AFTER seven days of competition Bigga duo Jake Nowlan and his dog Zone were declared winners of the inaugural Cobber All Round Stock Dog competition at the Australian Stock Dog Spectacular in Tamworth.
The pair were up against the best 26 competitors in three trials, open yard dog challenge, open three sheep challenge and open cattle dog challenge, before they were named ‘top dog’.
Jake said he was proud of how his three-year-old dog handled himself in each of the events.
All event finals were completed last Friday.
In the Futurity Cow Dog Challenge it was Paul Wroe from Middlemount in Queensland and his dog Carracott Spot who took home the $10,000 winning cheque with an aggregate score across three rounds of 261.
Paul Wroe capped off a successful week by winning the Open Cow Dog Challenge with Brutonvale Sport, only three points ahead of Adam James and Lokabe Ace after three rounds of trialling.
The Open Three Sheep Challenge was won by Mick Hudson from Eummungerie and Ritchie’s Finn with 290 points after three rounds, narrowly ahead of Geoff Gibson from Warwick, Qld, with Swamp Oak Myha on 289 points.
Ben Coster from Yass won the Open Yard Dog Challenge with Coopendale Lucy on 278.5 points ahead of Jake Nowlan and Zone with Ben and third place with Rhettlenash Jock.
During the week female competitors entered a separate competition with Margo Hogan and Dulux winning the Ladies Yard Dog Challenge.
Josie Kimpton of Hawsburry with Rivlin Bolt won the Ladies Three Sheep Challenge and Kerryanne Thompson took home the Ladies Cow Dog Challenge with Kitty.
Saturday morning saw 23 open dogs and 86 future futurity pups demonstrate their ability before they went under the hammer.
Breeders and handlers travelled from Victoria to Queensland and from across NSW to be represented in the sale.
In total, 71 lots were sold for an average of $2113 with the top price dog, a 10-month-old female Border Collie making $7000.
Named MGH Stella, she was bred by Mick Hudson of Eumungerie and purchased by Damien Curr of Pittsworth, Qld.
The 59 future futurity dogs averaged $2199.
Andrew McIntyre from Pinkett sold the top priced open dog, Lexi, for $4750 to Brodie Cattle Co.
