Counting down to North Island champs at Te Aute

Te Aute triallist and defending national long head champion Bob Bruce, whose club hosts the North island championships next month, pictured in action at the Wairoa A and P Show in January. Photo/File

The countdown to the North Island sheep dog trials in Central Hawke's Bay next month starts with the closing of entries tomorrow.

The championships will be held at the Te Aute club's courses in Te Aute Trust Rd, starting on May 7. More than 400 trials are expected to be held during the week.

Dogs qualify during the season on the basis of points for placings in trials, and late entries are accepted for dogs which qualify after tomorrow.

The championships precede the South Island and New Zealand championships at Omaka, Marlborough, starting on May 28.

The last North Island championships in Hawke's Bay were at Te Aute with the national championships in 2009, with big successes for the locals, winning three of the eight titles. Stu McNeill, of Te Pohue, won both New Zealand huntaway titles, with separate dogs Shot and Bruce, and Clark Chrystal, of Waikoau, claiming the North Island straight hunt title, with Hendrix.

Te Aute club member Bob Bruce, runner-up with Trump in the 2009 New Zealand championship short head and yard runoff, goes into this year's round well placed for more success with Cheat, defending the New Zealand championship long head runoff title they won last year at Whangara.

Bruce was one of four regulars judging in other centres, while McNeil and Chrystal both trialled without success at Okawa, where trials were held at the same time as the East Coast club trials at Porangahau.

The major points at Okawa were picked up by Laurie Horsfall with Raid winning the long head and placing third in the short head and yard, won by Peter Williams' Trump.

Kieran Young scored the zig zag hunt with intermediate dog Prince, and Wairoa triallist Fraser Taylor and Waite catapulted into top huntaway contention with their third win of the season in the straight hunt.

The Taradale trials will be tomorrow and Saturday, and the Petane trials end the Hawke's Bay centre's club season on April 20-21. Three trials remain in the Wairarapa and SHB centre.

Results of trials held last Friday and Saturday
Okawa
Long head: Laurie Horsfall, Raid, 97.5pts, 1; David Sheild, Clyde, 96.5pts, 2; Bob Bryson, Rex, 96pts, 3; Daniel Haugh, Paige, 95.5pts, 4; Corey Ruwhiu, Con, 95pts, 5. Intermediate: Corey Ruwhiu, Con. Maiden: Louis Beamish, Badger.
Short head and yard: Peter Williams, Trump, 97.5pts, 1; Bo Milner, Snow, 95.5pts, 2; Laurie Horsfall, Raid, 93.5pts, 3; Kevin O'Connor, Jax, 91pts, 4; Bruce D'Ath, Clyde, 88.5pts, 5. Intermediate: Kevin O'Connor, Jax. Maiden: Gary Mead, Sky.
Zig zag hunt: Kieran Young, Prince, 96pts, 1; Grant Magee, Bell, 95.5pts, 2; Rocky Hawkins, Kane, 95pts, 3; Mark Loye, Rich, 94.5pts, 4; Graham Duff, Mate, 94pts, 5. Intermediate: Kieran Young, Prince. Maiden: Simon Prouting, Roe.
Straight hunt: Fraser Taylor, Waite, 98pts, 1; Grant Magee, Bell, 97pts, 2; David Shield, Rock, 96.5pts, 3; Tom Manson, Buck, 95.5pts, 4; Mark Loye, Rich, 95pts, 5. Intermediate: Grant Magee, Bell. Maiden: Alec Wills, Pi.
East Coast (Porangahau)
Long head: Gary Smith, Ned, 96pts, 1; Graham Duff, Jess, 95.5pts, 2; Bernard Arends, Roy, 95pts, 3; Tim Hunter, Doll, 93.5pts, 4; Adam Roe, Dougal, 93pts, 5. Intermediate and Maiden, Bernard Arends, Kaine.
Short head and yard: Corey Caseley, Chief, 96pts, 1; Charlie Lee, Sheila, 95.75pts, 2; Graham Duff, Jess, 95pts, 3; Tim Hunter, Doll, 94.5pts, 4; Dave Wallace, Slug, 94pts, 5. Intermediate: Simon McDonald, Jack. Maiden: Tim Poulton, Moss.
Zig zag hunt: David Shield, Rock, 96.25pts, 1; Simon McDonald, Tracy, 96pts, 2; Tim Stevenson, Cruze, 95.75pts, 3; Baden Anderson, Ox, 95.5pts, 4; Michael Hart, Jude, 95.25pts, 5. Intermediate: David Shield, Rock. Maiden: Rod Searle, Rose.
Straight hunt: Simon Prouting, Roe, 96.5pts, 1; Gerard Brown, Tempo, 96pts, 2; Hayden Manley, Charlie, 95.5pts, 3; Bruce Dillon, Griff, 95pts, 4; Simon McDonald, Woody, 94.5pts, 5. Intermediate and Maiden: Simon Prouting, Roe.