New junior competition, new arena for sheep dog trials at Agfest

• Competing in their first sheep dog trial at Agfest are Jack Frost from Meander Rise with John, Archie Green from The Glen with Echo, Will Allen from Pine Vale with Boof, Ryder Shelton with Walker and Chase Shelton with Clementine, both from Syde at Cressy.

AGFEST 2025 will see a mini revival in the world of sheep dog trials, when it hosts for the first time a junior competition in the heart of Quercus Park.

Six Northern Midlands kids from the bush have been paired with kelpies and given just six weeks to learn to work a mob of sheep in front of a massive audience of field day patrons.

Committing to the competition, which has been organised by the Tasmanian Working Sheep Dog Association, are: Archie Green from The Glen, Ed Green from Billop, Jack Frost from Meander Rise, Will Allen from Pine Vale (all four are Grammar students) and Chase and Ryder Shelton from Syde (Cressy District High students).

Like a Tassie version of Muster Dogs, they were all tasked with learning a series of basic skills by Island Kelpies breeder and dog trainer Clint Shelton (Chase and Ryder’s dad) who is farm manager at Syde, near Cressy.

Each week their knowledge has increased and the bond with their dog strengthened as the day approaches when they put their tuition to the test.

Agfest has long been a staple on the working sheep dog calendar, with competitors coming from around the state, including the Bass Strait islands, to prove their mettle working three sheep through a series of obstacles in an arena.

However the number of competitors has dwindled over the years, and Clint was approached by James Cairns of the TWSDA to help increase membership and spawn a new generation of dog handlers.

Clint and his wife Purdie knew their sons would want to give it a crack, and when another four lads took up the challenge, the stage was set.

“The initiative from them to do this is fantastic for the livestock industry,” Clint said.

“To get young people trained up with a dog means they will be more ready to go out into the workforce because they will have the skills.

“There’s the potential for someone to see them as an asset in the industry and that’s amazing.

“We need them coming through because good dog handlers are a dying breed and more awareness for the three-sheep trial will hopefully produce good stockmen.

James said to have an experienced dog trainer like Clint involved and give his full support was essential to starting a junior competition.

“He has a passion for dogs and the livestock industry and that is how this journey began," he said.

“With various ages and abilities for both the handlers and dogs, it’s been quite a challenge for Clint.

“Some of these boys have started right from scratch, meeting their dogs for the first time just six weeks ago – but it’s great to see the way they’ve bonded,” he said.

“We started off working with the natural instinct of the dog, which is to pull stock to the handler,” Clint explained.

“From there they learn to push them left or right with their body position and a cue from a hand or rake, eventually adding a voice to it and working in a bigger and bigger pen.

“Getting a good sit, not just at your feet but out there, in the middle of a thousand acres, if necessary, is all-important.

“With a trial focus in mind we want them to be able to move their dog left or right, sit or come, move the sheep into specific areas and know how to identify the leader in a mob of sheep – they need to be able to create stock flows and read the stock.

“After Agfest more junior trials will be scheduled and the aim is to hold an annual major event at Agfest.

To catch the junior sheep trials head to the new work dog arena next to the northern entrance at NN07.