After 35 years competing in yard dog trials, the 2024 South East Field Days at Lucindale produced one of Wayne Gelven's biggest moments- his first state championship.
The weekend's win was even sweeter for the Tintinara kelpie breeder as it was with a dog he had bred himself- six year old Yanven Kenny who is also one of the sires in his stud.
"He has been a good trial dog and a good work dog too, he has natural stock sense and he is keen to work without being over the top so he works well as a team with me," he said.
At the start of his trialling days Wayne was a regular on the circuit but he now only goes to a few each year.
Prequalifying at a previous trial was the key as in the open finals at Lucindale on Friday both Kenny and his half brother missed out on making the top 25 final by half a point from 55 dogs from SA, Vic and NSW.
"It would have been all over before it started," he said.
Saturday was a much better day for the duo ranking third after the first round with a 64.5 points from a possible 100 . But it was the second and final run with a score of 85 that sealed the win.
Co-judge Lyndon Cooper, Back Valley, said the standard of the top 10 dogs was fantastic especially with some challenging sheep to work but Wayne's stockmanship skills shone through.
"He obviously had been watching a lot of the runs to see what was happening," Mr Cooper said.
"His dog kept the stock together in a mob and worked them up into the gate of the first pen in a very controlled and quiet manner.
"The dog let them have a look and there was no bashing and crashing through the yards."
Mr Gelven started Yanven Kelpies with his wife Fay as a hobby but now spends six months of the year training his dogs in the off season from lamb marking and other stock contracting work.
"We have a family of dogs going that suit what we do and because it suits us it suits a few other people as well," he said.
Yanven sold the highest priced dog at the Lucindale Working Dog Auction in 2022.
Mr Gelven -who has been a shearer and horse breaker - says yard dog trialling is a chance to do what he loves - working with animals.
"Yard trialling is just a smaller version of what we really do in our general stock work, it is as close as you are going get to doing the real work in a condensed form."
"You are mixing with a lot of good like-minded people and comparing notes so it is a great social event too."
In a rare feat Adam James, Mortlake, Vic had three dogs in the top 10 of the state championships and took out all the minor placings.
In a fortnight's time Lee Mickan from Loxton will represent SA at the national championships in Mobrup, WA after his 2023 state win.
