Farm dogs from across the nation compete

IT’S the state of origin for farm working dogs as 12 competitors from six states will battle it out in this year’s Cobber Challenge.

Each will don GPS trackers with the distance, speed and duration travelled during their working day compared over a period of three weeks in August.

It’s the third year of competition with the southern states dominating to date.

Tasmania was home of last year’s winner, and the 2018 Tasmanian representatives – Bridport’s Molly Cornish and two-year-old Hooch, and Bree-Elle How’s Clyde from Tunbridge – have a lot to live up to. Both will be counting on the need to regularly move large numbers of sheep through a rotational grazing system to rack up the kilometres.

NSW put forward the largest number of nominations, making the selection process tough. This year the state will be represented by Glenda Rogan and her Kelpie Jess, from Copmanhurst, and Boorowa’s Oliver Adlington and Fly, who both appreciate just how hard their dogs work.

Two competitors from Western Australia are keen to see how the distances in the largest state stack up against their eastern counterparts. Rebecca Martin and her kelpie Tiges from New Norcia, 130 kilometres north of Perth, and Darkan’s Karyn Buller and her Rosie, both work large acreage each day.

The size of the properties will also mean tough competition from the north, with those hailing from Queensland, Moura’s Simon Clarke and his cattle dog Ernie, and contract musterer Christian Bjelke-Petersen and his Kelpie-Collie cross Storm, regularly travelling long distances each day.

Two kelpies from large-scale sheep properties in the midst of their busiest time of year will represent South Australia. Matthew Scharkie and Mitch, a four-year-old dog from Terowie in the state’s mid North, and Luke Farrell and Barbie, from Greenways, on the Limestone Coast, will put up stiff competition.

Victoria will also have a Fly in the competition. Fly Harrison and his owner Ben, from Molka in the state’s central north, will join Winchelsea’s Henry Lawrence and six-year-old Boof, in an attempt to bring the title back to its inaugural home of Victoria.

Cobber brand manager Marika O’Leary said the number of nominations demonstrated just how keen Australian farmers are to see their dogs recognised for the work they do.

“We had nominations from across the country and you could clearly see how everyone values their dogs, the part they play in the farm business, and their mateship,” Marika said.

The competition will run for three weeks from Monday August 13 to Sunday September 2.