The AUSDS Trials – Summary

AUSDS Trials have been designed to test the working stock dog’s instincts in all important areas of sheep and cattle work (as far as possible in a trial situation).

Most other trial designs tend to test a much more limited number of instincts. In many cases this has resulted in dogs being bred with limited abilities that suit those trials, rather than true, high-class, allround utility dogs suited to the most challenging practical work.

Every AUSDS trial includes four aspects:

  1. Long searching casts
  2. Paddock work (sheep)
  3. Yard work (sheep)
  4. Cattle work

The first two aspects are run in conjunction, then the yard and cattle aspects have separate courses and time limits.

The degree of difficulty increases with each level of trial. Encourage is the easiest, followed by Novice, Open, and Championship courses.

The course elements for each level are as follows:

  1. Encourage Trials (for handlers who have not won an AUSDS trial at a higher level; can be won 3 times)
    1. Combined Paddock (sheep)
      1. 14 minutes; 3 sheep
      2. Minimum 200m cast; work sheep into handler’s circle
      3. Force and Hold obstacle & Heading obstacle
      4. Drive away minimum 40m
      5. Yard sheep to complete segment
    2. Yard (sheep)
      1. 8 minutes; 8 sheep
      2. Drenching race; Draft; Load 3 sheep onto truck/trailer to complete segment
    3. Cattle
      1. 6 minutes; 3 cattle
      2. 1 obstacle; Put away to complete segment
  2. Novice Trials (for dogs that have not won an AUSDS trial at a higher level; can be won twice)
    1. Combined Paddock (sheep)
      1. 16 minutes; 5 sheep
      2. Minimum 300m cast; work sheep into handler’s circle
      3. Force and Hold obstacle & Heading obstacle
      4. Drive away minimum 60m
      5. Yard sheep to complete segment
    2. Yard (sheep)
      1. 8 minutes; 10 sheep
      2. Drenching race; Draft; Load 5 sheep onto truck/trailer to complete segment
    3. Cattle
      1. 6 minutes; 4 cattle
      2. 1 obstacle; Put away to complete segment
  3. Open Trials (all dogs are eligible to compete)
    1. Combined Paddock (sheep)
      1. 20 minutes; 5 sheep
      2. Minimum 400m cast
      3. Heading obstacle
      4. Drive away minimum 80m
      5. Force and hold obstacle with pen; Recast minimum 200m onto 3 sheep to join with 5
      6. Work 1 sheep
      7. Yard 8 sheep to complete segment
    2. Yard (sheep)
      1. 10 minutes; 13 sheep
      2. Drenching race; Draft; Load 8 sheep onto truck/trailer and Unload to complete segment
    3. Cattle
      1. 8 minutes; 4 cattle
      2. 2 obstacles; Put away to complete segment
  4. Championship Trials (dogs must qualify in Open trials to be eligible to compete)
    1. Combined Paddock (sheep)
      1. 22 minutes; 5 sheep
      2. Minimum 600m cast
      3. Heading obstacle
      4. Drive away minimum 120m
      5. Force and hold obstacle with pen; Recast minimum 300m onto 5 sheep to join with 5
      6. Work 1 sheep
      7. Yard 10 sheep to complete segment
    2. Yard (sheep)
      1. 10 minutes; 15 sheep
      2. Drenching race; Draft; Load 10 onto truck/trailer and Unload to complete segment
    3. Cattle
      1. 8 minutes; 5 cattle
      2. 2 obstacles; Put away to complete segment
Share