NORTH-EAST Victorian farmer Aoidh Doyle was “over the moon” after winning the Victorian Yard Dog Championship in Euroa with his kelpie Cash, adding to an incredible string of recent wins.
The Alexandra man had already won the national championship earlier this year, plus another state event, the Victorian Utility Dog Championship, with his “top bitch”, kelpie Whisper Snip.
He also won the national championship in 2022 with Cash, and has won a slew of smaller events this year with Whisper Snip.
But Mr Doyle, who moved to Australia from Ireland 13 years ago, insisted he does no special training for these competitions.
Asked how he had prepared, he said: “I don't know, I think I just work at home… It's just my day-to-day job.”
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His dogs regularly herd sheep in the course of his daily work with his business Whisper Kelpies.
“Because I'm working them all day, the last thing I want to do when I get home is work dogs,” he explained.
“I've got kids at home, too, so I've got to spend time with kids and that.”
Euroa’s James Fowler, the convenor of the Victorian Yard Dog Championship, said Mr Doyle is known in the dog world as having “Irish luck”.
“He's an Irishman and he's a tinny Irishman, we reckon,” Mr Fowler said.
“There's a bit of luck involved.
“He's definitely skilled; he's got a quite a relaxed and practical approach to sheepdog trialing.
“He puts his work practices into his trial, and his dogs obviously appreciate his style of working.”
Mr Doyle had narrowly beat another top dog handler, Bree Cudmore, to earn first place.
His score of 277.5 points out of 300 bettered Ms Cudmore’s score of 276 by just 1.5.
Cash’s stellar round three performance, earning 96 of 100, had clinched the title.
“Anyone could have won it in the top 25,” Mr Fowler said.
“If you're a betting man, you'd say that there were 10 dogs eligible to win it.”
Mr Fowler said the championship event held at the Euroa Show had been “exceptional”.
“We had the most entries, I think, on record of any trial in Victoria,” he said.
“The crowd numbers were as good as any other year that I've seen.
“And to see locals coming out to watch is pleasing.
“And on top of that, to have the [ABC’s] Country Hour here on Friday broadcasting, was great publicity for our event and for our local town.
“A lot of locals that listen to the Country Hour got a big buzz out of it.”
