The second season of Muster Dogs has been run and won.
The ‘sheep’ got real on Sunday night, as the five border collie pups and their trainers lined up for their 12-month assessment and the crowning of the Muster Dogs champion.
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In the perfect twist to end season two of Muster Dogs with a bang, was a come-from-behind win for what last week looked like the underdog of the competition.
Yes, Buddy and Zoe — who looked down and out last week when they couldn’t complete the 10-month assessment — took the title in an outstanding display of skill at the grand final on Sunday night.
I should have stuck to my guns. From the beginning I had tipped Buddy or Indi (with trainer Steve) to be the winners — but dropped Buddy after last week’s problems.
I should have had more faith!
Zoe and Buddy are the season two Muster Dog champions.
It was a very close, but unanimous, call by the judges to award the crown to Buddy and Zoe after the three challenges of the final assessment, held at last season winner Frank Finger’s property in central Queensland.
The winning team had missed the 10-month assessment because Buddy had been sick and in and out of the vet. And Zoe was struggling after the break-up of her long-term relationship.
But neither of those obstacles — nor the four-day trek from the Northern Territory to get to the final challenge — held them back from the win.
Trainer and judge Neil McDonald said: “I think their heartbeats coincide with each other — they have such a good relationship”.
Zoe was thrilled with the win.
“He’s my best little buddy,” she said.
“His journey — it’s not going to stop here. There’s so much more for him to learn.
“The goal was never to train the champion muster dog. It was about the learning experience, the opportunities of meeting like-minded people who want to educate stock well and really enjoy their dogs.
“My hope is more and more people want to go out and learn to work stock with dogs and be kind to their animals and continue their love for them.”
As well as recapping the pups’ journeys to the final, one of the highlights of the last episode was seeing the litter-mates reunited with their siblings.
It was absolutely adorable.
As was their reunion with breeders Carolyn and Mick Hudson.
Mick was proud as punch with his ‘children’.
“It’s worth a million dollars to me to see someone getting enjoyment out of my dogs,” he said.
Together all five dogs have graduated from the year-long experiment and are now effective working dogs.
They have each proven that you can train a dog smarter and faster in just 12 months rather than the usual three-year training cycle.
But more importantly, they have shown that the bond between human and dog is unbreakable and something to be treasured.
Roll on season three!
Although the youngest trainer in the competition, Lily and her pup Snow were strong contenders.
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