Hawke's Bay competitors at New Zealand Sheep Dog Trial Championships

Raupunga farmer Tom Manson and Buck in action during the straight hunt runoff in which they were runner-up at the New Zealand championships in Northern Southland last week. Photo / Supplied

By Doug Laing

Hawke's Bay and Southern Hawke's Bay competitors found the going tough at the New Zealand Sheep Dog Trial Championships in Southland last week but still came close to one of the major titles.

The top result was produced by Raupunga farmer Tom Manson and Buck, runners-up in the straight hunt last Thursday in the first of the four runoffs.

The pair had been 5th on the South Island championship which had started four days earlier, and from which the top seven dogs in each class emerged from almost 500 to contest the national titles climaxing the week at Greenvale, north of Gore.

Uniquely, the 12 titles across the series had 12 different winners, and it was the first time since 2015 that no one from the Hawke's Bay centre, which extends from Central Hawke's Bay to Wairoa, had been among the victorious dozen.

Manson was one of just two from the centre among the 24 runoff qualifiers last week, the other being 2018 national title winner Bob Bruce, of Te Aute, who was 6th with Susan in the short head and yard runoff, after finishing 5th in the South Island championships.

The Wairarapa and Southern Hawke's Bay Centre got four in the top-seven runoffs, headed by John Bartlett, of Tinui, near Masterton, who won the South Island short head and yard title, with Honk. They were unable to keep the form up in the runoff where they were 5th. Guy Peacock, of Wairarapa SHB Dannevirke area club Makotuku, was 7th in both events, with Slim.

Dannevirke club members Tim Stevenson and Simon Prouting were also in the hunt, Stevenson, with Donk, finishing 3rd in the South Island straight hunt and 4th in the national title runoff, and Simon Prouting, with Meg, 6th in the zig zag runoff after a 5th placing in the South Island event.

A 5th title for legendary 75-year-old North Otago competitor Ginger Anderson and a dream host-club victory and championships-title breakthough for Greenvale triallist Brian Dickison were big features of the championships, which had been eagerly awaited after last year's events were cancelled because of the Covid-19 lockdown.

Anderson and Jet won the short head and yard runoff on Saturday, and headed straight home to the farm near Omarama to resume the day job with the cattle the next day.

He has been competing at New Zealand championships since 1963, and had previously won a long head title at Masterton in 1995, and short head and yard titles at Ngongotaha in 1997, Gore in 2000, and Omarama in 2016, and had two dogs in Saturday's runoff with Boss finishing 7th.

With the huntaway events decided on Thursday and Friday and some competitors having started their trips home, there was still a good turnout for the long head runoff which produced a first-ever New Zealand championships title for general star-of-the-show Brian Dickison, with Cole, the dog with which he had previously won a national Tux yarding title.

Dickison had the rare distinction of reaching three of the four runoffs, he and Cole also finishing 5th in the short head and yard, after Thursday's effort with Radna, for 6th in the straight hunt, won by Wanganui centre competitor Jamie Shrubsall, of Omatane-Kawhatau, with Stag.

On Friday William Lott, from the Mackenzie club in Canterbury, won the zig zag hunt with Liz.

All four South Island titles were won by North Island triallists, with Bartlett's win in the long head, Poverty Bay having two wins with celebrated veteran Merv Utting's victory with Fern in the short head and yard and Leo Edginton's zig zag hunt win with Robert, and the straight and former Poverty Bay competitor Andrew Spence with Brin, from Wanganui centre club Mangamahu, winning in the straight hunt.

Anderson's North Otago will host next year's South Island championships, the New Zealand championships heading back north to be run in conjunction with the North Island championships in King Country.

Results from the South Island and New Zealand Sheep Dog Trial Championships at Greenvale, Northern Southland, on Monday-Saturday, May 17-22, 2021:
South Island championships:

Long head: John Bartlett (Tinui) and Honk, 98.5pts, 1; Mark Copland (Methven) and Don, 98.25pts, 2; Brian Dickison (Greenvale) and Cole, 98pts, 3; John Peterson (Kaitieke) and Cap, 97.75pts, 4; Neil Evans (Omihi) and Tess, 97.5pts, 5; Barry Thompson (Banks Peninsula) and Bolt, 96.75pts, 6; Guy Peacock (Makotuku) and Slim, 96.5pts, 7.

Short head and yard: Merv Utting (Waimata) and Fern, 96pts, 1; Ian (Ginger) Anderson (Omarama) and Jet, 9575pts, 2; Brian Dickison (Greenvale) and Cole, 95.5pts, 3; Eion Herbert (Tapawera) and Bell, 95.25pts, 4; Bob Bruce (Te Aute) and Susan, 95pts, 5; Neville Child (Maungakaramea) and Harry, 94.75pts, 6; Ian (Ginger) Anderson (Omarama) and Boss, 94.5pts, 7.

Zig zag hunt: Leo Edginton (Tolaga Bay) and Robert, 97.5pts, 1; Matthew Clark (Waikaia) and Ranger, 97pts, 2; William Lott (Mackenzie) and Liz, 96.75pts, 3; Bruce Parkinson (Raetihi) and Holly, 96.5pts, 4; Simon Prouting (Dannevirke) and Meg, 96.25pts, 5; Maurice Yearbury (Tuakau) and Hemi, 96pts, 6; Robbie Calder (St Bathans) and Ned, 95.5pts, 7.

Straight hunt: Angus Spence (Mangamahu) and Brin, 97.25pts, 1; Jamie Shrubsall (Omatane-Kawhatau) and Stag, 97pts, 2; Tim Stevenson (Dannevirke) and Donk, 96.75pts, 3; Brian Dickison (Greenvale) and Radna, 96.5pts, 4; Tom Manson (Mohaka) and Buck, 96.25pts, 5; Scott Hunter (Omarama) and Hood, 96pts, 6; Todd Rowland (Tahatika) and Stern, 95.5pts, 7.

New Zealand championships:

Long head: Brian Dickison (Greenvale) and Cole (98, 97.5) 195.5pts, 1; Mark Copland (Methven) and Don (98.25, 97) 195.25pts, 2; Neil Evans (Omihi) and Tess (97.5, 95.5) 193pts, 3; John Petersen (Kaitieke) and Cap (97.75, 95) 192.75pts, 4; John Bartlett (Tinui) and Honk (98.5, 92.5) 191pts, 5; Barry Thompson (Banks Peninsula) and Bolt (96.75m, 94) 190.75pts, 6; Guy Peacock (Makotuku) and Slim (96.5, 92) 188.5pts, 7.

Short head and yard: Ian (Ginger) Anderson (Omarama) and Jet (95.75, 96.25) 192pts, 1; Eion Herbert (Tapawera) and Bell (95.25, 96.5) 191.75pts, 2; Merv Utting (Waimata) and Fern (96, 94) 190pts, 3; Neville Child (Maungakaramea) and Harry (94.75, 94.75) 189.5pts, 4; Brian Dickison (Greenvale) and Cole (95.5, 90.5) 186pts, 5; Bob Bruce (Te Aute) and Susan (95, 90.25) 185.25pts, 6; Ian (Ginger) Anderson (Omarama) and Boss (94.5, 90) 184.5pts, 7.

Zig zag hunt: William Lott (Mackenzie) and Liz (96.75, 94.5) 191.25pts, 1; Leo Edginton (Tolaga Bay) and Robert (97.5, 93.5) 191pts, 2; Robbie Calder (St Bathans) and Ned (95.5, 93) 188.5pts, 3; Bruce Parkinson (Raetihi) and Holly (96.5, 91) 187.5pts, 4; Maurice Yearbury (Tuakau) and Hemi (96, 85) 181pts, 5; Simon Prouting (Dannevirke) and Meg (96.25, 75.5) 171.75pts, 6; Matthew Clark (Waikaia) and Ranger (97, 57) 154pts, 7.

Straight hunt: Jamie Shrubsall (Omatana-Kawhatau) and Stag (97, 96) 193pts, 1; Tom Manson (Mohaka) and Buck (96.25, 95.25) 191.5pts, 2; Angus Spence (Mangamahu) and Brin (97.25, 94) 191.25pts, 3; Tim Stevenson (Dannevirke) and Donk (96.75, 92) 188.75pts, 4; Todd Rowland (Tahakita) and Stern (95.5, 87) 182.5pts, 5; Brian Dickison (Greenvale) and Radna (96.5, 85) 181.5pts, 6; Scott Hunter (Omarama) and Hood (96, 56) 152pts, 7.