Bay's leading sheepdogs bow out

Bob Bruce. Photo/File

Two of Hawke's Bay's most successful sheepdogs are being retired from trialling as the region celebrates a string of successes during the national and North and South Island championships.

Tony Fairweather's Reign and Bob Bruce's Trump, Hawke's Bay champion huntaway and heading dog respectively, both competed seriously for the last time in the South Island and New Zealand championships last week at Waihi Station, near Geraldine.

Each of the masters say their loyal servants may still get a run or two in "local" trials or around the A&P show circuit, but they have earned the break.

It was a successful swansong for rising 8-year-old Reign, winning the South Island straight hunt run-off and backing up with fourth in Fairweather's bid for a first national championships green tie, the partnership having gone close when winning the North Island title and finishing third in the national run-off near Masterton three years ago.

In a novel interlude, Reign also deputised momentarily as his master's best man, whistled-up to bring the ring when Fairweather and wife Sarah married on the farm he managed near Te Pohue, and which they vacate in the next few weeks to move to a farm purchased near Weber, east of Dannevirke.

Trump was unable to match the results of his previous years - which included a South Island long head win in 2012 and four other island and national run-offs.

But master Bruce was selected in the New Zealand transtasman match team with Skip, which emerged from Trump's shadow to be runner-up in the national short head and yard final, after placing fourth in the South Island run-off and seventh in the North Island championship run-off near Taumarunui three weeks earlier.

They were part of a significant Hawke's Bay invasion of the island and national championships, with three of the four South Island titles and a quarter of the 84 placings in the run-offs at the two venues.

In addition to Fairweather's win in the South Island championships, the elimination process leading to the national run-offs at the end of the week, Kahuranaki Station manager Paul Robinson won the South Island long head title with Libby, just beating Dannevirke triallist David Sheild and Clyde, and Tom Manson, of Putere, near Raupunga, won the short head and yard title with Glen.

None, however, were able to capitalise in the national title run-offs, Robinson having to settle for third and Manson fourth.

The dogs don't get a choice in when it's time to retire, but Fairweather has Reign sussed. "I don't think he'd like it."

At Geraldine, triallists and dogs had to brace against snow immediately before the event and significant frosts. "They just had to get it done," said Bruce.

Fairweather, who has up-and-coming Tune, a son of Reign, to keep the kennel to the fore over the next few years, said: "It was a bloody successful week for Hawke's Bay, and Southern Hawke's Bay, but I'm not sure what you put that down to."

RESULTS, with Hawke's Bay and SHB-Wairarapa trialists and dogs highlighted, were:

Tux New Zealand Championships:

Long head: Eion Herbert (Tapawera), Storm, 192.75pts, 1; Steve Murphy (Whangamomona), Treat, 189.75pts, 2; Paul Robinson (Kahuranaki), Libby, 188pts, 3; Garry Smith (Masterton), Ned, 186pts, 4; David Sheild (Dannevirke), Clyde, 185.25pts, 5; Tim Hunter (Pahiatua), Grace, 185pts, 6; Merv Williams (Raetihi), Jet, 174.25pts, 7.

Short head and yard: Peter Kidd (Christchurch), Chief, 191.75pts, 1; Bob Bruce (Te Aute), Skip, 190.5pts, 2; Barry Hobbs (Oamaru), Ben, 188.5pts, 3; Tom Manson (Raupunga), Glen, 187pts, 4; Paul Evans (Kimbolton), Bryte, 185.6pts, 5; Rick Aubrey (Wanaka), Toby, 161.25pts, 6; Scott McRae (Molesworth), Elle, 157.75pts, 7.

Zig zag huntaway: Terry Bould (Gore), Cash, 194.5pts, 1; Dan Murphy (Stratford), Rebel, 192.9pts, 2; Simon Prouting (Dannevirke), Vince, 192.8pts, 3; Murray Child (Maungakaramea), Frank, 191.8pts, 4; Alex Matthews (Raetihi), Kate, 186.1pts, 5; Dave Stuart (Ashhurst), Turk, 185.5pts, 6; Stuart McNeill (Te Pohue), Sue, 177.3pts, 7.

Straight huntaway: Murray Child (Maungakaramea), Frank, 196pts, 1; Dan Murphy (Stratford), Rebel, 194.75pts, 2; Graeme Dickson (Hawera), Pound, 194.5pts, 3; Tony Fairweather (Te Pohue), Reign, 193.75pts, 4; Guy Peacock (Taihape), Frank, 191.25pts, 5; Mark Mallinson (Geraldine), Freedo, 190.5pts, 6; Lloyd Smith (Palmerston), Quake, 189.5pts, 7.

South Island Championships:

Long head: Paul Robinson (Kahuranaki), Libby, 96pts, 1; David Sheild (Dannevirke), Clyde, 95.75pts, 2; Eion Herbert (Wakefield), Storm, 95.5pts, 3; Steve Murphy (Whangamomona), Treat, 95.25pts, 4; Tim Hunter (Pahiatua), Grace, 95pts, 5; Merv Williams (Raetihi), Jet, 94.75pts, 6; Garry Smith (Masterton), Ned, 94.5pts, 7.

Short head and yard: Tom Manson (Raupunga), Glen, 96pts, 1; Peter Kidd (Christchurch), Chief, 95.75pts, 2; Bob Bruce (Te Aute), Skip, 95.5pts, 3; Barry Hobbs (Oamaru), Ben, 95pts, 4; Rick Aubrey (Wanaka), Toby, 94.25pts, 5; Scott McRae (Wellsford), Elle, 93.75pts, 6; Paul Evans (Kimbolton), Bryte, 93.6pts, 7.

Zig zag huntaway: Murray Child (Maungakaramea), Frank, 98.3pts, 1; Terry Bould (Gore), Cash, 98pts, 2; Dan Murphy (Stratford), Rebel, 97.9pts, 3; Simon Prouting (Dannevirke), Vince, 97.8pts, 4; Dave Stuart (Ashhurst), Turk, 97.5pts, 5; Stuart McNeill (Te Pohue), Sue, 97.3pts, 6; Alex Matthews (Raetihi), Kate, 97.1pts, 7.

Straight huntaway: Tony Fairweather (Te Pohue), Reign, 98.75pts, 1; Lloyd Smith (Palmerston), Quake, 98.5pts, 2; Guy Peacock (Taihape), Frank, 98.25pts, 3; Murray Child (Maungakaramea), Frank, 98pts, 4; Dan Murphy (Stratford), 97.75pts, 5; Mark Mallinson (Geraldine), Freedo, 97.5pts, 6; Graeme Dickson (Hawera), Pound, 97.25pts, 7.

Results of the North Island championships held on May 5-9 at Meringa Station, Taumarunui:

Long head: Murray Child (Maingakaramea), Dice, 194pts, 1;Geoff Brien (Tuakau), Smoke, 193pts, 2; Graham Wellington (Aria), Murphy, 192.5pts, 3; Bernard Arends (Makotuku), Chum, 190.5pts, 4; Stuart Millar (Glenroy), Rose, 190.25pts, 5; Bob Bruce (Te Aute), Skip, 189.5pts, 6; Dave Wallace (Waikoau), Toi, 186.5pts, 7.

Short head and yard: Stuart Millar (Glenroy), Jim, 191.5pts, 1; Eion Herbert (Tapawera), Storm, 191.25pts, 2; Andy Clark (Tai Tapu), Lady, 191pts, 3; Merv Williams (Raetihi), Showman, 183.75pts, 4; Hamish Hendricksen (Weber), Lace, 183.25pts, 5; Eion Herbert (Tapawera), 177.25pts, 6; Scott McRae (Molesworth), Elle, 170.75pts, 7.

Zig zag huntaway: Dan Murphy (Stratford), Quest, 195pts, 1; Gerard Brown (Dannevirke), Crime, 191.5pts, 2; Roddy Thompson (Waikato), Chev, 191pts, 3; Jonathan Smailes (Wanganui), Tonic, 190.5pts, 4; Frank Mead (Poverty Bay), Jimmy, 189pts, 5; Stuart Child (King Country), Ra, 188.5pts, 6; Alan Lower (Waikato), Quilt, 184.1pts, 7.

Straight huntaway: Dan Murphy (Stratford), Rebel, 190.5pts, 1; Dave Stuart (Ashhurst), Gus, 189.25pts, 2; Colin Bayliss (Poverty Bay), Bully, 189pts, 3; Marcus Totman (Wanganui), 188.25pts, 4; Tom Manson (Raupunga), Hank, 186.5pts, 5; Graeme Dickie (Otago), Don, 140.5pts, 6; Dan Jury (King Country), Thunder, 131.5pts, 7.