With the Olympics over, it’s time for the canines to compete.
FOR HUNDREDS OF years, ranchers in Australia and New Zealand have used sheep dogs to manage their flocks. But only since 1942 have sheep dogs and their owners have gathered in Canberra for Australia’s National Sheep Dog Trial Championships.
The competition begins Tuesday, March 9, and runs through Sunday, March 14. Approximately 250 dogs–primarily kelpies, border collies, and mixes of the two–will compete for awards and prize money. They will be tested on their ability to herd flocks of sheep around fields, fences, gates, and enclosures on a marked course.