2023 Cobber challenge: Tasmanian kelpie, Earl, takes out hardest working dog in Australia

A Tasmanian farmer is proud as punch after his four-legged friend, a half-blind kelpie named Earl, took out the title of hardest working dog in Australia. Watch their reaction.

Fingal farmer Alex Johns is officially the proud owner of the hardest working dog in Australia and New Zealand when he and his best mate Earl were announced winners of the 2023 Cobber Challenge.

Kelpie Earl and Mr Johns beat out 11 other Australian and New Zealand farmers and their furry companions by covering a whopping distance of 1343km over the 21-day competition while working.

Australian dog food company Cobber’s annual challenge aims to celebrate the “unsung heroes” of the booming agricultural sector – the working dog.

Assessed on his speed, duration and distance covered over the competition period, three-year-old Earl managed average top speeds of 14.1km/h, becoming the fastest competitor ever.

Blind in one eye, Earl is also the only dog in the competition with a disability that owner Mr Johns says “doesn’t hinder him at all”.

Cobber challenge winner Earl the kelpie – a sheep and cattle dog – with his owner Alex Johns, of Fingal in Tasmania.

“He’s got quite a nice scar over one of his eyes, but he does pretty well,” he said.

Mr Johns and Earl will take home a trophy, $3000, 12 bags of Cobber Working Dog feed and a brand-new puppy apprentice for Earl, courtesy of Tasmanian breeder Pandara Kelpies.

Astonished at the win, Mr Johns thought the pair were “only in with a chance” until a busy farming season kept Earl’s paws racking up the kilometres.

“We’ve had a seriously busy few months down here with a new shearing crew coming on board, so and Earl has been working harder than ever,” said Mr Johns.

“We shore about 34,000 ewes, then we split them all up into their lambing paddocks, so Earl had a lot of work under his belt.

Earl the sheep and Cattle dog from Fingal has won the annual Cobber 21-day challenge as the hardest working dog in Australia, covering 1343km.

“I’m so proud to see him come out on top and I couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome another addition to my working dog team.”

Apart from being a loyal companion in the paddocks, Mr Johns said he couldn’t do his farming work without him.

“They are instrumental in what we do,” he said.

“They put in so much effort for so little reward – they only need a bit of food, bit of water and a bit of love; they don’t ask for much.”

Earl will break for a long-deserved rest from farm work as well as some “nice, juicy bones” following the win, Mr Johns said.

Originally published as 2023 Cobber challenge: Tasmanian kelpie, Earl, takes out hardest working dog in Australia