NSW State Championships What a weekend it was! In May, the Young Showground played host to the NSW Yard Dog State Championships, and by every measure, it was an outstanding success.
Well done Thomas and Chloe, Chief Stewards of the trial. Not so long ago they were running their very first trial together at the 2025 Young Show. This time round, with a mere 3.5 weeks’ notice, they pulled off an entire State Championship. It was a truly outstanding effort from the pair of them. With an army of helpers, including the wonderful sponsors, Mad Harry’s, pitching in to set up and pull down the yards, nothing was too much trouble. The Young Show Society was proud to have helped host this event, and it’s thanks to dedicated volunteers like Thomas and Chloe that Yard Dog trialling in the region continues to thrive.
A huge congratulations to Brad Watts and Chilly, who took out the Open Championship title in style with a superb combination of runs across the weekend. Special mention to our competitors who travelled from far and wide to take part, your sportsmanship, camaraderie and support of one another throughout the weekend did not go unnoticed.
Our judges gave up their time and expertise to keep the trial running fairly and smoothly across every class, and their contribution can’t be overstated. A special thank you to Tony Overton and Billy Luff, who judged the Open Championship, along with Olly Hanson (Encourage & Junior) and Scott Bridge (Maiden & Novice). Your knowledge, patience and good humour were appreciated by every competitor on the ground.
Events like this don’t run on goodwill alone, they run on full stomachs too! A massive thank you to Jo Varena, who did a wonderful job catering all weekend, including a sumptuous dinner at Saturday night’s presentations. It was a lovely way to bring competitors, helpers and families together to celebrate the day’s results.
None of this would be possible without the generous support of our sponsors, led by our major sponsor CopRice. Thank you for backing grassroots events like this one and helping our sport continue to grow.
Thank you also to Hilltops Shire Council and the Young Show Society for the use of the grounds and for the wider community support that made this weekend possible.
We look forward to the Australian Championships next year!
