22nd Hunterville Shemozzle tops 5000 spectators

It all started with three blokes chatting over a beer and now the annual Hunterville Huntaway Festival is 22 years old.

Thomas Powell, Richard Horrocks and Tony Theed thought it would be a good idea to run an event like the Cardrona Shepherds' run in the South Island but with a hill instead of a mountain.

Andy Lock and Digger won the Dog Trial contest. Photo / Bevan Conley

The original Shepherds' Shemozzle has since grown to include competitions for teens and children, men's, women's, family, station, masters and school challenges, along with dog trials and shearing contests.

It has also become a family day with stalls and children's activities added to the fun.

Shemozzle committee secretary Christine Whinn said she believes this year's event on Saturday may have been the biggest one yet.

"We have had crowds of up to 5000 some years and we may have reached that on Saturday.

"It was a great day with so many children and teenagers competing and the weather was perfect.

"We added new obstacles to all the courses and moved the entertainment area up the hill to allow more room and it all worked really well."

Energy giving oranges for young competitors at the Hunterville Huntaway Festival. Photo / Bevan Conley

One of the festival founders, Richard Horrocks, was there with his specially designed spitting roasting machine, cooking pork for the hungry competitors working up big appetites.

The overall winner of the Shepherd's Shemozzle was Angus McKelvie and his dog Red.

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Category winners were:

Mens
1st: Marco Barthelemy & Dodge
2nd: Aaron Haynes & Jazz
3rd: Sean Cummins & Richie
Womens
1st: Heather Gee-Taylor & Pip
2nd: Katie Bates & Beau
3rd: Lis Giesen & Dot
Masters
1st: James Taylor & Bec
2nd: Gary Vickers & Jim
3rd: George Geisen & Gus
Locals
Male: Regan Wilson & Kev
Female: Louise Stevenson & Plea
Station
1st: Otairi Station (Marco Barthelemy, Andy Lock, Ricc Howell)
2nd: Otiwhiti Station (Regan Wilson, Harry Newman, Murdoch Rau)
Teens
Overall: Flynn Kowaleski
Boys
1st: Flynn Kowaleski
2nd: Thomas Pease
3rd: Max Deighton
Girls
1st: Ashleigh Alabaster
2nd: Hayley Evans
3rd: Georgina Bryant
Children
Overall:Tyler Smith
Boys
1st: Tyler Smith
2nd: Jack Goodwin
3rd: Archie Giesen

Tyler Smith from Huntley School was the overall winner of the Children's Shemozzle. Photo / Bevan Conley

Girls
1st: Charlie Cook
2nd: Jaimie Crofskey
3rd: Holly McIntyre
Family
1st: The J Birds (Jo Shiva & Jess Keenan)
2nd: Forget the Dog (Paul Keenan & Josh Keenan)
3rd: Turakina Valley Duo (Ian & Emma Livingston)
School Challenge (high school)
Wanganui Collegiate (Thomas Pease, Jack Chrystal, Remy Early)
School Challenge (primary)
Hunterville School (Jack Goodwin, Charlie Cook, Anthony Smailes)
Shearing
1st: Bailey Shearing
2nd: Hunterville Shearing
3rd: Ratima Shearing
Dog Trials
1st: Andy Lock & Digger
2nd: Nick Tipling & Jude
3rd: Jed McCalley & Boots.