The Country
  • The Country home
  • Latest news
  • Audio & podcasts
  • Opinion
  • Dairy farming
  • Sheep & beef farming
  • Rural business
  • Rural technology
  • Rural life
  • Listen on iHeart radio

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • Coast & Country News
  • Opinion
  • Dairy farming
  • Sheep & beef farming
  • Horticulture
  • Animal health
  • Rural business
  • Rural technology
  • Rural life

Media

  • Podcasts
  • Video

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whāngarei
  • Dargaville
  • Auckland
  • Thames
  • Tauranga
  • Hamilton
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Tokoroa
  • Te Kuiti
  • Taumurunui
  • Taupō
  • Gisborne
  • New Plymouth
  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Dannevirke
  • Whanganui
  • Palmerston North
  • Levin
  • Paraparaumu
  • Masterton
  • Wellington
  • Motueka
  • Nelson
  • Blenheim
  • Westport
  • Reefton
  • Kaikōura
  • Greymouth
  • Hokitika
  • Christchurch
  • Ashburton
  • Timaru
  • Wānaka
  • Oamaru
  • Queenstown
  • Dunedin
  • Gore
  • Invercargill

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / The Country

Cobber Working Dog Challenge: Three NZ finalists in Transtasman competition

The Country
15 Jul, 2021 02:00 AM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Photo / Supplied

Photo / Supplied

For the first time, the Cobber Working Dog Challenge is welcoming New Zealand dogs to compete against their Australian counterparts.

The top 12 dogs vying to be crowned the hardest-working dog were announced this week, and three Kiwi finalists are in with a chance.

New Zealand will be represented by heading dogs Pine from Canterbury, Spark from Otago, and Trix from Southland.

Heading dogs were a new breed for the Cobber Challenge, which had historically been dominated by kelpies, border collies and koolies.

Stock manager Cam Clayton was competing with Pine.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Clayton managed a 12,000-hectare sheep and beef farm in Ashburton. He said 4-year-old Pine was his best mate.

"When the day is long and the work is hard, Pine is always there and happy to work. I believe we have a really good chance to take out this competition," Clayton said.

Pine is always happy to work. Photo / Supplied
Pine is always happy to work. Photo / Supplied

Pine was still Clayton's main heading dog, despite losing his bottom teeth after a run-in with a cow.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"Pine never gives up. I think we'll give the Aussies a run for their money."

Peter Aitken will compete with Spark.

Aitken was the head shepherd on Limehills, a 4000ha sheep and beef station in Otago.

He said 3-year-old heading dog Spark was the easiest he'd ever trained.

Discover more

Now Kiwi dogs can enter the Cobber Challenge

02 Jun 03:30 AM

Golden Gumboot Awards: Best Farm Dog

11 Jul 04:07 PM

Golden Gumboot Awards: Best Farm Entrance/Mailbox

11 Jul 04:05 PM

Golden Gumboot Awards: Best Chef

11 Jul 04:04 PM

Spark's natural abilities, instincts, work ethic and drive to impress came down to his breeding - he was from one of New Zealand's best-known sheep dog trialists and trainers, Lloyd Smith.

"When Spark's working, he has amazing focus. And while he's happiest when he's working, he can be very playful when we take a break," Aitken said.

Spark has amazing focus when he's working. Photo / Supplied
Spark has amazing focus when he's working. Photo / Supplied

Spark sired his first litter of pups this year and was part of Aitken's plans to rebuild his working dog team after changing roles.

Josh Tosh from Dipton, Southland, will compete with 2.5-year-old Trix.

Tosh had taken over his parents' 4500ha station, where they ran 12,000 ewes and 500 head of angus cattle and 1800 red hind deer. He also worked as a shepherd in the hill country around Otago.

Trix was fast becoming Tosh's mainstay heading dog, as she was young, fit and loved to run.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Tosh estimated he used Trix for 90 per cent of his jobs, as she loved heading and working in the high country.

Trix is fit, young, and loves to run. Photo / Supplied
Trix is fit, young, and loves to run. Photo / Supplied

Trix used her small size to her advantage and was quick on her feet, and able to dart in and out.

Trix mainly worked on sheep, but loved to work cattle too.

Cobber was excited to have New Zealand at this year's challenge, marketing manager Kellie Savage said.

"The three Kiwi competitors work in incredible landscapes and I think their dogs will cover impressive distances."

"We're thankful to everyone who applied. How much everyone values their dogs as part of the farm team shone through in the nominations."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Cam Clayton (left), Peter Aitken and Josh Tosh. Photo / Supplied
Cam Clayton (left), Peter Aitken and Josh Tosh. Photo / Supplied

About the Cobber Challenge

Now in its sixth year, the 2021 Cobber Challenge will run from August 16 to September 5.

Each dog will wear a GPS collar to track how far, fast and for how long they work over a three-week period.

Each day of the competition, data is uploaded to the Cobber Challenge website so fans can follow the performance of their favourite dogs and national team.

The dogs will be scored based on distance, speed and duration of work per day with points accumulated based on daily activity to determine the winner of the Cobber Challenge trophy.

Follow the action at cobberchallenge.com.au and on the Cobber Dog Facebook page.

Competitors in the 2021 Cobber Challenge

New Zealand

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

• Cam Clayton and Pine, from Ashburton, Canterbury
• Josh Tosh and Trix, from Dipton, Southland
• Peter Aitken and Spark, from Millers Flat, Otago

Australia

• Antony Mulder and Narroonda Ritz, from Prairie, Queensland
• James Knight and Krui Snowy, from Devon Park, Queensland
• Daniel Pumpa and Turbo, from Koorawatha, NSW
• Emma Stocks and Koby, from Coolac, NSW
• Bradley Dunlop and Roxy, Wanganella, NSW
• Rob Sibley and Boof, from Kojonup, WA
• Ben Jeffery and Skyblue Jack, from Wannon, Victoria
• James Leahy and Glenlyon Jill, from Highlands, Victoria
• Bree How and Kit, from Oatlands, Tasmania

Save

    Share this article

Latest from The Country

Premium
The Country

'They just keep coming': Illegal hunting causes frustration and fear on East Coast

The Country

Watch: CCTV shows moment drug-driver caused tractor to crash into homes

The Country

Te Puke incident: Person airlifted after serious injury


Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from The Country

Premium
Premium
'They just keep coming': Illegal hunting causes frustration and fear on East Coast
The Country

'They just keep coming': Illegal hunting causes frustration and fear on East Coast

East Coast MP Dana Kirkpatrick highlights rising poaching concerns.

17 Jul 06:00 AM
Watch: CCTV shows moment drug-driver caused tractor to crash into homes
The Country

Watch: CCTV shows moment drug-driver caused tractor to crash into homes

17 Jul 03:49 AM
Te Puke incident: Person airlifted after serious injury
The Country

Te Puke incident: Person airlifted after serious injury

17 Jul 02:26 AM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP