The Working Dog Challenge & Auction

The second annual Working Dog Challenge went off without a hitch with people coming from across the Eastern states and Tasmania for the four day event which hosted the largest working dog auction in Australia.

The event saw over 500 trial entries, 56 dogs offered for Auction, and 16 of the best Sires in the country going head to head in the Sire Shootout.

The weekend also raised funds for mental health organisation This Is A Conversation Starter through the sale of a charity pup and started bitch, as well as a cut of the Calcutta prize pool and money raised through a raffle. In total, $8645 was raised for TIACS.

One of the event organisers, Tom Card, Bowyer and Livermore, Bathurst said it was a very successful weekend.

Mr Card said this was the most trialers the event had seen but numbers in the dog auction remained similar to the previous year.

The auction itself was dearer than last year with a higher average across the field and a wider buying support with dogs selling from Queensland to Tasmania.

“All the trialing went really well and the sire shootout was an unreal sight to see and it went till midnight but everyone was very happy with the show we put on Friday night.

“I think everyone really enjoyed themselves over the last four days,” he said.

With plans already in motion for next year, Mr Card said he expected the 2023 Working Dog Challenge to be bigger than ever.

“We are definitely going again next year and this will be a consistent annual event,” Mr Card said.

“We only plan on making it bigger and better and keep improving to what the trialers are after and what the sellers want to be seeing in the auction.

“We just want to make this a place that people can come to and show off their dogs and then have the opportunity to sell them on the final day.

“Just having that annual sale that people can come to and rely on quality,” he said.

Mr Card said the annual event was planned to occur on the last weekend in November each year which made the 2023 dates November 23 to 26.

With more than 500 entries in The Working Dog Challenge Trial, the best dogs from across the country battled it out with the sheep and cattle. The cattle trials were judged by Allan Fletcher, Glen Innis, Wayne Wayte, Stanthorpe, Qld, Murray Wilkinson, Scone and Nathan Brown, Walcha and the sheep by Matt Sherwood, Marengo, Ash Corkhill, Boorowa, and Daniel Pumpa, Yeoval.

Around The Grounds

Results

Maiden Cattle

1. Andrew Clode with Dodge

2. Bill Luff, Coolac with Cotway Dazzler

3. Dave Crawford, Reids Flat, with Crawfords Butch.

Novice Cattle

1. Jake Nowlan, Nimmitabel, with Amos Zone

2. Dick Chapman, Stockers-siding, with Lucky

3. Andrew Heath, Molong, with Maggie

Open Cattle

1. Murray Wilkinson, Scone, with Lola

2. Tim Flynn, Ridgelands, Wildcard Spotty

3. Tim Flynn with Gen Y Jasper.

Maiden Sheep

1. Bill Luff with Cotway Dizzy

2. Sam Cook, Carcoar, with Chopper

3. Shaun Maurer, Millvale with Getitdun Keeper.

Novice Sheep

1. Michael Johnson, Woodstock, with Milburn Boyd

2. Scott Bridge, Muswellbrook, with Jimmy

3. Shane Maurer with Keeper.

Open Sheep

1. Dale Thompson, Benalla, Vic, with Broken River Jake

=2. Sarah Lee, Edenhope, Vic, with The Lees Rock

=2. Chris Egan, Bathurst, with Ray

3. Dean Incher, Adaminaby, with Hulk.