Tasmanian Working Sheepdog Association publicity officer Carol Walduck said that the post-winter season would start with a trial on Saturday and another on Sunday.

‘‘Action will be at the Meander Rise property, at Westwood, near Carrick, both days,’’ she said.

‘‘Saturday’s trial will replace the cancelled Blechford trial and Sunday’s trial will replace the Hamilton event that was originally scheduled for the Saturday.

‘‘There will be plenty of top handlers at each of the trials. Bernard McGlashan will work Macara Ice and Lee Jamieson will work Malcolm Taylor’s dog, Macara Eddie.

‘‘Bernard and Lee are Tasmania’s state representatives at the annual Ted Gaby interstate challenge at Strathalbyn, South Australia, next month.

‘‘Also at Westwood will be Michael Grant, with Fleetwood Queen, who will travel to Strathalbyn to represent Australia in the annual Trans-Tasman Test series against New Zealand. 

‘‘Michael was the only Tasmanian to make the team.’’

Ms Walduck said that organisers were not sure how many handlers would enter because both trials accepted entrants on the day.

‘‘I think most handlers will be there though, because it’s the first outing after our winter break,’’ she said.

‘‘We’ll be changing the course for Sunday’s trial to better recreate the type of obstacles that handlers will face in South Australia."

The trials starts at 8am and, as each is a separate event, finals are expected to run until about 5pm each day.