Todd Kissick - NSW Sheep Dog Workers Inc. Rookie of the Year I currently live on 500 acres at Laggan NSW. We run mainly Angus cattle but also have 200 merino. I contacted Mick Hudson almost 5 years ago to try and buy a well bred pup I could use for farming. I got a bit lost in my training and asked Mick for help. He showed me some very valuable things that made a lasting impression. He talked me in to trying 3 sheep trialling 2 years ago and now I’m hooked. I also spent some lovely times with Laurie Slater. He has some incredible knowledge and I was thrilled to have him share it with me. I won a couple of encourage classes this year along with an equal first but my highlight was making the open final at Bredbo with my mum there to watch. Halfway through the year, 2022, my good dog, Penny, broke her hind leg. I was lucky enough that my daughter lent me her dog, Dixie, to continue competing. Dixie was very well trained by my daughter, Emily. I hope I didn’t undo too much of that. There was some great competition in the encourage class in 2022 and I made it to a few more events than most which helped. I was also very lucky along the way. My family and I have been welcomed in to this sport with open arms and almost all the triallers are willing to offer their support and advice for which I am very grateful.
Adam James & Myamba Moss - VIC Yard and Utility Farm Dog Ass. High Point Dog of the Year I’ve been competing in trialing for roughly 14 years, 7 of those have been with Myamba Moss. Over that time, he’s been an awesome dog to work and trial with, collecting some pretty handy awards along the way. Probably some of his standout achievements are his National Kelpie Field Trial win and his Victorian State Utility Championship win. He’s also finished runner up in two more National Championships. Damien Clifford from Woorndoo bred him, he’s out of Jones Gemma by my old dog buster. When I started out, Norm Severs, Rod Cavill and Travis Scott were the people I looked up to and the ones that gave me much needed advice. I’d say what makes Moss stand out is his cover and speed, not much beats past him! Along with his top knot, not the hardest, but quick and effective.
Kim Davidson & Stockman’s Fly - VIC Yard & Utility Farm Dog Ass. High Point Bitch of the Year I’ve competed in a few different dog sports before venturing into sheep. I’ve
competed and won at State and National levels in agility and obedience but doing something with a dog that they are bred for is just so amazing. I enjoy watching the natural work and building a solid partnership from there gives you the most amazing feeling. I am just so incredibly blessed to have Fly come into my life. Mark Wheeler handed her over to me in December 2021 a week after I was talking with a friend about looking for a started dog, we started our trialling in about the February of that year. I’ve been very lucky to have great help along the way starting with dog schools with Joe Spicer who is still very generous with friendship, guidance and support. I have two main influences that have been such help with amazing guidance, support and friendship, constantly. Travis Scott and Neil Winslade have been so generous with their time and knowledge, I value both their opinions and input so much. Neil was so kind in allowing me to annoy him often when I was in the Bendigo area. Travis’ friendship and guidance over the years, regardless of what dog I was working at the time has been unwavering. They both work along the same lines and handle anxiety ridden, self-doubting brains that overthink far too much about what could go wrong not what could go right, with good humor and understanding.
Fly is just amazing at reading her stock, I never question her, ever. Meticulous in her work, “why punch when you don’t have” to is her motto in life and I’d be absolutely lost without her. Now that I’m doing a lot of stockwork, it’s easy. It really is that in a nutshell, her ability to read stock and makes my life easy.
