DEAN’S Old Sniff Classic has inspired a second dog trial event at the Dean Recreation Reserve.
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The three-sheep Elders Dean and District Sheepdog Trials, which returns on October 12, will be joined on the calendar by yard dog trial next March.
Pootilla sheep and cropping farmer Adrian Ryan had raised the idea of running the yard dog trial with Dean Recreation Reserve committee president Brian Maher.
Mr Ryan said the success of the three-sheep arena event last year, which is dominated by border collies, had encouraged the kelpie crew to run their own competition at the venue.
He said March 8 had been picked out as the date, which would see it in the latter half of the yard dog trial season.
“Part of it is the success of the three-sheep dog trial at the Dean Recreation Reserve and part of it is to support the Dean community,” Mr Ryan said.
“We’d be looking at having about 60 dogs in it. We are even considering having it as a twilight event but we haven’t decided yet.”
Whereas three-sheep dog trials tend to be worked over a larger area (or arena), yard dog trials are conducted in smaller yards and with a greater number of sheep.
The two competitions generally attract a different set of competitors and different dogs.
The Old Sniff Classic was first held last year and attracted more than a dozen of the state’s best handlers and about 40 dogs.
This year’s competition has attracted about 20 handlers with time once again limiting the number of dogs to about 40. Each dog has 15 minutes to complete the course.
“These are championship quality dogs,” Mr Maher said.
“Pretty much every one that came last year will be coming back, including last year’s winner, David Hines from St Arnaud, and Jimmy Dodge, who is in the state team and is in the running for the Trans-Tasman championship.
“The Dean Sheepdog Trials is one of the bigger prize money events on the calendar and one of the first for spring. It is good for Dean and good for the sport as well.”
AT A GLANCE
WHAT: Elders Dean and District Old Sniff Classic Sheepdog Trials
WHERE: Dean Recreation Reserve, Daylesford-Ballarat Road
WHEN: October 12, from 7am
