An image of a pair of sheepdogs taking a break while working on a Co. Galway farm has won an Agriland photo competition.

With fieldwork getting into full swing in recent weeks, Agriland asked readers across the country to submit their photos.

Although many captivating images from across the country were entered, it was a photo captured by Elaine Gordon from Loughrea that caught the judges' eye.

Photo competition

The winning image shows a pair of sheepdogs on top of a round bale in a field that has been cut for silage.

Elaine Gordon told Agriland that the image was taken on her family's mixed drystock farm in east Co. Galway.

"In the picture we've got Jess, who is our our sheepdog, and we were just after getting our other little sheepdog, Woody, so he was only a baby.

"She was teaching him how to keep the crows away at the time, so they're very good and well trained at that," she said.

Elaine said that every year her father will ask her to come with the dogs to try and keep the crows from picking the bales.

"If there's a flock of birds, they'll tear off down the field and they'll get rid of them pretty quickly," she said.

However, Elaine is careful to ensure the dog themselves do not damage the bales, and lifted the pair up onto the bale for the photo.

"You have to be careful of their nails; you'll get in trouble if they rip the bales," she said.

Elaine said that Woody is now very familiar with farm life, adding that both dogs will be back on duty soon as the farm gears up for first-cut silage.

"He's just over a year old now, he's very much settled, he knows his job and he's quite happy to be second-in-command," she said.

Editor of Agriland, Stella Meehan said: "There were so many entries of truly wonderful photos submitted for our competition, that we could have given any of them top prize!

"The aspect of the next generation coming up with the old dog teaching the new pup all the tricks of the job and the lovely landscape in the background, just captured all that is great and good about Irish farming life.

"Well done also to Eoin for his incredible sunset image with stunning colours flooding the machinery silhouette."

Photo competition

The judges selected an image captured by Eoin McCabe from Co. Meath of a tractor working in a field against a striking sunset as the runner-up in the photo competition.

Both the overall winner and the runner-up will receive Agriland prize packs.

Click on the gallery below to view a selection of some of the other photos submitted for Agriland's fieldwork photo competition: