Craig Ogier wasn’t concerned with his final result at the yard dog trials during the Australian Sheep and Wool Show – he preferred to enjoy the weekend catching up with old friends.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
“It's great that it’s so close to home. (Bendigo has) the best set up for trials in the country,” he said.
That’s not to say Craig and his kelpie Rousabout Darcy had a bad time at the trials – in fact, they finished in the top six after making the finals.
“Darcy has gone reasonably well and we just snuck into the final,” he said.
“The sheep were challenging for all the competitors. They took advantage to breakaway and showed some dogs weren't as capable as others.”
During his years of breeding sheep dogs, Craig has enjoyed some success.
- READ MORE: Legacy of top dog Jess to shine at the event
But he puts it down to the instinct of the dog more than anything.
“When you’re going through this thing, you see traits in a dog that are hard to find,” he said.
“You want a dog that has the ability to cast out a long way and can look for sheep to box together and then bring them to you. That's a heading instinct they have.
“From there you teach the dog how to control it.”
Craig, who is a builder by trade, was a full-time stockman in his youth. He uses the skills and techniques he learned years ago to train his kelpies for yard work.
“It’s a hobby now more than anything,” he said. “Trialing emulates a day’s work on the farm but I don't work on a farm anymore.
“In the last 15 years I drifted back to (trialing) and got a dog. The best thing is – if you breed your own dog – getting to achieve what your goal is. You just want a nice, strong dog and can do a job.”