The smorgasbord of world-class sheepdog trials continues into its second week.
The Commonwealth Championship Sheepdog Trails began at the Gardens Oval in Port Fairy on Sunday, and will run for a week.
This follows on the heels of the Koroit Sheepdog Trials at Victoria Park, which concluded on Sunday.
The Koroit trials drew plenty of attention, with bumper crowds turning out on the weekend to witness the work of the dogs and their handlers.
The event was host to the Australian Sheepdog Championship, which was won by one of the country's most accomplished sheepdog workers Mick Hudson.
The Port Fairy event carries on the high standard of competition, with plenty of prestige on offer for those at the top of their game.
The championships will include the Australian Dog of the Year title.
This will see the best sheepdogs from each state going head-to-head in a clash of the titans.
The winner will receive a first prize of $1500.
The dog of the year has been part of the commonwealth trials since 2013, with Victoria's Jim Dodge and his dog Paton's Cooper combining to win the title when it was last held in 2020.
And while the best-of-the-best have made their way to Port Fairy this week, it is also an event that welcomes those just starting to make their mark.
Seaford sheepdog worker Sarah McFarlane has been in the game for 14 years, but for her 16-month-old border collie Max, Port Fairy will mark his competitive debut.
While Max's first run on Monday produced modest results, both sheepdog and owner were soaking up the atmosphere and enjoying every moment of it.
"The last time I came to Port Fairy was four years ago," Ms McFarlane said.
"It's such a lovely location and a great time of the year to be here and it's a really well ran trial.
"It's really nice to be back together as a sheepdog community and catching up with each other again."
