Queen crowned a winner on opening day at Petane sheep dog trials

Tutira Early Childhood Centre's Simone Reid (left) and Letitia Nicholls continue the centre's canteen relationship with the Petane trials, now dating back more than a decade. Photo / Warren Buckland

It may have ended been a "long time between drinks" for Taihape Rd farmer Selwyn Dorward when he won the short head and yard at the Petane sheep dog trials last weekend.

But he and near 7-year-old Queen did it in style with the top run from the four classes, a 99-pointer, among the highly-competitive record numbers which came from across the lower North Island for the country's first club trials of the new season,
highlighting the thirst for competition and camaraderie after the troubles of 2020.

While he and Queen had won at a Rotorua trial last season, and were runners-up at the Hawke's Bay Centre championships which opened last season at Waikoau, Dorward had not won a trial in Hawke's Bay since he and Storm won at the Taradale trials in 2017.

Queen had been a bit of a challenge, but it all went fine as the pair hit the course about lunchtime on the opening day of the Petane championships at Ahuriri Lagoon Farm, just pipping former North Island title partnership Laurie Horsfall and Raid, who ran 98.5pts.

Wanganui centre visitor Lawrence Patterson won the long head with Swag, stopping a home-centre clean sweep, with both hunts being won by Hawke's Bay entries – the zig zag by Tom Manson and Chief and the straight hunt by Dan Jury and Chrystal, former Hawke's Bay president Clark Chrystal getting off to a good start with second placings with Duke and Nell respectively.

Current president Rocky Hawkins also managed two top-five runs, with Jean fifth in the long head and Kane third in the zig zag hunt.

Both Dorward and Hawkins praised the presentation of the sheep for the unusually Petane trial, usually held in March.

Dorward said Petane chairman Jeremy Berry and his team had put "a lot of work" into the preparations and the sheep. "They were very good ... Everyone got an opportunity," he said.

"The sheep were exceptional," Hawkins said.

With the national champions 5 qualifying points in the bag already, Dorward won't be letting up his determination to get to the big title events in the South Island in May, and said he plans to compete in all the trials throughout Hawke's Bay and some in nearby centres.

The next Bay club trials are at the recent regular Hawke's Bay season-opener at Waikoau at the end of next month, but in the meantime competitors have the Wairoa A and P Show trials moved forward to January12-13 to avoid a clash with the Tux North Island Yarding finals in Taupo the following weekend.

The ultimate focus for competitors are the island and national championships series, with the North Island championships near Masterton starting on April 26, and the South Island and New Zealand championships in Gore, starting on May 17.

Results of Petane Sheep Dog Trial Club trials at Ahuriri Lagoon Farm on Friday-Saturday December 11-12:

Long head: Lawrence Patterson, Swag, 98pts, 1; John Aldworth, Abe, 97pts, 2; Bob Bruce, Susan, 96pts, 3; Chris Journeaux, Frost, 95.5pts, 4; Rocky Hawkins, Jean, 95pts, 5.

Short head and yard: Selwyn Dorward, Queen, 99pts, 1; Laurie Horsfall, Raid, 98.5pts, 2; Graeme Wellington, 98pts, 3; Graham Duff, Jess, 97.5pts, 4; Bernie Gower, Jack, 97pts, 5.

Zig zag hunt: Tom Manson, Chief, 98.5pts, 1; Clark Chrystal, Duke, 98pts, 2; Rocky Hawkins, Kane, 97.5pts, 3; Noddy Halley, Jade, 97.3pts, 4; Simon Prouting, Rae, 97pts, 5.

Straight hunt: Dan Jury, Chrystal 98.5pts, 1; Clark Chrystal, Nell, 98.25pts, 2; Stu McNeill, Spur, 98pts, 3; Tom Manson, Chief, 97.5pts, 4; Steve Ponsonby, Heff, 97pts, 5.

Trials this season in Hawke's Bay or near-neighbour areas, in the Hawke's Bay centre area, unless denoted by WSHB (Wairarapa Southern Hawke's Bay), PB (Poverty Bay), Wang (Wanganui), or Waik (Waikato): January 29-30, Waikoau; February 5-6, February 6-7, Dannevirke (WSHB); Waimarama/Maraetotara/Elsthorpe; February 11-12, Omakere; February 12-13, Takapau; February 19-20, Te Pohue; March 5-6, Patoka; March 6-7, Weber (WSHB); March 11-12, March 12-13, Kumeroa (WSHB); March 12-13, Ruakituri (PB); Wairoa; March 18-19, Rangitaiki (Waik); March 19-20, Tikokino; March 19-20, Makotuku (WSHB); March 25-26, Moawhango(Wang); March 26-27, Mohaka (HB Centre Championships); March 26-27, East Coast Porangahau (WSHB); April 9-10, Okawa; April 16-17, Taradale; April 22-23, Te Aute.