Part of the attraction is the $5500 prize money, $1000 for the winner of the Open section alone, but also the easing of Covid restrictions with so few opportunities over the last 12 months for dogs and their owners to hit an arena.

Competitors are coming from the Hunter region, Narrabri and further west, Tamworth and northern NSW and southern Queensland.

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"The interest has been astounding, " Ms Roots said. "We have had to go back time and time again to the pastoral companies to ask for more cattle and their generosity has been really fantastic. We now have over 600 head lent to us for the event"

The Trials started on Friday at the Ebor Sports Ground with novice and junior sections leading up to the Open on Sunday.

BackTrack CEO Bernie Shakeshaft said his introduction to dog training as a young man fresh out of Sydney came through working at Paul and Annette Roots property near Wagga.

"They bred border collies and I had a great initiation into the very best," he said. "It has been a life long passion for me and I have passed that down to the kids at BackTrack. Many of our champion jumping dogs descend from those I first trained with at the Roots' property."

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Ebor's cattle dog trial will give younger and more advanced BackTrack participants an opportunity to extend their skills in the novice and junior sections with the Open attracting some of the most skilled dog trial trainers in the NSW and Qld circuit.

"The locals are right behind us and have been very generous with their support," Ms Roots said.

"If all goes well it could become an annual event. There is certainly huge enthusiasm out there and also a willingness to help the young people learn more sophisticated dog training skills. "

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