Thomas Lee, 11, of Edenhope works his dog Choice to win the maiden in the Hypro Murray Valley Yard Dog Championships at the Henty Machinery Field Days. Photo: Andy Rogers.
At just 11 years of age, Thomas Lee is the youngest ever winner of the Henty Machinery Field Days yard dog championships.
The Year 5 student from St Matthew’s School at Edenhope has earmarked his winnings to restore an old Holden ute and build a lawnmower with his dad.
Thomas was one of 69 entrants in the Delta Livestock Maiden class of the Hypro Murray Valley Yard Dog Championships on 23 September – and he trumped them all on a score of 97 points with his dog The Lees Choice.
He was also awarded the Kambah Poll Merinos and Grovers Country Clothing stockmanship award by judge Dayne West.
Despite being up against entrants four times his age, Thomas kept his cool even when the sheep were challenging.
He admitted he didn’t even practise for the Henty competition, just ran his dogs for fitness every day.
But this terrific ‘tail’ of success is not such a surprise given Thomas has been working kelpies since he was a baby. His parents, David and Sara Lee, operate The Lees Working Dogs and were attending the Henty Machinery Field Days for the first time this year with a team of 11 dogs.
Still, there’s no doubt Thomas was excited about pocketing $400 in prizemoney for his first maiden win.
His last big success was taking out the encouragement trial at Kingston, in Victoria, with his dog Jazz.
“It’s a bit of fun – there are not many other kids doing it,” Thomas said.
When this young gun was eight, he sold a dog for a tidy sum and used the money to help his father begin restoring a HQ Holden Kingswood ute.
“We done some burnouts and had some fun in it – it had bad rust so it’s in a primer coat and we have to fix it,” he said.
Thomas shares three dogs with his sister Ivy and believes the key to working dogs is to remain calm and make a big fuss when the dog works well.
He aims to be a dog trainer when he grows up.
“I just want to continue having a bit of fun and encourage other kids to have a go, and sell dogs to make some money to fix up the ute,” he said.
Dad David scored 98 points in the Improver on Wednesday while mum Sara competed with The Lees Ted.
“This is a championship event at Henty, and the organisers have done a fantastic job organising the sponsorship and organisation,” Sara said.
“Henty is huge – we didn’t realise how big the field days are.”
NSW Governor Margaret Beazley inspects new cereal varieties with Baker Seeds agronomists Justin Daly, left, and Ed Harrod at Henty this week. Photo: Andy Rogers.
The innovation, initiative and community spirit of Henty left NSW Governor Margaret Beazley quite bowled over this week.
“If I could come back here every year, I absolutely would – this is one of the most interesting exhibitions of any type,” she said during a tour of the expansive three-day event.
The Governor had a full day at the field days, taking in regional artisan produce at Farm Gate, inspecting the latest innovations at Agtech Alley and the latest cereal and pasture varieties, before meeting the Henty Machine of the Year Award winners, browsing stalls at Country Lifestyle, seeing all the action of the yard dog trials and taking in the vintage machinery display.
“What struck me wandering around was the essence of agriculture and what it does for the whole of Australia,” she said.
“Henty should be very proud of itself as the biggest field days in Australia with a peak in exhibitors and visitors telling us there is something successful in this.”
The Governor said agriculture accounted for $75 billion worth of exports in Australia and the industry was worth $11 billion to the state economy.
“There is over $200 million worth of machinery sitting out there (at Henty) resulting in an event worth $72 million to the national economy with all the community pitching in right down to the cricket team cleaning the toilets,” she said.
“It really raises my spirits when I come to a community like this – it is great to see the younger farmers coming back to farming thanks to IT, AI, and robotics.
“I am not sitting in a room full of farmers but of scientists. You are an extraordinarily inspiring lot.”
