cattle – lives in a predominantly sheep breeding area. “We had a couple of false starts to get something going, but you need a team of good people, and close to where the cattle are”. Enter Tim Bending – one of the original six – who had returned to Southwest Western Australia and was now based at Coolup in the Peel region. He swung things into action, and with Chris’s assistance and guidance, kicked off what would be the first cattle dog trial. “They say that there are three types of people – the ideas people, the doers and the watchers –and whilst I may have provided the drive and ideas to get something started, it’s impressive young guys like Tim that just get on and do it, build a good team, and make it happen”. Chris re-started the Association and gave Tim the job of being President with himself as Vice-President, to help guide Tim along the way. Both Chris and Tim have been involved in running associations and committees in rodeo and campdraft respectively for many years. This meant that in terms of structure, growing membership, event management and dealing with sponsors, and issues such as procuring cattle, it was just a case of swapping from western horse sports to dogs. “I’ve been Chair and President of so many things over 30 years, and was really keen to have a young person drive things – I see young handlers in the eastern states associations doing wonderful things, and yet in WA Sheepdog Associations, I rarely see anyone under fifty”. The first PurePro sponsored cattle trial – which followed Queensland rules - was held at Leigh McLarty’s Boar Swamp campdraft ground, with cattle donated by Tim’s employer Plunkett Holdings. They were beautiful sappy young Angus heifers who had been dog-broke by Tim. Well-known trainer and sheep trial judge Simon Leaning judged the event and fifteen triallers competed. Some of whom their dog, and even themselves, had never worked cattle before.
Veteran trialler Dave Lacey won the first round with ‘Blondie’, scoring 89, with WASDA secretary and sheepdog trialler Jenny Whitelock taking second with an 88 score with ‘Jensown Microchip’. Dave won the aggregate with 180 points with ‘Blondie’, whilst WA-born but NSW-experienced cattle trialler Bec Martin came a close second with ‘Yarabee Tom’ with a 174, certainly helped by Tom’s final run of a staggering 97 points. The following day Simon Leaning held a working stock dog training school for the inexperienced participants, rounding off the trial to be a huge success. “We were stoked at how it went, and for me, it was really pleasing to see how after all these years of trying to get it off the ground, we finally did it”. Chris, Tim and the WAWSDA committee including the hardworking secretary Jenny Whitelock, are already organising more trials and practice sessions for the year, following a few enquiries from potential committees. Membership is growing quickly. “One day we will get to hold our stock dog challenges, reflecting the ambitions emanating from those discussions with Tony McCallum years ago. Who knows, maybe one day eastern states competitors might end up over here at some big, sponsored event - the sky’s the limit really!”.
THE 2021 NATIONAL
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Article by Sarah Sydrych and Lauren Vest Move over Dog on the Tucker Box, there is a new star in town! A legendary story to rival the Dog on the Tucker Box was created by Tony Elliott and Gundagai Frosty, who won the 2021 Open National Sheep Dog Trial Championships. This was only Gundagai Frosty’s second trial. He was entered in the Maiden competition and scored a total of 186, securing them third place after the final. This led to a run in the Improver and Open competitions where Frosty placed second in the Improver, made the Top 20 in the Open and finally won The National Open Championships. Frosty had to work hard for his win – at the completion of the final, there was an equal first place shared with MGH Tri, another young dog. A runoff was held to determine first place, and after a nail-biting finish, Frosty came out on top with a total of 366. What a legend! The Champion of Champions trial was won by Mick Hudson working Marong Maddie. The Improver class was won by Mick Hudson with MGH Tri, with the Maiden taken out by Jim Dodge with Paton’s Abbey. For 78 years the National Sheep Dog Championships have been held in the Canberra, the Nation’s Capital. Originally held at the Manuka Oval, over the years the prizes have been presented to the winners by the Duke of Gloucester, the Governor General, and Queen Elizabeth II. In the last two years of the trial, the sash has been presented by Governor General Hurley, who shares a heartfelt regard for the working dog and the recent struggles of farming communities.
2021 National Maiden Champion 1st - Jim Dodge with Paton’s Abbey - 188 2nd - Ken Jelbart with Trinity Kora - 187 3rd - Tony Elliott with Gundagai Frosty - 186 4th - Charlie Cover with Trinity Trickster - 179 5th - Pip Hudson with Barcoo Queen - 174 6th - Douglas Taylor with MGH Jackie - 163 7th - Jim Dodge with McConnell’s Cash - 160
2021 National Improver Champion 1st - Mick Hudson with MGH Tri - 192 2nd - Tony Elliot with Gundagai Frosty - 189 3rd - Mick Hudson with Marong Debbie - 189 4th - Conor McConnell with McConnell’s Goldie - 97
2021 National Open Champion 1st - Tony Elliot with Gundagai Frosty - 366 2nd - Mick Hudson with MGH Tri - 357 3rd - Mick Hudson with Ritchies Finn - 269 4th - Linda Denning with Windeyer Bobby - 261 5th - Mick Hudwqwson with Echo Park Mel - 255 6th - Mick Hudson with Marong Debbie - 192 7th - Pip Hudson with Rocky Sky - 185
For any lover of dog trial history, two volumes of the George Westcott manuscripts were on display at the trial. George Westcott was the founder of the National Championships, and the copied manuscripts chronicle the history and the fashion of the trial including big hair, hats, mini skirts, twin sets, suits and the Akubra hat. Over 2,000 spectators came to watch the working dogs in action throughout the week, despite the challenges of COVID 19 restrictions and regulations. There was a marked increase in competitor numbers from most states of Australia. A large contingent of triallers from Queensland braved the open borders for the chance to compete at the ‘Melbourne Cup’ of the sheep dog trialling world. Generously sponsored by Dogpro and steered by an engaged and innovative committee, the National Sheepdog Championships keep going from strength to strength. We look forward to seeing everybody at a bigger and better trial next year!
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2021 National
kelpie field trial Article by Lauren Vest | Photography by Jan McIntyre The 2021 National Kelpie Field Trial was held in April at Allora, Queensland, the week before the National Yard and Cattle Trial at Armidale. Where possible the national trials are held close together to make it easier for interstate competitors to attend in one trip. The Working Kelpie Council (WKC) started the National Kelpie Field Trial Championships over 50 years ago, with the 2021 trial the 51st held. The first trial was held at the Golf Club at Mildura. It is now held in a different state each year to allow competitors from all over the country a chance to compete at the premier trial for Kelpies. The WKC thanks the hosting committee for the planning and hard work that resulted in a most enjoyable trial. There were over 70 entries. This number was down compared to the 2019 trial, and it is believed that Covid-19 was the main contributor for the lower number of entries. The Merino sheep that were generously provided were challenging and tested the dogs, but responded kindly, particularly at the obstacles if handled calmly and allowed to settle. The open championship was won by Bree Cudmore working Marista Zoe – The first woman to win the NKFT and one of the youngest as well, at only 26 years of age. The novice event was won by Gary White, working the aptly named Whites Lucky. Congratulations to all concerned on a great trial.
SPECIAL AWARDS
National Kelpie Council Shield (Winner) Bree Cudmore - Marista Zoe CJ Butler Memorial Trophy (Highest individual score, one run) - Bree Cudmore - Marista Zoe Coleman Noakes Perpetual Trophy (Highest scoring novice) - Gary White – Whites Billy-Boy Bullenbong Trophy (Highest scoring novice dog worked by a novice handler) No Eligible Award Scoriochre Trophy (Most effective yard performance) Gary White - Whites Chrissie Prendergast Trophy (Breeder of winner) Marista - Matthew Sherwood Frank Scanlon Perpetual Trophy (Best cast, lift, and draw) Adam Miller - Elwanvale Sunny Capree Stud Perpetual Trophy (Fastest time) Adam James - Jindi Chuck (13.53) Bradley Sister’s Trophy (Best type Kelpie) Elwanvale Sunny - Adam Miller Les Tarrant Trophy (Best outside work in the opinion of the judge) - Bree Cudmore - Marista Zoe Lorna Browning Trophy (The lady who worked the highest scoring individual dog) Bree Cudmore - Marista Zoe
Novice final
NKFTC Final
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ARMIDALE CATTLE & YARD CHAMPIONSHIPS Article by Lauren Vest | Photography by JMC Photography This year the Cobber Australian Yard Trial Championships and Australian Cattle Trial Championships were held concurrently, hosted by a very dedicated small group of volunteers. They run a popular event each year combining both a yard trial and a cattle trial, so they had plenty of practice before hosting the big one! Competitors travelled from NSW, VIC, WA, QLD, SA and TAS to compete at the national trials. The yard trial ran three rings, with one ring for the cattle out in the main arena. Both trials were close together which meant spectators could pick and choose what they wanted to watch, with competitors able to run dogs in both competitions without too much running around. With a lot of trials being cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions, people gladly took the opportunity to get their dogs out and catch up with all their trialling mates. The trial was a huge undertaking, with 141 competitors attending, resulting in 1182 runs from 495 dogs spread out over both championships. The level of sportsmanship also stood out, particularly with people gladly helping those that were stepping into the ring for the first time. The yard triallers that were having their first ever runs at a cattle trial were made feel welcome and helped, and the same was true with the cattle triallers having a run in the yard. It is great to see folks stepping out of their comfort zone and having a go at something different to what they are used to! There was plenty of mingling between the yard and cattle competitors, ringside as well as at the bar. The yard trial courses were tight and technical, testing the dogs and handlers. A trailer was included in each course which was
good to see. Congratulations to the 2021 Australian Champion Yard Dog – Captain, worked by Robert Cox. The State of Origin competition held under lights in the cattle arena was a definite highlight and a spectator favourite. To add to the competition, the Victorian contingent put together a team to have a crack alongside the Queensland and New South Wales teams. There were a few worried faces when Victoria was leading near the finish, however the New South Wales team emerged victorious, appropriate considering the official State of Origin results we saw this year! Another highlight of the week was the junior cattle trial, with some of the kids outshining their parents. The 2021 Australian Cattle Trial Champion was Yarrabee Scout, worked by Adam James. A huge thank you goes out to the sponsors, stock donors and carriers. Kelly’s transport carted 221 cattle from Union Ag and 300 cattle from Lynoch Pty Ltd for the cattle trial. Camo’s transport carted 870 sheep from Achill and 600 sheep from the Clayton family at Annalee for the yard trial. Thanks to Cobber, Armitage and Buckley, Armidale Tourist Park, Bones Tyres, A1 Self Storage, Gates Performance Genetics, Armidale City Bowling Club, Harewood Dohnes and The Wollomombi Store, for making it possible to offer over $25,000 in prize money, product, and trophies. The trial could not have gone ahead without everyone who helped, be it setting up, judging, time keeping, announcing, letting sheep or cattle out, packing up, or any of the myriad other jobs that needed doing. A special mention goes to Justin, Ed, Angus, Michael, Stu, Tammy, Dan, Luke, Paul, O’Connor Catholic School, and the Backtrack team.
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Everybody feels down sometimes, and it ain’t weak to speak – Sometimes we need more than man’s best friend to talk things out with. If you are struggling with anything, please check out some of the links below. The beyondblue Support Service is available by phone 24 hours a day, seven days a week on 1300 22 4636. Webchat and email options are also available via www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support. Trained mental health professionals can provide free and confidential short-term counselling and offer referrals to local support services.
Lifeline: 13 11 14 Aussie Helpers: Virtual psychologist - call 1300 665 234, text 0488 807 266 or visit https://aussiehelpers.org.au/aussie-helpers-virtual-psychologist-for-drought-affected-farm-ers/ Donations - www.aussiehelpers.org.au Rural Financial Counsellor Service: 1800 686 175 (for advice about locating counsellors in your area)
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