Photos by Simon Wallace
Pingelly Sheepdog Arena.
Thursday 23rd to Sunday 26th April, 2026.
held by the Pingelly and District Working Sheepdog Club.
On Thursday 23rd April we returned to the wonderful town of Pingelly.
The Pingelly Tourism group surprised us with the latest upgrades to the Kiosk. They added a new verandah, access ramp and landscaping with limestone retainer walls and brick paving.
The hit of the weekend was the Ruben, a New York style sandwich with silverside, sauerkraut and pickles cooked on a grill.
Chris Turton sourced the sheep from local farms.
The sheep for the Novice and Improver events were Yello tag (4y/o) ewes. These girls really tested the young dogs. They came out fast and hard then stood and fought when the dogs tried to control them. They did not like going into the race but once through became quite compliant, often making it to the pen.
The sheep were changed for the Open event. They were white tag ewes.
These sheep also proved difficult for the dogs to handle but the experienced dogs managed to get them under control.
There were 15 dogs who achieved a score from 63 runs in the Novice event and in the Improver event, there were 11 dogs scoring from 60 runs.
The Open event managed 34 scores from 73runs.
The winning dog in the Novice event was Ramulam Blue with Ken Atherton on 71 points from Just Ali with Hayden Harries on 70 points.
The Improver event ran a final between the top five dogs. Courtney Moir won the event with Rocky Keelie 135 points from Neil Kristiansen’s Ramulam Ernie 133 points.
The Open final was hard fought with Ivan Solomon’s Perangery Tish coming out on top with 163 points from Grant Cooke’s Grassvalley Grace on 151points.
Shelby Harries and Terry Martino were awarded Novice judges and Hayden Harries was promoted to Open Judge.
Frank Sutherland celebrated his birthday (91years) on Friday and thought he had kept it quiet.
Frank had a very nice run with Rocky Bindi culminating in a pen and as he came off the ground the PA speaker crackled at full volume and the crowd joined in for a rousing chorus of Happy Birthday. No secrets in the sheepdog community.
On Saturday at midday the event paused for a minute’s silence to acknowledge the courage and sacrifice made by our ANZAC soldiers and all who have served this great county since. We are eternally grateful.
Each night there was a bonfire lit at the campsite where many tales of past glory, battles won and lost were told until the wee small hours.
Once again, the Pingelly and Districts Working Sheepdog Club put on a fabulous weekend of trialing.
Encourage
Judged by Frank Sutherland
| Place | Worker | Dogs Name | Registration |
| 1 | Mc Ardle P | Marionvale Shadow | TBA |
| 2 | Pollitt B | Darcy | W2344-24 |
| 3 | Absolom L | Binnaburra Jimmy (K) | TBA |
| =4 | Kristiansen D | Badgingarra Ava | W2311-21 |
| =4 | Walden B | Clyde | W2343-20 |
Novice
Judged by Brad Rose
| Place | Worker | Dog | Reg | 1st | 2nd | Run-off | Total |
| 1 | Atherton K | Ramulam Blue (K) | W2165-22 | 71 | – | – | 71 |
| 2 | Harries S | Just Ali | W2214-23 | 70 | – | – | 70 |
| =3 | Smith R | MGH Patrick Dangerfield | N9658-22 | 68 | – | – | 68 |
| =3 | Mac Donald G | Ellie | 2008-18 | 68 | – | – | 68 |
| =5 | Davies D | Marionvale Kip | 2139-20 | 67 | – | – | 67 |
| =5 | Sutherland F | Rocky Bindi | W1928 | 67 | – | – | 67 |
| 7 | Martino T | Ramulam Tracker (K) | W2254-23 | 66 | – | – | 66 |
| 8 | Lloyd N | Binnaburra Ruffy (K) | 2120-21 | 64 | – | – | 64 |
| 9 | Harries H | Marionvale Penny | W2210-22 | 53 | – | – | 53 |
| 10 | Harries H | Just Coke | W2208-22 | 50 | – | – | 50 |
Improver
Judged by Carolyn Bell
| Place | Worker | Dog | Reg | 1st | 2nd | Run-off | Total |
| 1 | Moir C | Rocky Keelie | W2186-22 | 55 | 80 | – | 135 |
| 2 | Kristianson N | Ramulam Ernie (K) | 2297 | 63 | 70 | – | 133 |
| 3 | Monaghan C | Marionvale Jem (K) | W2249-22 | 55 | 53 | – | 108 |
| 4 | Cooke G | Grassvalley Winger | W2260-24 | 73 | DQ | – | 73 |
| 5 | Edwards A | Marionvale Myf | 51 | RTD | – | 51 | |
| 6 | Smith R | Booninning Duck (K) | 2092-20 | 47 | – | – | 47 |
| 7 | Morton L | Mc Connells Johnny (K) | 2170 – 21 | 29 | – | – | 29 |
| 8 | Martino T | Ramulam Tracker (K) | W2254-23 | 25 | – | – | 25 |
| 9 | MacDonald G | Ellie | 2008-18 | 18 | – | – | 18 |
| 10 | MacDonald G | Gracehill Tess | 2292-23 | 9 | – | – | 9 |
Open
Judged by Nan Lloyd
| Place | Worker | Dog | Reg | 1st | 2nd | Run-off | Total |
| 1 | Solomon I | Perangery Trish | W1925-16 | 81 | 82 | – | 163 |
| 2 | Cooke G | Grassvalley Grace | 2259-23 | 79 | 72 | – | 151 |
| 3 | Leaning S | Marionvale Di | W2046 | 89 | 61 | – | 150 |
| 4 | Leaning S | Marionvale Woody (K) | W2159 | 78 | 68 | – | 146 |
| 5 | Harries H | Just Buster | W2209-22 | 80 | 65 | – | 145 |
| 6 | Einarsson P | Karridowns Zoftie | W2077-21 | 81 | 63 | – | 144 |
| 7 | Moir C | Rocky Keelie | W2186-22 | 81 | 53 | – | 134 |
| 8 | Gorman P | Badgingarra Missy | 2158 | 77 | 48 | – | 125 |
| =9 | Cooke G | Grassvalley Winger | 2260-24 | 78 | RTD | – | 78 |
| =9 | Leaning S | Marionvale Kipper | W2279 | 78 | X | – | 78 |
| =9 | Gorman P | Coshies Dusty | 1988 | 78 | DQ | – | 78 |
| 26 | Martino T | Ramulam Tracker (K) | W2254-23 | 77 | X | – | 77 |
