Alstonville to host Australian Working Cattle Dog Trial Championships
Alstonville will host the Australian Working Cattle Dog Trial Championships at the Alstonville Showground on Friday 2nd Saturday 3rd and Sunday 4th September 2011.
This event is hosted by the Alstonville Agricultural Society Inc and it is also the first time it will be held in the Ballina Shire Council area.
Friday’s action-packed program gets under way at 6am, with Saturday’s events starting at 6am and Sunday’s at 7am.
The first main event will get under way in ring No 1 which will be open classes followed by the second ring No 2 set to start at 8.00am with the maiden/novice classes.
Ring No 1 is set for all of the finals being held on Sunday.
Admission for spectators is free, with food and refreshments available at the showgrounds.
Competitors will travel from all parts of Australia and there will be a large number of dogs competing.
Cattle dog trialing is similar to sheep dog trialing and was actually “born” at Bonalbo, New South Wales, about 55 years ago.
Since then the “sport” has spread across Australia, although it is the strongest in NSW and Queensland.
It aims to show of the skills of the highly-trained working cattle dogs as well as those of the handlers.
The handler and the dog must guide three cattle through a series of three obstacles in a five-minute period.
The handler must stand still at each obstacle, and using only hand signals and voice commands or whistles to instruct the dog to guide the cattle through a gate, a race and into a holding pen.
Points are awarded for each obstacle achieved and deducted for indiscretions such as cattle going off course, the dog tail turning or the dog crossing between the cattle and the handler (this may result in major point losses).
The pointscore is out of 100.
Tian Working Cattle Dog Trial Chamionships will be run under the rules and regulations of the North Coast.
Anyone wanting further information about the cattle dog trials can contact Noel Bryant on 02 6629 5001 or mobile 0429 425 198 or Hilton Murphy on 02 6662 7843,or the show office 02 6628 0358.
