$25,000 prize purse for Sire Shootout at Working Dog Challenge
Geoff McDougall on course during the Sire Shootout | Photo by Laura McKillop Article provided by Regional Livestock Exchange | Photos - Megan Rutherford Photography
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he nation’s best working dog breeders will vie for an unprecedented $25,000 total prize pool during the Sire Shootout at the Central Tablelands Livestock Exchange (CTLX) Working Dog Challenge trial and auction, from 24 to 27 November.
“The Shootout is designed for the country’s most renowned breeders to exhibit their top dogs in a high-pressure environment with thousands across the country. There is no greater selling point for a stud or its progeny than watching the sire perform on the big stage.”
The lucrative prize purse – believed to be the largest of its kind for a trial in Australia – will help draw participants and spectators from across the country to CTLX at Carcoar in New South Wales, to enjoy four days of cattle, sheep and yard dog trials, as well as a premium working dog auction.
At 2021’s inaugural Working Dog Challenge, the Sire Shootout was run under lights on the Friday evening to bring a unique atmosphere to the sport, and this year the event will be live streamed via StockLive so viewers across the country can tune in.
Josh Stephen, CTLX Site Operations Manager, said the “roaring success” of last year’s Sire Shootout prompted organisers to up the ante, and the winnings, for this year’s competition, with the overall Sire Shootout champion to take home $10,000.
“For the crowd, it was high-energy viewing and there was a lot of excitement for the event and friendly rivalry between competitors,” Mr Stephen said.
“This will be an exclusive invitation-only event dedicated to showcasing premium sires and handlers offering the country’s best bloodlines,” Mr Stephen said. “It’s a one-of-a-kind competition which we believe will bring a new level of professionalism to dog trialling, and grow to become a highly-contended legacy event.” Mr Stephen said the concept for the Sire Shootout was born in 2021 when the Working Dog Challenge committee identified a shortfall in some working dog auctions, as there is often an inability to view the lineage and working styles of dogs buyers are looking to purchase. “With this event, we have created an opportunity for the industry’s most renowned bloodlines to go head-to-head and give potential buyers the opportunity to watch the style and presence of premium dogs on the course to identify if the traits in the sire on show are what they would like to see in their next generation of working dog,” Mr Stephen said.
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Ben Coster, Wandabar Stockdogs, Yass, won the championship trophy with his Kelpie, Rhettlenash Jock, with a final score of 81 points. A well-regarded sire, Rhettlenash Jock is by Cotway Bolt and out of a Cactus Sprite bitch - and has bred numerous successful trial and working dogs. Mr Coster and Rhettlenash Jock will again contend for the Sire Shootout trophy at this year’s trial, looking to defend their title. Already, interest is running high and Mr Stephen said champion sires and handlers from across Queensland, NSW and Victoria have indicated their intention of competing. “We have also broadened the competition to include a cattle and sheep trial, so we can showcase both working traits,” Mr Stephen said.
