Each year an average of 50 competitors enter approximately 250 dogs and compete for trophies and prize money. The prizes include The Queens Trophy, The Duke of Gloucester Sash and the Governor General's Sash.

Dog compete in three different grades:

Maiden Dogs - Dogs which have never won a trial
Improver Dogs - Dogs which have won a maiden trial
Open Dogs - Dogs which have won both Maiden and Improver trials

The trials generally run from 8.00 AM to 5.00 PM daily. The Maiden trials are conducted from Tuesday to Wednesday followed by trials for Improver and Open Dogs from Thursday to Saturday. Finals of the Improver and Open trials are run on Sunday afternoon.