Australia's Best Sheepdogs in Northam for National Championships. ABC News 31/8/25

[Deeds]

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08-31/working-sheepdogs-championships-northam/105699160

[persephone]

"before there were motorbikes and quads, there were sheepdogs".....
There are STILL sheepdogs. 
Motorbikes and quads are noisy, riders who do NOT understand/care for the sheep tend to go fast  and stress the sheep, and accidents can be fatal.
Dogs are quiet - they can read the sheep and act accordingly. With 2 dogs on a reasonable mob of sheep one can be at the lead slowing them down and leading them..and one can be at the rear/sides, keeping them together and moving .
Sheepmen know that the speed of a mob is that of the slowest sheep . Sheep,en also know that there is often an old ewe who will try and break away from the mob/lead them in another direction.Dogs know this too- and can act independent of the stockman to keep the mob together and at speed.
I hate seeing young folks roaring around sheep on wheels....the sheep often get confused, get away from moving as a mob, and need frequent correcting by a roaring bike/quad.
Waeching good dogs handle large mobs of sheep is wonderful.

[asal]

My uncle Peter bought his father in law's sheep station at Inverell after really severe drought .

 

After rain finally came he restocked it with very aged ewes, he was a city raised the locals were laughing their heads off when they arrived but Peter said to my parents, even if I only get 3 lambings from them, they are culled for ages stud ewes so the best of the best of their year, all were already in lamb.

When the classer went through the fleeces the next year it was Peter laughing. He also bought two dogs with them, an older well trained and younger trained. 

He said the dogs knew exactly what to do , best buy he made too.

 

Adored his sheep dog's 

 

His toughest task was learning to ride his new horse, Blue 

 

But he soon learnt 

Edited September 1 by asal