A high-pitched trill cuts through the crisp country air like birdsong.
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It's not the cry of a currawong or a magpie but David Crawford's call to his champion working dog Butch.
Depending on the sound of the whistle, Butch sprints, dodges or gets down low to expertly direct three 400-kilogram steers around obstacles at the Working Dog Challenge in Carcoar, central-west NSW.
"I use a high tone or a low tone. If you want them to fire up and get a move on, it's a high one," Mr Crawford told AAP.
Manoeuvring three agitated beasts is a high-adrenaline sport for both Butch and his breeder.
"It's real heart-in-the-mouth stuff," Mr Crawford said, catching his breath.
Australian working dogs are having their moment, beloved as both a farmer's secret weapon and man's best friend.
A kelpie named Eve sold at auction last month for a national record of $49,000, highlighting the demand for well-trained working dogs amid worker shortages in the bush.
"Labour is extremely hard to find, so if you can go and buy a good dog, as opposed to paying a worker, it makes a lot of sense," said Brock Syphers, one of the challenge organisers.
"He doesn't turn up sick, he doesn't talk back to you and they have more stamina than a person.
"For a pat and a handful of biscuits at the end of the day, they're an extremely good tool."
About 100 people watched the sheep and cattle events on Friday, as dogs like Elvis, Teddy, Percy, Mac and Mingle navigate the strict competition rules of working livestock.
Breeder Sarah Lee and her family drove 12 hours from Edenhope, Victoria, to put their dogs Rock and Ice through their paces.
Mrs Lee said spectators enjoy seeing the results of expert training, which brings out the best of a dog's natural instinct, intellect and personality.
It's also a great day to be a dog.
"Their reward is working. That's what they live for, they love it," she said.
"I probably sook my dogs up a bit - whenever you see me with them, they're getting cuddles and pats. They're not just work dogs, they're my mates."
Kelpie Arthur, new to the world of dog trials, pushed a mob of sheep through a race, leaping onto their backs under careful guidance from owner Lewis Keller.
Mr Keller, a farm manager, said Arthur's easy nature is both an advantage and a drawback.
"Arthur is a bit of a wally. He's a hell of a nice dog, but he's just a big dope.
"But he's happy to back and bark in the sheep race because he doesn't register that they're going to be hard on him."
Mr Keller said Arthur and his other dogs were worth their weight in gold as companions and colleagues.
"It can be very isolating out on farms. The dogs are always there to listen. They're always there and they're always happy."
Australian Associated Press
