Locals gain success at sheep major sheep dog events
Wednesday April 1, 2009
Local working dog competitors Scott Griffiths, Daniel Stephens and Tom O’Neil with their dogs. - Photo contributed
Local working dog competitors Daniel Stephens and Scott Griffiths recently competed at the National Sheep Dog Trials in Canberra and were later joined by Tom O’Neil to compete at the NSW Sheep Dog Championships in Molong.
For Stephens and Griffiths it was their first time competing at the National Champ-ionships and it
was a long week of competition.
Griffiths, with his Kelpie Seldominn Mission, won the National Maiden Championship and the New Zealand High Commission Shield.
He also won the George Westcott Trophy scoring the highest points in the Maiden and also the National First Time Trophy and Sash.(This is awarded to the competitor gaining the highest points when competing at the Nationals for the first time.)
Former Cobar local, Mick Hudson finished seventh in the National Maiden Championship.
The following week they went to Molong for the NSW Championships and it was again another great week for them.
Stephens finished first in the NSW Improver Championship, with his Border Collie, Romlee Ray.
He also finished fifth in the Novice final.
O’Neil won the NSW Encouragement Championship with his Collie, Tobilio Curly and Griffiths had the fastest time in the Novice class.
Stephens had the fastest time in the Improver and Open events.
Former locals Phil Hudson and Steven Johnson placed in the Encouragement Final,
with Johnson winning the Encouragement award.
At the end of the NSW Championships Griffiths was announced the NSW Rookie of the Year for 2008, after a great year of trailling.
It was a wonderful fortnight for the local dog handlers, and a great learning curve.
They are now keen to compete in future trials at Rockley, Murrurundi and Willow Tree over the coming weeks.
These events will assist them in readiness for the 2nd Annual Cobar Copper City Sheep Dog Trials which will be held in Cobar at Ward Oval in September.—contributed
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