Sheep dog trialist wins again - at 91

Keith Satchwell, 91, Bridge Pa. Photo/Duncan Brown

Hawke's Bay sheep dog trialist Keith Satchwell has defied his advancing years to win another Open title, at the age of 91 and with a dog aged 11.

Coming 54 years after the pinnacle of his career, a national title in 1960, Mr Satchwell's latest success came with what fellow successful trialist Kevin O'Connor said was "just about the perfect run," as the Hawke's Bay Sheep Dog Trial Centre patron and trusty bitch Sue won the short head and yard at the Waikoau trials on Friday and Saturday.

With first-time judge Aaron Morton in charge, they carded 96.5 points, just beating centre president Clark Chrystal, with Boyd, with O'Connor and Deal third.

There were 93 dogs in the event, including multiple national champion Bob Bryson, from Gisborne, and others who wear the NZDTA green tie awarded only to those who've won at the highest level, and with which Satchwell was presented retrospectively two years ago.

A comparative junior veteran, aged 63, O'Connor has never known any trialist to still be winning in their 90s, and says most dogs have had their day in the competitions by the time they're 9 or 10.

"At 91 ... he served in World War II," said Mr O'Connor, voice tailing off almost in disbelief. "I shook his hand the next day."

Mr O'Connor was liberator (releases the sheep) on the day Mr Satchwell and Sue trialled and knew it was a good run.

"The sheep walked all the way," he said.

"She's working very well," Mr Satchwell said of Sue, who kennels at the 10-acre block where he lives with wife and ardent fan and supporter Nan.

"And I had good sheep. They never stopped, from the top of the hill."

Allocated the standard 15 minutes, he wasn't sure how long it took, but he didn't make it to the 10 minute warning signal.

While it was six years since Mr Satchwell and Sue last won - a true near-perfect 99.5 long head performance at Okawa in February 2008 - the pair had still been adding up the placings during the past year.

They were runners-up in the centre championships' long head event near Wairoa last in March last year, and also reached the runoffs of the Hawke's Bay and Central Bay show events earlier this summer.

Having completed runs in both heading events at Waikoau, things didn't go so well for the pair in two more runs at the Okawa trials later in the weekend.

"It was all uphill and luckily I didn't have to run," he said.

"Because I had no intention of running. I ran out of breath."

But not even that is slowing him down.

He'll be at this year's centre championships at Omakere starting on Thursday, warming up with Sue's daily mid-afternoon runs up the gravel on Rosser Rd, and his own round of golf at Bridge Pa today.