Good start for Hawke's Bay at NI dog trial champs

Clark Chrystal, who last week won both huntaway events at the Te Aute sheep dog trials, with separate dogs. This week he's judging at the North Island championships near Masterton. Photo / File

The huntaways mainly were keeping Hawke's Bay Sheep Dog Trial Centre hopes alive in the North Island championships as the halfway stage was reached at Te Ore Ore, near Masterton, on Wednesday.

In the noon call, new Hawke's Bay centre title winners Corey Ruwhiu and Code, of Wairoa, remained on the zig zag hunt leaderboard of seven top entries, which also included Te Pohue hopes Dan Jury, with Chrystal, and Stu McNeill, with Spur.

There were also three Hawke's Bay entries on the straight hunt leaderboard - Tom Manson and Chief, of Mohaka, and Ned George, with Pitch, of Wairoa.

Southern Hawke's Bay entries were excelling in the heading events, with Bernard Arends and Tarn in the top-seven in the long head, and Guy Peacock running with both Slim and Chief in the short head and yard.

Hawke's Bay had two of the four judges, including Waikoau club stalwart Clark Chrystal on the zig zag course.

At the last Hawke's bay trial, at Te Aute last Thursday and Friday, Chrystal won both hunts, with Intermediate bitch Jude triumphing in the zig zag and Nell in the straight hunt.

The Te Aute trials came just days after the Hawke's Bay Centre championships at Crownthorpe, where the star-act was centre president Rocky Hawkins who had a busy Sunday having qualified in the top five for each of the four runoffs, with three of his dogs.

He won the short head and yard with Jean, the straight hunt with Box, and almost claimed a third title with Kane, runner-up in the zig zag hunt, won by Ruwhiu and Code.

With Jean, Hawkins was also fourth in the long head won by Bob Bruce and Susan.

The South Island and New Zealand championships, hosted by the Southland centre, start at Greenvale, near Gore, on May 17.

Results:

Te Aute
(April 22-23)

Long head: Bob Bruce, Jacko, 96pts, 1; Kevin O'Connor, Jax, 94.25pts, 2; Howard Ingles, Lou, 94pts, 3; Grant Magee, Prince, 93.25pts, 4; Paul Evans, Ritchie, 92.25pts, 5. Intermediate – Grant Magee, Prince; Maiden - Mike Sugden, Duke.

Short head and yard: Howard Ingles, Lou, 97pts, 1; James Wilson, Cap, 96.5pts, 2; Graham Duff, Jess, 96.25pts, 3; Nigel Clark, Jan, 96pts, 4; Laurie Horsfall, Raid, 95.75pts, 5. Intermediate – James Wilson, Cap; Mike Sugden, Duke.

Zig zag hunt: Clark Chrystal, Jude, 96.5pts, 1; J Reinhardt, Royce, 95pts, 2; Clark Chrystal, Nell, 94.5pts, 3; J Reinhardt, Jet, 94pts, 4; J Reinhardt, Day, 93pts, 5. Intermediate – Clark Chrystal, Jude; Maiden – Steve Ponsonby, Hef, 88pts.

Straight hunt: Clark Chrystal, Nell, 95pts, 1; Rocky Hawkins, Kane, 94.5pts, 2; Grant Magee, Bell, 94.25pts, 3; J Shrubsall, Rusty, 94pts, 4; L Chrystal, Karla, 93pts, 5. Intermediate – J Shrubsall, Rusty; Maiden – Steve Ponsonby, Hef.

Taradale
(April 16-19)

Taradale Sheep Dog Trial Club 125th trials:
Long head: Bob Bruce, Susan, 96pts, 1; Dylan Rofe, Risk, 94.5pts, 2; George Sheild, Storm, 93.5pts, 3; Rocky Hawkins, Jean, 93.25pts, 4; Nigel Clark, Meg, 93pts, 6. Intermediate – George Sheild, Storm; Maiden – Mike Murphy, Jane, 83.5pts.

Short head and yard: Steve Ponsonby, Chook, 96pts, 1; G Drake, Baldy, 95.5pts, 2; J Mullins, Jay, 95.25pts, 3; Howard Ingles, Clyde, 95pts, 4; Bruce D'Ath, Honey, 94.5pts, 5. Intermediate – Steve Ponsonby, Chook; Maiden – D Wright, Gin.

Zig zag hunt: Colin Bayliss, Tahi, 97.25pts, 1; Corey Ruwhiu, Code, 97pts, 2; Clark Chrystal, Jude, 96.75pts, 3; Rocky Hawkins, Kane, 96.5pts, 4; Colin Bayliss, Pearl, 96pts, 5. Intermediate – Corey Ruwhiu, Code; Maiden – Brett Loffler, Bruce.

Straight hunt: Rocky Hawkins, Box, 98.5pts, 1; Grant Magee, Belle, 98pts, 2; Stu McNeill, Stock, 97.5pts, 3; G Drake, Short, 97pts, 4; R Ponsonby, Bounce, 97pts, 5. Intermediate and Maiden – G Drake, Short.

Hawke's Bay championships:

Long head: Bob Bruce, Susan (96, 95) 191pts, 1; John Foss, Gem (91, 96) 187pts, 2; Dave Wallace, Slug (92.5, 94) 186.5pts, 3; Rocky Hawkins, Jean (93.25, 90.5) 183.75pts, 4; Dylan Rofe, Risk (94.5, 90.5) 182.5pts, 5.

Short head and yard: Rocky Hawkins, Jean (93.75, 94) 187.75pts, 1; Bruce D'Ath, Honey (94.5, 92.5) 187pts, 2; Peter Williams, Guide (93, 90.5) 183.5pts, 3; B Bertram, Witch (93.5, 73) 166.5pts, 4; Howard Ingles, Clyde (95, 59.5) 154.5pts, 5.

Zig zag hunt: Corey Ruwhiu, Code (97, 93.5pts, 190.5pts, 1; Rocky Hawkins, Kane (96.5, 93.75) 190.25pts, 2; Clark Chrystal, Jude (96.75, 93) 189.75pts, 3; J Arnold, Grace (94.5, 85) 179.5pts, 4; Dan Jury, Chrystal (95, 79.5) 174.5pts, 5.

Straight hunt: Rocky Hawkins, Box (98.5, 96) 194.5pts, 1; Dylan Rofe, Thump (96, 98) 194pts, 2; Grant Magee, Belle (98, 95) 193pts, 3; Mark Loye, Stone (95.7, 94) 189.7pts, 4; Stu McNeill (97.5pts, - ) 97.5pts, 5.