Weekender February 23 to 25, 2024: the Royal Canberra Show is on | The Canberra Times canberratimes.com.au - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from canberratimes.com.au Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
The Duke of Gloucester Sash… embroidered with the House of Windsor’s coat of arms. Photo: National Sheep Dog Trial Association
INTRINSIC to Australia’s culture and heart is the working dog, and the National Sheep Dog Trial Championships held in Canberra puts the abilities of these loyal, fast and intelligent animals to the ultimate test.
Dog and master must communicate in an extraordinary example of team work to guide three sheep through a series of difficult obstacles and into a pen to finish, all within 15 minutes.
Every handler has their own technique, a system of instruction revealing the bond between them and their canine companion. Some shout, some speak gently, some whistle. Some use only gestures.