Dogs Australia herding: tests, trial courses and qualifications

Key facts

Current amendment

October 2025 amendments effective 1 January 2026

Entry route

Check prerequisites against the current national rules

Trial identity

Level, course and livestock belong together

Qualifying score

At least 65/100, with at least half the points in every category

Keep separately

Test pass, qualifying score, placing and title confirmation

Understand what an entry is offering

A training session, formal test and scored trial are different opportunities. Before booking, ask the club which one is advertised, what preparation is expected and what stock will be used. The national programme recognises varied herding traditions; its introductory material connects those working styles with the breed history behind gathering, driving and tending.

Use that context to choose a suitable learning route with an instructor. Write down the actual exercise and level of supervision in your training record. Interest in stock is a starting observation; it is not a complete assessment of control, readiness for a trial or ability to undertake unsupervised farm work.

Instinct, HT and PT: keep the stages clear

The current national rules make the Instinct Test a certificate rather than a title and make both Instinct and HT optional. PT is the prerequisite for Started. HT and PT require two passes under different judges. These tests are assessed as pass/fail rather than by a competitive placing.

When discussing readiness, ask the instructor to explain the required pause, controlled stock movement, stop and recall, and the later work through gates and into a pen. Keep the completed test forms. If an older explainer describes a compulsory sequence, compare it with the current rulebook before nominating.

Trial levels and course types

Common trial title abbreviations include Started (HS), Intermediate (HI) and Advanced (HX); the rules also provide an optional Novice (HN). Course A covers farm-style obstacle work, B extended open-field work and C tending/grazing. C uses sheep only, with at least 25. These are different assessments, not interchangeable course names.

Read the entire class label on the schedule, including course and stock. Ask where to find the diagram, required exercises and time allowance. A qualification on one layout and livestock combination should remain identified that way when describing the dog’s experience or preparing another entry.

A concrete Course A scoring example

Dogs Victoria’s published Course A scoresheet allocates 20 points to gather, 15 each to the Y chute, Z chute and runway/hold-exam, 25 to the centreline gate and 10 to penning. It lists ten minutes for Started, Novice and Intermediate and twelve for Advanced. This is the named published form; check the actual event’s current documents.

Use the score sheet as a viewing map: identify the exercise, watch the sheep and dog through the full sequence, and note what the judge recorded. Do not assign a deduction solely because a movement looked unusual in a short clip. Save the card with the event details so a total remains connected to its components.

A qualification, placing and title are different records

A trial qualification requires at least 65 out of 100 and at least half the available points in every category. Standard trial titles require three qualifying scores under at least two judges on the same course and stock. Retain the complete qualification record rather than inferring it from a ribbon or placing.

For example, record a placing and qualifying status in separate fields, even when they arise from the same run. Record a title after its award has been confirmed through the relevant member body. Keep the dog’s registered identity, event date, judge, class, stock and original result together. This prevents a social post or abbreviated name from becoming an unsupported title claim.

Check dog eligibility and registration before nominating

DOGS NSW describes participation routes for recognised herding breeds, clearly herding-breed mixes on the Associate Register and Sporting Register dogs. That introductory description should be used with the current national eligibility chapter and member-body registration requirements, rather than as unrestricted entry for every dog.

Send the club the dog’s actual registration and existing qualifications when asking about an entry. Confirm membership, age requirements, course, livestock, closing date and any move-up arrangements. If ownership or the intended handler differs from the registration record, resolve the paperwork before relying on an accepted nomination.

Find training and use the current edition

DOGS NSW’s herding page identifies the NSW Herding Association and Australian Stock Dog Club of NSW as training contacts. Use the current club notice to confirm location, intake and conditions. The introductory page contains differing location references, so it should not be treated as a guaranteed weekly booking schedule.

The Dogs Australia rules index identifies the October 2025 amendment as effective from 1 January 2026. The linked PDF still has 2023 in its filename. Check the cover and rules index together, then retain any event instructions with that version. The first-trial and qualifying-results guides provide separate routes into preparation and accurate records.

Common questions

Sources & further reading

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