Australian dog team beats NZ on home turf

Australian dog trialists are celebrating after beating New Zealand on home turf for the first time in the annual transtasman sheep dog trials.

Back in Australia, members of the Australian Working Sheep Dog Association team were celebrating after their win in the two-day test series in Hamilton and Hastings.

ABC Radio said team member Paul O'Kane and his border collie, Evonne Goolagong, were celebrating.

"In sheep dogs it was like the holy grail. We've never, ever won," he said.

"We've come close, which put me on edge for the trial, this one I was fairly pumped up and then I was lucky enough to score 91 1/4 both times."

Canberra's Paul Darmody, South Australia's Bill Trenbath, Queensland's Jim O'Connell and Victoria's O'Kane beat the New Zealanders by more than 50 points.

- NZPA