The countdown for the commencement of the 2021 Cobber Working Dog Challenge is on, with New Zealand farmers and their dogs invited to compete for the first time this year.
Now in its sixth year of running, the Cobber challenge is more or less a tribute to the working dog in Australia, and highlights the valuable contribution these animals make to farming businesses across the country.
The challenge will run over a three week period, with 12 dogs selected to compete for the top spot.
Each dog is fitted with a GPS collar that tracks distance, working duration and speed over this time. The highest ranking dog at the end of the competition will be awarded $3000 in cash and one year's supply of Cobber dog food.
The 12 dogs selected to compete in the 2021 challenge have been announced, with three New Zealand dogs in the running for the first time this year. The competition will be running from the August 16 to September 5, with supporters able to track the performance of their favorite dog through the Cobber website.
Cam Clayton, stock manager from Ashburton in Canterbury, New Zealand said he looks forward to continuing the respectful rivalry between the two countries with his best mate Pine.
"When the day is long and work is hard, Pine is always there and happy to work. I believe we have a really good chance at taking out this competition," he said.
"I think we will give the Aussies a run for their money."
Daniel Pumpa, Koorawatha NSW, has competed in the challenge before but is confident that this could be his year. As assistant manager on a lamb fattening operation, Mr Pumpa and his dog Turbo are ready for a comeback, with his faithful Kelpie having fully recovered from a broken back in 2017.
"It will be awesome to compete against the New Zealanders because it will show the differences between us, and how we handle our dogs and ourselves," he said.
Mr Pumpa believes the New Zealanders will be tough to beat with the vast differences in terrain between the two countries.
"They cast their dogs a lot more to cover steep country, compared to many of the Australian competitors who take their dogs on stock to motorbikes," he said.
The competition has attracted competitors from across the country, with Cobber marketing manager Kellie Savage thrilled to have to NZ involved this year.
"The three Kiwi competitors work in incredible landscapes and I think their dogs will cover impressive distances," she said.
"We're thankful to everyone who applied. How much everyone values their dogs as part of the farm team shone through in the nominations."
The full competitor list for the 2021 Cobber Working Dog Challenge can be found here.
