Kelly Country cattle dog trials at Tatong on June 14

Next month’s Kelly Country cattle dog trials will be an opportunity for participants to pay tribute to late local identities.

For participants at Tatong’s Kelly Country cattle dog trials next month, it will be an opportunity to pay tribute to late local identities Max and Kristin Marriot, who passed away in 2023.

Highly respected figures in the community, the Marriot farm at Tatong, now run by Max’s son Andrew, has played host to the trials in recent years, with co-founder of the trials Steve Arbuthnot paying tribute to the late couple.

“From every phase of farming, from growing beef to their horses, (Max and Kristin) were highly respected. Not only Australia-wide, but around the world,” he said.

“Their passion was their Clydesdales, and they were recognised everywhere.”

Steve Arbuthnot and Jenny Sparke with their working collie pups and dogs on Tatong Estate. Picture: Zoe Phillips

It was about 14 years ago when Steve and his mate Troy Randell identified that stock skills handling cattle were fading quickly, and that bringing people together for cattle dog trials had the added bonus of being a form of social gathering during a tough time in farming.

“I think it was just a sign of the times and the pressure to achieve. Everyone became busy and grazing systems were driven to be running as profitable enterprises. Once you put speed in to achieve things, sometimes what you would have done in days gone by you aren’t able to do,” Steve said.

“People either didn’t have time or felt like they didn’t have time to train a dog.”

Clydesdale horses at sunrise at Tatong Estate, the Marriot family farm, now run by Andrew, Max's son.

Since then, the Kelly Country series has grown from strength to strength, with Tatong one of seven trials in the series held across Victoria, with 80-100 triallers expected to attend Tatong on June 14.

Having competed in previous years, Steve has now stepped back, and loves the social aspect of the event.

“People can showcase their dogs and come along to enjoy themselves tremendously,” Steve said.