The Sunbelt Ag Expo has honored outstanding farmers from participating Southeastern states for 35 years. Realizing the special role farm dogs play in helping their farmers, Georgia Farm Bureau held its 2nd Annual Georgia Farm Dog of the Year contest earlier this year

to honor the canine workers who help with chores and offer unconditional love on their farms.

Rooster, a red merle Australian Shepherd who lives in Putnam County with his owners, Shawn and Nikkole Raff, was named the 2025 Georgia Farm Bureau Farm Dog of the Year during the Willie B. Withers Sunbelt Expo Luncheon on Oct. 14. As the winner, Rooster and the Raffs received a $500 gift card. Rooster was chosen from nearly 100 canine entries by a panel of judges with knowledge of farm dogs.

Rooster, who turns eight in November, stands 21 inches tall and weighs about 45 pounds. Shawn, his main person, says Rooster’s favorite treat is duck jerky.

“Rooster is our family dog, but he has picked Shawn as his person. They are two peas in a pod, and Rooster follows Shawn everywhere. Rooster is Shawn’s right-hand man,” Nikkole said. “Shawn doesn’t have to watch to see if Rooster is there, he’s always within two feet of Shawn no matter where he’s at.”

The Raffs own a beef cattle farm where Rooster helps Shawn work about 150 head of Brahman, Simmental and crossbred cattle. Rooster also accompanies Shawn to his job at Sunrise Dairy, near Eatonton, where the inseparable pair work a large herd of milking cows and replacement heifers.

“Rooster is used for just about any job you can think of involving the livestock on both farms,” Shawn said. “He sorts cattle, drives and fetches cows, moves cows up the alleyway into the chute, moves cattle during grazing rotations, and works alongside my horse to bring cattle into catch pens for vaccinations or other reasons.”

When Rooster, named for the John Wayne film Rooster Cogburn, isn’t working or competing, he loves to go for rides in the truck to check cows or to get a pup cup at the local coffee shop with the Raffs’ daughter, Dalaney. Rooster also loves to cuddle and watch television to unwind after a long day of work. The Raffs’ son, Kaleb, just enlisted in the Army.

“This award is not only about recognizing a dog's ability to help around the farm. It's also about honoring a loyal friend who is with its farmer and farm family daily and is a symbol of unwavering dedication on the family farm. The bond between a farmer and their dog is deep, built on trust and countless hours of shared labor around the farm,” said Georgia Farm Bureau President Tom McCall. “Rooster, this year’s recipient of this prestigious award embodies the essence of what it means to be a farm dog—devotion beyond measure, intelligence that aids in daily tasks, and a heart that lives for his next assignment.”

As a hobby, Rooster and Shawn compete in herd trials and belong to the Rocky Branch Working Australian Shepherd Club in Forsyth, Ga. Shawn is the club’s president. Rooster has received training from Jessica Saura with Pawsitive K9 Connections in Metter, Ga., and from Devona Pierce for herd trialing. Rooster came from Pincie Creek Australian Shepherds owned by Roger Stevens.

“Rooster would not be the herding dog he is today if it wasn’t for Devona’s help, and Roger Stevens was instrumental as well,” Shawn said. “Billie Richardson and Kellie Hunter were a very big help in developing Rooster and my herding trial skills, too.”

Georgia Farm Bureau is known for its love of dogs as Lucky, also an Australian Shepherd, has served as the GFB mascot since 2021. Visit  https://gfb.ag/25farmdogcontest to learn more about the contest.

Georgia Farm Bureau is a grassroots organization dedicated to supporting the future of Georgia's family farms and our access to locally grown food and fiber. Membership is open to everyone. Visit www.gfb.org to learn how GFB supports farmers, connects consumers with farmers through its Farm Passport Program and to learn about the many discount benefits offered to members.