Sheep dog trials: Cream rises to top

Clark Chrystal, Tutira, with some of his dogs.

It was like the cream rising to the top again, as some of Hawke's Bay's most successful sheep dog trials collared the major spoils at their centre championships which climaxed four days of heading and hunt at Te Aute on Sunday.

The big winner was the host club winning three of the four titles - long head winner Graeme Duff and Jess, Bob Bruce and Susan in the short head and yard, and president Rocky Hawkins snaffling the zig zag with Kane.

The man to shut the club out of a clean sweep was near-certainty bet and centre president Clark Chrystal with Trix in the straight hunt.

It was Chrystal's third Hawke's Bay straight hunt win in a row, after Trix's success at Okawa in 2015 and Nell's form at Patoka last year, and the Waikoau triallist has now won a remarkable five of the 12 centre titles in the last three years. He went close to even more with Boyd runner-up in the short head and yard, and Flynn in the zig zag.

Hawkins also backed up well, having won the long head last year with Jean.

Capping it all for Chrystal was the Aerospread Top Huntaway title, based on points throughout the season, Trix claiming the honours with 26 points, Ange Jury (with Vault) holding on to second place with 12 points early in the season before taking time out to become a mum.

The third place by Dave Wallace and Blue in the long head enabled them to retain a part-grip on the title, which they will share with Bob Bruce and his 2015 winning heading dog, Cheat.

The titles were fought out by the top five Hawke's Bay dogs in the Te Aute club trial over the first three days, which attracted significant numbers from outside the centre in a last attempt for New Zealand championships qualifying points - a successful mission for nine of the dogs.

Chrystal was the only triallist to pick up both Te Aute club and Hawke's Bay centre titles, Trix having won the Te Aute one, but missing the club straight hunt title when beaten by Rob Gallien's Code.

Taihape triallist John Batley took the Te Aute long head title with Pam, and 2013 centre short head winners Sheena Martin and Bribe took the Te Aute honours in the class.
Te Aute's successes meant the club won the Hildreth Romneys Shield for the top club at the centre championships.

Results:

TE AUTE CLUB TRIALS:

Long head: John Batley, Pam, 97.5pts, 1; Graeme Duff, Jess, 97pts, 2; Dave Wallace, Blue, 96.8pts, 3; Gavin Drake, Clyde, 96.5pts, 4; Bob Bryson, Rex, 96.3pts, 5. Intermediate: Kevin O'Connor, Jax. Maiden: Herb Dempsey, Patch.

Short head and yard: Sheena Martin, Bribe, 95pts, 1; Sheena Martin, Troy, 94.25pts, 2; Bob Bryson, Brad, 94pts, 3; Bob Bruce, Susan, 93.5pts, 4; Colin Bayliss, Steel, 93.25pts. Intermediate: Sheena Martin, Troy. Maiden: Bruce Gilbert, Dot.

Zig zag hunt: Clark Chrystal, Trix, 97.5pts, 1; Clark Chrystal, Flynn, 97pts, 2; Gordon Martinovich, Punga, 96.5pts, 3; Stu McNeill, Trump, 96pts, 4; Reece Whitelock, Scott, 95pts, 5. Intermediate: Noddy Halley, Jade. Maiden: Bob Bryson, Hank.

Straight hunt: Rob Gallien, Code, 97pts, 1; Clark Chrystal, Trix, 96.5pts, 2; Cory McCarthy, Arthur, 95.75pts, 3; Stu McNeill, Stock, 95.5pts, 4; Tony Fairweather, Slave, 95pts, 5. Intermediate: Rod Gallien, Code. Maiden: Jamie Powdrell, Raid.

HAWKE'S BAY CENTRE CHAMPIONSHIPS:

Long head: Graeme Duff, Jess, (97, 94.5) 191.5pts, 1; Jim Wilson, Jed, (95.5, 95.5) 191pts, 2; John Foss, Dell, (95.8, 93) 188.8pts, 3; Bruce D'Ath, Pip, (96, 92) 188pts, 4; Dave Wallace, Blue, (96.8, 90.5) 187.3pts, 5.

Short head and yard: Bob Bruce, Susan, (93.5, 96) 189.5pts, 1; Clark Chrystal, Boyd, (92.75, 94.5) 187.25pts, 2; Sheena Martin, Troy, (94.25, 85) 179.25pts, 3; Sheena Martin, Bribe, (95, 56.5) 151.5pts, 4; Jim Wilson, Jed, (93, 58) 151pts, 5.

Zig zag hunt: Rocky Hawkins, Kane, (94.5, 97) 191.5pts, 1; Clark Chrystal, Flynn, (96.5, 94.5) 191pts, 2; Clark Chrystal, Trix, (97.5, 93) 190.5pts, 3; Reece Whitelock, Scott, (95, 52) 147pts, 4; Stu McNeill, Trump, 96, 0) 96pts, 5.

Straight hunt: Clark Chrystal, Trix, (96.5, 92) 188.5pts, 1; Rod Gallien, Code, (97, 88) 185pts, 2; Jamie Powdrell, Raid, (94.75, 84) 178.75pts, 3; Graeme Duff, Mate, (94.5, 83) 177.5pts, 4; Stu McNeill, Stock, (95.5, 0) 95.5pts, 5.