National Kelpie Field Trial: eligibility, course and judging guide

Key facts

Governing breed body

Working Kelpie Council of Australia

Published by-laws version

Updated 27 January 2012; retained as a publisher reference

Scoring emphasis

70 points outside; yard allocation no more than 30 of 100

Entry identity

Verify WKC registration and the event’s nominated-handler details

Judging document

Publisher guidelines without an overall revision date

What makes this championship distinct?

Read the WKC championship documents together with the host’s approved rules. A familiar obstacle or the word Kelpie in a show programme does not establish that an event is this championship.

Use the full name when keeping a result or researching a dog. Keep a separate record for any novice event, yard championship or other competition appearing nearby in a programme. This makes it possible to connect an achievement to the actual work and conditions under which it was earned.

Eligibility and the entry pack

The published by-laws restrict championship entry to dogs on the WKC National Stud Register at A2 appendix grade or higher. Host rules require WKC approval; special championship provisions override conflicts. An optional host-organised Novice Kelpie event is separate, and a dog entered in both needs separate runs.

Before nominating, compare the registration record with the entry form and confirm the intended handler. Ask the secretary about any novice award or separate class using the dog’s and handler’s actual win history. Do not substitute a novice definition from the utility or yard guide. Save the accepted entry, schedule and any clarification with your records.

Course planning: field work and yards

WKC’s course-planning provisions call for five sheep, with permission possible to use three, a cast of at least 100 metres, preferably 200, and calm yard/race/draft work. Three additional obstacles include a freestanding pen. The pen finishes the course unless the yards finish it.

Obtain the actual layout and mark the cast, delivery, yard entry, obstacles and finish. Note which sheep continue through the sequence and what the briefing says about transitions. The published planning framework helps explain the event; it does not establish that every venue has an identical layout or that a variation needs no approval.

What judges look for outside

The judging guidelines describe a naturally wide cast that leaves the sheep settled, a cautious lift and a controlled, direct draw. Sheep delivered to the handler’s circle need steadying rather than necessarily stopping. The handler can move within that circle. The guidance then seeks quiet travel on a right-hand course with the dog maintaining control.

For viewing notes, follow the sheep’s response as well as the dog’s line. Identify when gathering becomes delivery and when the team moves on to an obstacle. Keep an observation separate from a reason for a deduction: the judge’s record, rather than a spectator’s interpretation of a short clip, establishes the recorded score.

Yard work and welfare

WKC guidance rewards calm flow through yards, race and draft. Effective work without backing or barking is not to be penalised. Gates must be fastened and drafting mistakes corrected; severe biting disqualifies. Distressed or down sheep must be assisted, with the guideline’s penalty treatment qualified where the dog caused the problem.

Use the yard briefing to identify where the handler stands and which gates and stock groups are involved. When discussing a run, describe whether sheep reached the intended place and how the dog contributed. A conspicuous action is only part of the sequence; keep it connected to the stock movement rather than treating it as a compulsory display.

Timing, unfinished work and source dates

The judging guidance recommends at least fifteen minutes, potentially more for longer casts. Check the event’s actual allowance. The by-laws require each section to be attempted and remove the allocated points for unfinished sections. Do not equate an unfinished section with permission to omit it.

The by-laws state a January 2012 update; the judging PDF has no overall revision date. Ask for later amendments and edition-specific conditions. Keep those documents with the entry instead of relying solely on an introductory guide.

Following the event and recording results

An organiser record lists the 2026 National Kelpie Field Trial at Kalangadoo Football Oval on 12–15 March, with separate championship and novice judges. That is a dated event example, not a future booking notice. The same organiser’s yard-championship listings concern a different competition and dates.

For an achievement record, preserve the year, host, class, round, dog’s full registered identity and result source. Retain component scores where published. Use the working-Kelpie breed page for breed context and the related trial guides to understand other formats. Confirm upcoming entries and spectator arrangements from the current organiser’s notice.

Common questions

Sources & further reading

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