Working Dog Trials not to be missed this November

THREE days of brilliant Border Collies and clever Kelpies will be showing off their sheep herding skills at the Korumburra Showgrounds this November for the South Eastern Working Sheep Dog Trials.

This year’s event is set to be a big one with over one hundred dogs competing with their handlers. 

The working dogs will take on more than 400 sheep, with each dog having to work three sheep at a time around a course consisting of three obstacles and a pen.

The dog and handler work in synergy, combining instinct, skill, and patience as they contend with the often-uncooperative sheep.

While Sheep Dog trials began with a slow start in the 1930s and over time interest has grown with about 30 competitions held annually in Victoria.  

Local Border Collies, Ruby and Mumu from Hopwood Estate will make their debut in the Novice Trial. 

Owners and handlers Sean and Jinyan O’Leary have been training the eighteen-month-old pair at Berrys Creek and with sheep on their own farm.

“They are going good here at home. When they go to the training days, it’s a little bit different, because it’s different sheep than they’re used to and different environments, so they have to work a little bit harder,” Sean said. 

The canine pair came from the same litter, but their temperaments vary greatly, which will make for an interesting day at the trials for the O’Learys. 

“Ruby is really calm and compliant, so she responds really well to the commands. Mumu thinks she knows best and that she can do it her own way, so she takes a little bit more discipline,” Sean explained. 

The Victorian Working Sheep Dog Association was formed in 1927 by those who saw the need to foster the working and 
breeding of better sheep dogs and to improve their quality. 

The trials work on a points-based system, starting out with 100 points and then points are lost if dogs go off course or are unable to navigate the sheep through the obstacles within the fifteen minute limit.

Sean became interested in the dog trials after attending an event a couple of years ago and has been training the Border Collies since getting them. 

“Training involves getting all the basics right, from stopping them, making sure they’re getting around the sheep, working with enough pressure and force on the sheep to move the sheep, but not being aggressive.”

This is called balancing the sheep. Sean is hopeful that Ruby and Mumu will get around the course without too much trouble. 

“If the dogs do the best they can and we do the best we can for our first time, we’ll take it all as a learning experience. But we’re confident that they’ll do okay.”

The South Eastern Victorian Sheep Dog Trials will be held from Friday to Sunday November 11 – 13 at the Korumburra Showgrounds. Entry is by gold coin donation.

The Berryden Sheep Dog Trial and Victorian Working Dog Arena Championship will follow and will be held at Boolarra Recreation Reserve from Friday to Sunday November 17 – 19.