Skilled hounds are putting sheep through their paces in the NSW Sheep dog Championship Trials at Molong this week.
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“At the start of the week each dog has 100 points,” NSW Sheep dog Workers President Andrew Heath said.
“Judges deduct points by watching the dog steer the sheep through a sorting race, over a bridge and into a pen.”
The dogs are judged on their ability to keep the sheep calm and walk them within an eight metre corridor – a tall ask for a farm dog.
“The majority of these dogs don’t do a lot of farmwork,” said Mr Heath. “It’s more of a hobby for their owners.”
Mr Heath said the standard is so high farmers often don’t have time for the training required to compete.
“The competition attracts a lot of retired farmers because the younger farmers aren’t able to take three days of work.”
Mr Heath said last weekend’s national competition winner, John Perry and his dog Boco Raffa, could be one to watch in the finals at Dr Ross Memorial Recreation Ground on Saturday.
"To win you need a combination of a good dog and some good luck," he said. “If you’ve got uncooperative sheep it’s not going to happen.”