Local Trials Barking Success

MORE than 200 dogs and their handlers from throughout the eastern seaboard enjoyed the Murrurundi dog trails on the weekend and today many have begun competing in the Willow Tree trials.

Harry Kelly, treasure of the Murrurundi District Sheepdog Workers Association, has been trialling dogs for a ‘good while’ and was pleased numbers were up this year at the local trials.

Bill Davidson’s “Patch” working some sheep at the Murrurundi Sheepdog Trials.

“I would reckon we would have had 30 extra dogs working in the improved ring and 20 dogs more in the novice ring,” said Mr Kelly.

“A couple of years ago the NSW Sheepdog Society approached us and asked if we’d run our trial Saturday, Sunday and Monday because Willow Tree starts on Thursday and people would probably hang around and do both trials and that seems to be what is happening,” he said.

“Previously we’ve had some pretty tough sheep to work and the last two or three years they have been extremely good sheep to work and I think the message is getting out that Murrurundi has decent sheep and we can go there and work our dogs with confidence.

“There are a lot of lady triallers coming up from Sydney now.

“We had the state president there Anne Wherry, she comes from Sydney and we had the state secretary Josie Kimpton and her daughter were there and they had eight or nine dogs, Jane Parker was there she worked five dogs in each ring.

“As much as I hate to admit it the ladies seem to be taking over the working dog business,” he laughed.

“But Anne’s got my support all the way,” he said.

“It went off well, it was beautiful weather and everyone seemed to be having a good time, no one had a whinge to me anyway,” he laughed.

The only scrap Harry knew of was between two dogs and although he did not see the dogs involved his money was on them being kelpies.

“There was only one little bit of a scuffle early on Sunday morning, I’ve been chasing the dogs for 20 years now and it’s the first time I’ve seen a bit of a tussle between dogs, because they are all pretty well behaved,” he said.

“A couple of the kelpie dogs here they get a bit stroppy sometimes, they’re not quite as well behaved as the boarder collies,” he laughed.

“I don’t know which two dogs were in the scrap, I was judging and I could hear the dogs going on, no, no harm done, just a bit of hair pulling, but there was no need for a vet or anything drastic like that,” he laughed.

Anne Wherry, president of the NSW Sheep Dog Workers said the trials were a credit to Murrurundi.

“It was a beautiful trial, well run, the organisers do a wonderful job there and the weather was great,” said Ms Wherry.

“People travelled from throughout New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria,” she said.

“There were a lot of local people who came to support the trial which was great, especially on Sunday lots of people were there,” Anne Wherry said.

The Willow Tree dog trials start this afternoon and finish on Sunday.

Results:

• The open was won by Daniel Stephnson with a dog called Romlee Ray.
• The novice was won by Billy Davidson with a dog called MGH Sol.
• The encouragement was won by Scott Toolin with dog called Wondara Star.
• Improver class was won by Greg Walton with Karana Max.