A Carroll Kelpie is vying for national bragging rights as Australia’s hardest working dog.
The two-year-old pup, Stan, and farmer Tahlia Carroll were among 12 teams selected across the country to partake in the prestigious Cobber Challenge.
The working dog competition has thousands of entrants each year from Australia and New Zealand and Tahlia described becoming a finalist as the “cream on top of the pie” after a stellar performance in Gunnedah’s trials.
Despite Tahlia thinking the Australian Kelpie was too fast, he achieved a 91 score out of 100.
“If he wasn’t named Stan, he’d be named Sonic because he’s just fast,” Tahlia said.
“Everything he does, you’ve got to go, ‘Ok, you need to take 10 steps back and rethink that three times over because you’ve done it too fast’.
“I was not expecting him to do that [well].”
He had previously done a few of yard trials, but that was his first time in the cattle dog trials.
Tahlia is more familiar with sheep yard trialing and has just started her cattle dog trialling journey.
“Gunnedah was my year anniversary [trialling], I am only fresh into it and loving every minute of it.
“Got into it through people I work with and just expanding my working dog side of things.”
While nerves for the 24-year-old are high while competing, she has been told even seasoned experts are anxious to perform.
This is Tahlia and Stan’s first time entering the Cobber competition and was good enough to win a spot.
Stan is currently wearing a tracking collar to record his speed, duration and distance for the competition.
After 12 weeks, the best 21 days of data will be collected in which the winner is decided.
They are in the fourth week and while ‘Stan the man’ is full of energy, Tahlia is just as ecstatic to be a part of working dog competitions.
“I really love going out there,” she said. “The atmosphere is amazing.
“It’s just you, the sheep and dog.
“To be able to work your dog and see what you can come out with as an end result is amazing.
“Your hard work really does pay off.”
Stan.
