The Welsh Corgi Club of NSW proudly hosted its inaugural SprintDog™ Trial on Sunday, 21 June 2026, at the DOGS NSW grounds, Orchard Hills.

This was a landmark occasion in the Club’s history. Since its establishment in 1950, the Welsh Corgi Club of NSW has been dedicated to the promotion, preservation and exhibition of Welsh Corgis. Our inaugural SprintDog™ Trial marked an exciting new chapter as the first dog sport event ever conducted by the Club.

As a committee, we were both excited and immensely proud to welcome 124 entries to our inaugural event. To attract such strong exhibitor support for our very first dog sporting event exceeded our expectations and demonstrated the enthusiasm of the wider dog community in supporting the Welsh Corgi Club of NSW as it expanded into canine sports.

Before the Trial – Built from the Ground Up

Behind every successful event is a dedicated team of volunteers, and our inaugural SprintDog™ Trial was no exception.

The Club’s SprintDog™ Committee was spearheaded by volunteer members Donna Borg, Liana Bettison, Melinda Mills and Michelle Young, who embraced the challenge of introducing SprintDog™ to the Welsh Corgi Club of NSW. Together, they developed the event entirely from the ground up, despite having no previous experience in organising a SprintDog™ Trial.

Determined to deliver a professional event, they immersed themselves in learning every aspect of the sport and spent many months planning, designing and coordinating every detail. There were many people supporting us in the background, too many to list here, but we know who you are and we are forever grateful!

The Committee was responsible for virtually every aspect of the event, including:

• securing sponsorship and prize donations
• designing the event branding, logo, rosettes and ribbons
• preparing the catalogue and exhibitor information
• managing entries and administration
• coordinating judges, officials and volunteers
• organising equipment and event logistics
• ensuring compliance with DOGS NSW and SprintDog™ regulations
• overseeing the countless operational tasks required before the trial.

Their dedication, flexibility and countless volunteer hours laid the foundation for what became an outstanding inaugural SprintDog™ Trial.

Trial Day

When trial day finally arrived, months of planning came together thanks to the hard work of our SprintDog™ Committee.

On the day, Donna and Michelle led the delivery of the event, supported by fellow Club members Liana, Nicole Hardaker, Tracy Hofman, Emily Kelly and Victoria Lee, who generously stepped in wherever they were needed. Together with our judges, officials, stewards and many other volunteers, everyone worked tirelessly throughout the day—setting up the grounds, assisting exhibitors, stewarding, timing, marshalling, presenting awards and packing up once the final dog had run.

This collaborative effort created a welcoming atmosphere for exhibitors and officials alike and ensured the trial ran smoothly from start to finish. It was wonderful to see Club members working alongside experienced SprintDog™ officials, all sharing the common goal of delivering a memorable first event.

A Team Effort

This event would not have been possible without the incredible support of our volunteers, officials, exhibitors and sponsors. Hosting a dog sport of this scale requires months of preparation and a dedicated team working together, and we are sincerely grateful to everyone who contributed to its success.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to:

• Judges: Sally Hopkins (NSW) and Elizabeth Hindley (ACT), whose expertise, encouragement and professionalism were greatly appreciated.
• Lure Operator: Tony Maxwell, whose experience ensured the trial ran smoothly and whose guidance was invaluable throughout the day.
• DOGS NSW Representative: Pam Ellis, for her guidance, support and oversight.
• Official Photographer: Magda Greenfield Photography, for capturing so many wonderful memories that will preserve this historic day for years to come.
• Our volunteers, stewards, officials and committee members, whose generosity, enthusiasm and willingness to help before, during and after the trial made the event possible.

Most importantly, thank you to every exhibitor who chose to support our inaugural SprintDog™ Trial and to every dog who took to the track.

SprintDog™ is about much more than speed. It celebrates enthusiasm, confidence, instinct and the unique partnership between dogs and their handlers. Throughout the day, exhibitors embraced these values with outstanding sportsmanship, encouragement and camaraderie, creating a welcoming atmosphere for both seasoned competitors and those experiencing SprintDog™ for the very first time.

The success of our inaugural SprintDog™ Trial has inspired us to continue building on this exciting new chapter. We look forward to welcoming exhibitors, volunteers and supporters back for many more SprintDog™ trials and other canine sporting events in the years ahead.

Thank You to Our Sponsors

We are incredibly grateful to our generous sponsors for supporting our inaugural SprintDog™ Trial.

• Leatherworks 4 Dogs for generously donating a raffle voucher.
• Bow-Wow Bakery for providing exhibitor lucky dip treat packs, raffle prizes and special award prizes.
• Australian Cardis Calling (ACC) for sponsoring the beautiful Best Team Performance rosettes, recognising the outstanding partnership between handler and dog.

Your generosity helped make the day even more memorable for our exhibitors and is greatly appreciated by the Club.

Thank You to Our Exhibitors

Most importantly, thank you to every exhibitor who chose to support our inaugural SprintDog™ Trial and to every dog who took to the track.

SprintDog™ is about much more than speed. It celebrates enthusiasm, confidence, instinct and the unique partnership between dogs and their handlers. Throughout the day, exhibitors embraced these values with outstanding sportsmanship, encouragement and camaraderie, creating a welcoming atmosphere for both seasoned competitors and those experiencing SprintDog™ for the very first time.

We could not have asked for a better way to begin the Welsh Corgi Club of NSW’s journey into canine sports.

The success of our inaugural SprintDog™ Trial has inspired us to continue building on this exciting new chapter. We look forward to welcoming exhibitors, volunteers and supporters back for many more SprintDog™ trials and other canine sporting events in the years ahead.

The Committee would also like to acknowledge the wonderful volunteers who generously gave their time on the day. Events of this size simply cannot happen without the support of members willing to step forward and help.