austraLasia 830
Priest rounds up his flock with a dog-collared mate
SYDNEY: 19th April '04 -- The Australian Province's 'Link' occasionally takes a leaf from 'austraLasia'. It is appropriate this time for 'austraLasia' to take a leaf from 'Link', though in truth we are both taking a leaf from the Sydney Morning Herald! The story is well worth re-telling.
Salesian parish priest of St. Mary's Western Sydney, has another dog-collar in the life of his parish. It belongs to his 2 month old canine mate, Lotto. Despite his duties in the parish, Fr. Kerin and Lotto were at the New South Wales state sheepdog trials in the central west town of Molong recently, as part of a new breed of triallers breathing life back into an archaic but prototypical Australian rural sport.
The main thing stopping the involvement of city people in the sport is access to a practice paddock (field, for non-Australians) and at least three sheep. Father Kerin was given Lotto, but had to buy some sheep which keep thegrass down on land owned by the Sisters of Mercy. As a boy he loved working on farms and 'just got interested again' when Lotto came into his life. He trains for about an hour five or six times a week.
A search on 'Lotto' and 'Molong sheepdog trials' turned up only the fact that the Parish at Molong is run by the Vincentian Fathers, and the only 'trial' they mentioned was the events of Good Friday. Perhaps Lotto too, went through agonies at Molong and awaits his final victory some time in the future!
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