Next SWIFT Event- 24 April 2016 - Start 9.00 AM

AM - Training Morning - focus is on Driving

PM - Farm Trial - focus is on Driving and includes other elements from Field Trials - in a simpler form.

Where: Trina McEwin's place, 139 Frenches Creek Rd, Frenches Ck, Qld. Near Boonah. mob. 0431 882553

Entry Fees: Training morning - $10 per person. Each person has the same amount of time on sheep, regardless of how many dogs a person works.

Farm Trial afternoon - $10 per dog entered in the Farm Trial

Please Pay All Fees On Arrival

More about what's happening at the April SWIFT Training and Farm Trial day.

AM - training dogs to drive

For dogs already working effectively in the open paddock, various strategies will be introduced to help dogs start driving and also to progress the skills of the dogs already driving.

Lunch And Refreshments - BYO Food - tea, coffee and water provided.

PM - Farm Trial - includes basic elements that are in the field trials, but in a smaller, simpler way. The Farm Trials are a continuation of the training focus in the morning. So, April's Farm Trial focus is Driving.
RSVP Trina By April 22 - if you are attending (see contact details above) - or if you don't get Trina, contact one of the other people listed. We need to know how many sheep will need to be available on the day.

2016 – Training and Field Trials

Date

Month

Activities – always phone Trina if attending/entering

13/3/16

March

10 am start

A day to find out about SWIFT and what it offers – Dog Free

*SWIFT – what we’re about

*Field Trial Rules and Courses including:

- video - ISDS sheepdog field trial

*Who are SWIFT trials and training for ... pre-requisites & ability benchmarks

*Membership forms will be available - $30 membership fee, $5 joining fee

... for this day - lunch with rolls, tea, coffee & water provided - BYO other food ...

24/4/16

April

½ day Training / ½ day Farm Trial

29/5/16

May

Field Trials – Rookies and Novice

26/6/16

June

½ day Training / ½ day Farm Trial

24/7/16

July

Field Trials – Rookies and Novice

14/8/16

Aug

½ day Training / ½ day Farm Trial

25/9/16

Sept

Field Trials – Rookies, Novice and possibly Open Basic

30/10/16

Oct

End of season get together - informal day and Farm Trial

Where: 139 Frenches Creek Rd, Frenches Creek, QLD 4310 (near Boonah)

Who to contact:
Trina McEwin - entries & event times - 0431 882553
Kate Beck – general information about SWIFT and training - 0429 578 006
Mike Dungey - info about SWIFT events - 0438 855520

Trainers: Kate Beck and Ellie Wong
Chief Judge - Ellie Wong

Training and Trials information and pre requisites:

Limited numbers of entries due to the number of sheep available, farm facilities and time

Pre requisites for participation in SWIFT training:

dogs to be registered with a Working Sheepdog Association recognised by SWIFT (Border Collies/Kelpies)
handlers must be full members of QWSDA and SWIFT
dogs must be able to complete in open paddocks, a 45 metre outrun (minimum), lift, fetch, and carry the sheep in any direction with the sheep clearly under control, moving in a calm fashion
dogs meeting above pre-requisites, but not a 60m outrun (a trial pre-requisite), may, if time permits, enter Farm Trials as non-competitive entries.

Pre requisites for participation in SWIFT Field Trials:

dogs to be registered with a Working Sheepdog Association recognised by SWIFT ( Border Collies/Kelpies)
dogs must be able to work in open paddocks, including - minimum 60 metre outrun, lift, fetch, and carry the sheep in any direction with the sheep clearly under control, moving in a calm fashion.
handlers must be full members of QWSDA and SWIFT

SWIFT Field Trial Courses have different levels of difficulty.
Offered in 2016 to all who meet the pre requisites are - Rookies (for beginner field trial workers), Novice (for dogs that haven't won 3 Novice Trials), possibly Open Basic, and Farm Trials (short, practical field trials) on training days.

Training days are for training the skills required in the ISDS style Field Trials for dogs already working effectively in an open paddock.
There are 2 higher level courses to be included when dogs and handlers are ready for the challenge in future years.

Sheepdog Workers International Field Trials (SWIFT)

Sheepdog Workers International Field Trials also known as SWIFT is based on ISDS trial rules with an emphasis on the element and ability of a working dog to drive. Trial course elements may include gathering, driving, penning, shedding, singling and/or a double lift. Obstacles consist of the pen, holding ring, fetch gates and/or cross drive gates. Sheepdog Workers International Field Trials is an affiliate club of the Australian Sheep Dog Workers’ Association.

Keen to become a member and particpitate in sheepdog trials?

Call Trina the club secretary on 0431 882 553 (leave a message if you get the answering service)

Sheepdog Workers International Field Trials Information Day

On Sunday the 13th March 2016 Sheepdog Workers International Field Trials (SWIFT) held an information day. The information day was held at Trina McEwin's place at Frenches Creek just outside Boonah. Kate Beck and Trina McEwin provided most of the information on the day. Trina's place is going to be the springboard trialing venue as Sheepdog Workers International Field Trials continues to grows and spread. Over time other trialing venues will come onboard.