Jump for Roy: High praise for sidekick

Dean Rintoul had low expectations for trusty sidekick Roy before this year’s Newdegate Machinery Field Days Dog Jump Challenge.

However, the two-year-old pure-bred Kelpie proved him wrong, soaring over a 1.74m fence.

On the opening day of Newdegate’s 47th annual agriculture show last Wednesday, Roy leapt from a standing-start to easily clear the hurdle to claim first-place honours.

Onlookers applauded Roy’s feat, while Mr Rintoul was quick to admit it came as a surprise.

“He has always been a jumper, but I never expected him to jump that high,” he said.

“It was an impressive effort.”

Roy is one of three sheepdogs at the Rintouls’ mixed grain-sheep enterprise, near Newdegate, helping oversee a flock of 2000 breeding ewes.

In addition to sheep, Mr Rintoul and his father Murray also crop about 3000ha.

The sheep and grain producer said Roy was an adored part of the family farm.

“Roy is one-of-a-kind, he’s a good barker and sometimes I think that’s all he has going for him,” Mr Rintoul joked.

Bits, a 10-year-old kelpie owned by Ali Spencer, also competed in this year’s Dog Jump Challenge.

Ms Spencer said although her loyal companion was getting long in the tooth, he was still a hard-worker.

“Bits used to jump each year at the Wagin Woolorama and would clear 2.3m fairly easily,” she said.

“He’s getting on a bit now and he’s still willing to give it a go, which is great.”