Eighty-five-year-old Laurie Slater of Murrumbateman has done it again. Last week, at the Henty Machinery Field Days, September 18-20, the handler won the Henty Three Sheep Trial Championship and not for the second, but fifth time with Border Collie Wondara Jules.
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Of all Mr Slater’s winning years, which include 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015, this year proved to be the most challenging, however.
In a car accident back in April, Slater broke two vertebrae in his back.
Slater entered into the 2018 competition with a serious injury.
In a car accident back in April, Slater broke two vertebrae in his back. He said this put Jules out of her usual condition.
“It is important not to frighten the stock, the less talk the better, and [not to give too] many commands to the dog.”
Jules did Laurie Slater proud and worked exceptionally well.
- Coordinator Paul Darmody
Slater faced another challenge as a handler who can’t whistle to make calls to Jules after losing his teeth when he was younger.
There was another challenge during the championship too, thanks to a swooping magpie that dogged entrants.
Nevertheless, coordinator Paul Darmody said judge Peter Oxley of Bathurst had his work cut-out with the level of entrants.
“Jules did Laurie Slater proud and worked exceptionally well,’’ he said.
Slater bred eight-year-old Jules himself and thinks she might be in pup.
The trial attracted over 100 entries in total, across three days at the Henty Machinery Field Days.
Slater and Jules scored 256 points in total, placing them above the 100 other entrants.
It was a close call though, with Slater and Jules only one point ahead of John Perry of Bredbo and his dog Jazz.
Geoff Gibson of Warwick, QLD took fifth place and Paul O’Kane of Cobram, VIC took sixth and seventh.
Slater bred eight-year-old Jules himself and thinks she might be in pup.
Like Slater, this wasn’t Jules’ first win either, crowned Port Fairy Working Sheep Dog Trials Dog of the Year before joining the championship at Henty.
Slater has been trialling since 1983 and is now off to the Supreme Championships at Hawkesbury.
Meanwhile, the Pedigree and Nature’s Table Murray Valley Yard Dog Championships were taken out by Robert Cox of Manildra and his dog Karrobar Captain. The duo scored 187 points under the watch of judge Chris Sellars of Brungle.
Dean Incher of Adaminaby and Peter Darmody of West Wyalong came joint second on 185 points. In fourth place was Bill Luff of Gundagai and in fifth place was Dean Incher with dog Rafa.
The event drew 157 runs across four events over three days.
