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
