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The Luddenham Show is always worth a visit, be it for the horse events, the bush poetry or the dog trials. This is an old fashioned country show that survives on the outskirts of Sydney despite the encroachment of suburbia.We pick up one of the dog trials at the first obstacle. The sheep this day were extremely skittish and difficult. About 80% of them raced off before the dogs were able to complete their cast.PLAY |
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It's been a few weeks since Gus has seen sheep. Outside it is 43c (109F) and he has been allowed inside to enjoy the comfort of the airconditioning. Always willing to work Gus decides a fly will to to practice his skills on. |
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Nick Seis and his two working kelpies herd 350 sheep and their lambs along the lanes of their property Winona just outside the historic gold rush town of Gulgong in the Central West of New South Wales. |
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Noonbarra Gus has been training in the medium sized yard and is now ready to try a longer cast in a larger paddock.Gus trains at Dogs NSW which is located at Erskinee Park, Sydney. This excellent facility has about 60 acres of paddocks and yards set up for training stock dogs.Gus is a 2 year old "silver" or fawn and tan kelpie from Mary and Stephen Bilson's kelpie stud, Noonbarra which is located near Orange in the Central West of New South Wales. |
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Dogs New South Wales takes delivery of 75 new young sheep. Darcy Martin and his dogs Holly and Sam move the sheep from the truck into the main arena at Erskinee Park. The sheep are a bit unsettled and dirty from their long journey.Holly and Sam are eventually joined by Noonbarra Gus and Bring'em Darb. The objective here is to settle them in after their long journey and let them have a drink.Sam and Holly hold them up to the water as they grow accustom to their new surroundings. The sheep have never seen a dog before let alone a bath full of water. They are curious but wary of both. Sam holds the left flank despite the inquisitive noseyness of a couple of sheep. His good work is rewarded with a nice cold bath. |
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In 1979 the ABC Rural Department's "A Big Country" unit made an excellent documentary "The Drover" on Jack Torney and his Blue Heeler Ralph. Jack had driven a mob of over 5,000 sheep 1,500 kilometres from Central NSW along the "long paddock" to Western Victoria. The "long paddock" is a name given to stock routes, an endless string of back lanes that wind their way throughout outback Australia.Sadly the ABC Rural Department and A Big Country are no longer with us. "The Drover" has never been released by the ABC on DVD. If enough people pester them maybe they will.Here is a taste from the "Drover" |
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Darcy Martin has been working with dogs for almost 70 years. He still is a regular on both the 3 sheep and cattle trial circuit. Here he can be seen with one of his dogs Darb.Darb is also very good on cattle and often scores in the high 90s at trials.Darcy is President and Head Trainer of the Stock Dog Club at Dogs New South Wales at Erskinee Park. |
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Denis Le Serve and his black and tan kelpie Mero.
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Sam has been put on watch, holding the flank. These sheep have just been delivered and have never seen a dog before. One is absolutely fearless and inquisitively nudges Sam's nose. Sam is eventually all but surrounded by the sheep but holds his position until he is called away and rewarded with a bath in the drinking trough.
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