Dog trials 'a family thing'

Warepa Collie Club member Robin McKenzie and his dogs Kip, Slade, Dice, Paul and Ralph overlook the club's grounds in South Otago. Photo: Stephen Jaquiery.

Robin McKenzie ran his first dog at the Warepa Collie Club's sheep dog trials when he was 14.

Fast-forward a few decades and he is still running dogs on the Warepa course, which will host the South Island championships next week.

It will be a big week for Mr McKenzie and his fellow Warepa clubmates with an influx of about 250 competitors from throughout the country to a quiet, rural back road between Balclutha and Clinton.

Accommodation was booked as far afield as Kaka Point and Gore and there would be other economic spin-offs for the district, he said.

The idea of Warepa hosting the event was first mooted at an Otago centre meeting about two years ago.

It was ''quite mind-boggling'' how members were ''right behind it from the word go'', he said.

It has been a huge logistical effort preparing the grounds; there have been judges' boxes built, small covered yards erected over the liberation pens on the hunt courses, upgrading of pens on the heading courses and roading, fencing and car-parking done.

But the club had a strong membership, particularly with young enthusiasts, who were proud of what had been achieved, he said.

The club was very grateful for the support of the landowners - the Lawlor family, on whose property three courses were located, and to Cross Brothers Ltd, which had one course.

Mr McKenzie was looking forward to the championships ''getting started'' on Monday morning.

As well as campaigning dogs Slade, Ralph and Kip, he also has the role of head marshal for the event.

While not divulging his age, the farmer admitted to having been trialling for more than 40 years.

His father was also a dog triallist and the sport had been ''a family thing''.

Mr McKenzie won a South Island championship with Ned in the zig-zag hunt at Greenvale in 2015 and was seventh in the New Zealand championship long head with Slade at Moawhango that year.

Experienced Slade was back again this year. Asked about his chances, Mr McKenzie said ''you never know until the day''.

There were various factors involved, including how the sheep performed at the particular time a competitor was drawn to run.

''There's a lot of luck involved...you still have to have the right dog ready to go,'' he said.
Mr McKenzie usually attended between eight to 10 trials each season, mostly throughout the Otago centre.

He enjoyed both the competitive aspect and the camaraderie involved.

Despite his long involvement in the sport, he admitted he still got a little nervous when it came to his turn.

Having the championships on his home club turf was possibly an advantage, given he knew the courses and any likely pitfalls, but that ''may not show in the results'', he said, laughing.

The championships finish next Friday in time for the next major event - the opening of the duck-shooting season the following morning.