The Fair Dinkum Toller Award is sponsored by Kirchoff, Lidlriva and Fionavar Kennels. The trophy itself is Australian White Cedar with brass plates. Each year the award is presented, a plate will be added with the names of the winning Toller and Handler team.

From Toller Talk Spring 1999

Andrea Nixon provided the story behind the Fair Dinkum Toller Award:

"Well, the Canadian Specialty has a new Perpetual Trophy. It has been donated by Kirchoff, Lidlriva and Fionavar Kennels from Australia, who hope to look over the winners personally.

It was debated over here, and after much deliberation it was unanimous that all of us wished it to be awarded to the All-round Toller of the Specialty."

We hope that this will be an award for those of you who do work your Toller, though you may not always WIN in any particular event. We want the Fair Dinkum Toller Award to be for the best all-round Toller on the day of the Specialty and to recognize a great all-round achievement by the winning Toller and handler.

Now the name:
It may sound ridiculous to those of you outside of Australia, but there's a good reason for the name we chose. Here in Australia, fair dinkum is a common slang term, and the dictionary definition means: genuine, honest or true. And since we wanted to have a uniquely Australian name for the award, Fair Dinkum Toller Award means to us, the Genuine, or True All-round Toller Award.
We hope this award will encourage Toller owners to enter specialty events to achieve a great all-round day. Remember, you don't have to win events to win the Award!

A miniature version of the trophy will be awarded to the winning Toller/handler team as a permanent keepsake of the their Fair Dinkum Toller Award win.

Good luck to all.

In 2005, the rules were amended to take into account the (CKC) Graduate Obedience Classes.

Dog/Handler must compete over the days of the Specialty earning points in Obedience, Conformation and Working Tests.

Points to be awarded as follows, with the Dog/Handler team obtaining the highest number of points to be the winner.

Dog/Handler must Qualify or Place under the points system below to remain in the running. The highest set of points, earned from each Category, are counted and are not cumulative within a category. Categories are OBEDIENCE, CONFORMATION AND WORKING TESTS.

OBEDIENCE:
Qualifying score of 170 or over in UD - 4 pts.
Qualifying score of 170 or over in Open A/B - 3 pts.
Qualifying score of 170 or over in Novice A/B- 2 pts.
Qualifying score of 170 or over in Novice C/Novice Intermediate/Graduate Novice/Graduate Open/Versatility & Veterans - 1 pt
(Pre Novice, Brace, Teams are excluded)

CONFORMATION
Class Dogs
1st in Class- 4 pts
2nd in Class- 3 pts
3rd in Class- 2 pts
4th in Class- 1 pt

**Please note Official and Unofficial Classes must contain at least 4 dogs for the above points to come into place- if there is less than 4 dogs in any Class (official or non) then 1 pt will be deducted for each dog not making up the class. IE - 3 dogs in class, 1st place 3 pts, 2nd place 2pts etc- IE 2 dogs in Class, 1st place 2pts 2nd place 1 pt. **

Specials Dogs
BISS - 4 pts
BOS - 3 pts
Certificate of Merit - 2 pts
Make Final Cut in BIS Judging - 1pt *** or if Judge does not make a final cut then any Specials Dog that is in the running for the Fair Dinkum will get 1 pt.

WORKING TESTS
Qualifying Run in WCX - 4 pts
Qualifying Run in WCI - 3 pts
Qualifying Run in WC - 2 pts

In the event of a tie at the end of the Specialty then the highest point scorer in the Working Tests shall be the winner.
In the event there is still a tie then the highest point scorer in the Obedience shall be the winner.
In the last likely hood that there is still a tie then let the youngest DOG (not handler!) be the ultimate winner.

The Fair Dinkum will be awarded at the end of the last qualifying event, which means that it is more than likely to be awarded at the finish of the Working Tests.

Any Winner of the Fair Dinkum at the Specialty will be awarded a Keepers Trophy.

Should the Fair Dinkum not be won at a Specialty (which might be the case) then we ask that the previous winner of the Trophy keep it until such time that it is won.

Regards,
Andrea Nixon and Terry Johnson - Fionavar
Emma Simon - Lidlriva
Tim & Sara Coombes - Kirchoff