The sheep are waiting, the clock is running and the dogs are intently waiting for their handlers' signals in the race to win Tasmania's best yard dog of the year.
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More than 52 dogs, made up of mostly Australian Kelpies along with Border Collies, and up to 15 handlers, including from interstate, will be competing at the Tasmanian Yard Dog Association's State Championships this weekend.
The trials will be held on December 14 at Connorville Station in Cressy from 7am, with the finals to be held the following day.
All competing dogs start with 100 points and have 12 minutes to muster a herd of sheep into a variety of farming situations, including herding them into a draft and back into the yard, and into a trailer.
Tasmanian Yard Dog Association president Simon McGee said there were more dogs than usual in this year's race for top dog.
"People are starting to enjoy the trials a bit more, going to different places and meeting different people, and everyone seems to have a few more dogs," he said.
"Most of the handlers are from farms, so they obviously work on a farm and enjoy sheep work and obviously enjoy their dogs, but we also have a few handlers who don't work on farms and they just enjoy it as a hobby."
Mr McGee said if dogs and handlers manage to maintain more than 90 points, they will be most likely be in the running to compete in the finals.
"Someone in Tasmania has kept 100 points before, but it doesn't happen very often."
