2022 High Point Awards

Late. Robert Johnson & Coldwestern AdaNSW Working Stock Dog Ass. Open Dog of the Year

With the passing of Robert in a farming accident in late 2022, the receiving of the Open dog the year came as a bittersweet award. Robert had been dog trialing for nearly 20 years, his love of dogs shone through in the many trophies that are displayed proudly in his wife Narelle’s home. Coldwestern Ada was the 20212022 NSW Open dog of the year having never won an open event, Ada remains a Maiden dog however did so well in open events she accumulated enough points to gain the main prize for the Open dogs. This shows the potential of Ada for future trialing events and also of breeding amazing working dogs for years to come. Ada was sired by Roberts main bloodline Shady Acres Jimmy, winner of many local and national level events. Coldwestern Ada is now in the trusted hands of Jack Maloney of Tatham, she will be a dog to watch and if you have the opportunity to purchase a pup it would be a well spent investment in your working dog team.

Dick Champman & I.P.C Cash - NSW Working Stock Dog Ass. Handler of the Year & Maiden/Novice Dog of the Year

I have been competing in dog trials for approximately 25 years and have made many lifelong friends through the sport, travelling to many different areas of the country. I have been lucky enough to be a 3 time NSW Championship winner with both kelpies and border collies, and I have represented NSW 20 times in State of Origin. The first Australian Dog of the Year in 2009 was a kelpie called Dunbible Creek Nugget who I bred and trained. Nugget was the sire of my first NSW Championship winner called Noble Joe.

I don’t really have a preference between collies or kelpies as long as they work. The current NSW Dog of the Year I.P.C. Cash was bred by Ian Cox and purchased by Shane and Mandy Anderson. Cash is sired by Floyd Farthings Jack (AI) and his dam is Pat Byrnes Daisy. Cash as a young dog had some issues and changed hands a couple of times. Cash was entrusted to me by Shane and Mandy and we seemed to click as a team and have been fairly successful. We have been trialling as a team for 18 months.

I.P.C. Cash is the current NSW Dog of the Year, also the Maiden/Novice Dog of the Year and I was fortunate to also win the NSW Handler of the Year.

The thing that makes Cash an exceptional dog is his desire and willingness to please always. He is a great dog.

Bill Davisdon & Grassvalley Flake - NSW Winning Reps of the Ted Gaby Interstate Challenge

About 30 years ago I started off sheepdog trialling after an injury playing rugby. I started off in the encourage with a Kelpie bitch by Chris Stapleton’s Watch called Elle and a border collie dog I got off Ron Seabrook from Euchua called Larry.

My interest started after a very enjoyable weekend at a Pip Hudson school and from than on I was keen to have a go.

First efforts were fairly dusty but I hung in there and gradually started to improve. As time went on I went to a couple of Greg Prince schools and talked to and asked lots of questions of the good triallers and some better results started to come. Took a while to win my first Open trial and since then I’ve been fortunate to represent Australia twice, win a National Open and 4 NSW championships.

Grassvalley Flake is a 5 year old white bitch bred by Grant Cooke in Western Australia. She won the National maiden and NSW improver championship when she was a bit under 2 years old and hasn’t done much trialling since due to COVID and work commitments.

She is a honest dog who tries very hard for me with decent walk up force for a dog that is kind to its stock. She is a nice dog to work and is happy to comply to my commands whilst still having a great desire to work.

John Perry & Bredbo Ash - National Sheepdog Champion 2022

Having spent my early working life as a shearing contractor and managing 14,000 acre Bredbo Station, I got started in 3 sheep trialling in about 1984 working station dogs up until then. My first real success in trialling was with a great bitch, Wynella Lady – we won the Encourage at NSW Championships at Molong followed by the Maiden at the National Sheepdog Trial Championships at Hall, ACT in 1985.

The person that probably influenced me the most around trialling was Ted Gaby – I picked up his habit of recording every single trial and all my results over the many years I’ve been in the sport. I’ve also had some memorable wins, representing NSW on 12 occasions, Australia 6 times and captaining the Australian team 3 times.

More recently, I was successful at the National Sheepdog Trial Championships taking out the prestigious Duke of Gloucester award for winning the Open trial with Bredbo Ash. This was on the back of winning the National with Ash’s father Boco Raffa in 2018. The National is the ‘Melbourne Cup’ of dog trialling – the one everyone wants to win and I’ve been lucky enough to win on 4 occasions now. You’re not beaten if you get knocked down. You’re only beaten if you don’t get back up.

Mick Hudson & MGH Rabbit - NSW sheep Dog Workers Inc.

Dog of the Year & Handler of the Year & NSW Winning Reps of the Ted Gaby Interstate Challenge

From the age of 16-20 I did a small amount of trialling, then had to concentrate on work, and then came back trialling at around 36 years of age. I have had success with a variety of dogs, mostly bred by myself with the MGH prefix. MGH Rabbit and MGH Daisy were probably my most consistent performers for 2022. My highlights for 2022 were winning the Australian Championship, Commonwealth Championship, Australian Dog of the Year, Australian All Round Stock Dog Champion, Queensland Championship, Tasmanian Championship, Supreme Australian Championship and to top it off, Captained Australia to a test series win over New Zealand. All these achievements gave me the points to win Handler of the Year and Dog of the Year (with MGH Rabbit) for the NSWSDWI. One person who played a major role and who I have gained a wealth of knowledge from is my father, Pip Hudson. I spent a fair bit of time with Greg Prince in my younger years and also Lou Noble used to call into Dad’s when I was growing up and would give me tips. I also gained a lot of knowledge from

Laurie Slater and Paul O’Kane by watching them work dogs and talking to them.

I believe the secret to my dogs’ success is clean strength and I also feel my success is attributed to the Hypro Premium Grain Free dry dog food, as they work exceptionally well on it. - mickhudson.com.au