That class was won by centre president Rock Hawkins, having a great season with his kennel, specifically with Jean, now the top performing dog in the Hawke's Bay-East coast region this season.
Jean has had five wins, starting with victory in both heading classes at former club Whatatutu's centennial trials in Poverty Bay, followed by short head and yard wins at Takapau, Te Pohue and then Patoka.
Jean has also had five other top-five placings, missing just once, at Waikoau, and that hasn't been all Hawkins who completed a Patoka double running Box to victory in the straight hunt.
He's had at least 20 dogs to trials, and owned and sold possible as many as 200, with Jean maybe not the best but having more than most, Hawkins reckons.
It has a bit of a legacy, being the last pup bred by late Hawke's Bay sheep dog trials legend Rex Berkahn.
In other classes at Patoka, Wairoa district farmer John Foss was rewarded for his trip with a long head victory with Gem, while former national and islands champion Stu McNeill nailed his first win of the season with Spur in the zig zag hunt.
About 120 dogs were run, down on previous years but a relief to the club after last year's trials were cancelled as a consequence of the drought, just ahead of the cancellation of most other trials because of the Covid-19 lockdown. The club also had to cancel in 2017.
It's a busy weekend in Northern Hawke's Bay with Hawke's Bay club the Wairoa Collie Club staging its trials today and tomorrow, overlapping with neighbouring Poverty Bay centre club Ruakituri's trials tomorrow and Saturday.
With sheep staggers causing the cancellation of the Mohaka trials, which were to have been held late this month, the Hawke's Bay Centre championships will now be hosted by the Taradale Sheep Dog Trial Club on April 16-18.
Other trials remaining in Hawke's Bay are Tikokino on March 19-20, Okawa on April 9-10, and Te Aute on April 22-23.
In the Wairarapa and Southern Hawke's Bay centre there was busy three days with the Wainui Valley trails at Tautane on Thursday and Friday overlapping with the Weber trials on Friday and Saturday
Winners at Wainui Valley were Nigel Clark and Jan (long head), Wendy Schmidt and Rose (short head and yard), Ben Rogers and Thug (zig zag hunt) and Corey Casseley and Rock (straight hunt).
Weber winners were Brent Matthews and Reef (long head), Bob Bruce and Jacko (short head and yard), and Simon Prouting, taking the hunts with Meg and Gem respectively.
The Kumeroa trials between Woodville and Dannevirke will be on tomorrow and Saturday.
Results from the Patoka Sheep Dog Trial Club events on Friday and Saturday, March 5-6:
Long head: John Foss, Gem, 96pts, 1; Annie Flood, Jinny, 94pts, 2; Nigel Clark, Meg, 93.5pts, 3; Jim Wilson, Cap, 93pts, 4; Selwyn Dorward, Queen, 92.5pts, 5. Intermediate – Nigel Clark, Meg; Maiden – Meg Horrocks, Belle.
Short head and yard: Rocky Hawkins, Jean, 95pts, 1; Scott Wedd, Dell, 94.5pts, 2; Jim Wilson, Cap, 91.5pts, 3; Sheena Martin, Troy, 91pts, 4; Peter Williams, Star, 89.5pts, 5. Intermediate – Jim Wilson, Cap; Maiden – Mark Murphy, Swift.
Zig zag hunt: Stuart McNeill, Spur, 97.5pts, 1; Jamie Arnold, Grace, 96.25pts, 2; Clark Chrystal, Jude, 96pts, 3; David Shield, Loyal, 95.5pts, 4; Clark Chrystal, Nell, 95pts, 5. Intermediate – Jamie Arnold, Grace; Maiden – Jim Wilson, Mace.
Straight hunt: Rocky Hawkins, Box, 97pts, 1; Jamie Arnold, Quiz, 96.5pts, 2; Jim Wilson, Mace, 95.5pts, 3; Grant Magee, Bell, 95pts, 4; Clark Chrystal, Nell, 94.5pts, 5. Intermediate – Jamie Arnold, Quiz; Maiden – Jim Wilson, Mace.
