Hay’s Jessie Armstrong leads the pack with new $50,000 working dog initiative

Jessie Armstrong (above), a Hay Inc graduate and Meat and Livestock Australia Red Meat Ambassador from Hay, has secured $50,000 in funding for the Riverina Stock Dog Apprentice Pilot, a program aimed at upskilling young agricultural workers in livestock handling and working dog skills.

The initiative, which began as an idea shared with peers, gained significant traction and support from across rural Australia, including expressions of interest from participants in Western Australia and Queensland.

The pilot will run over nine months, combining distance education with four in-person training blocks in Hay, drawing inspiration from successful peer-to-peer agricultural training models like Lifetime Ewe Management and Prograze.

Ms Armstrong was also recently appointed the centre manager for the newly established Country University Centre, at Hay.

Applications for the program are expected to open in early 2026.