NZ dog trials: Ohingaiti trialist nabs first title

The Tux North Island and New Zealand sheep dog trial championships are being held at Pouawa, north of Gisborne. Photo/File

Central North Island sheep dog trialist Paul Evans has secured the first title to be decided at the North Island and New Zealand championships.

Trialing Bryte, the Ohingaiti farmer and Wanganui sheep dog trial centre president won the North Island long head title and along with the others in the top seven will battle for the coveted green tie of national championship supremacy in a runoff to be held tomorrow.

Evans, who according to the New Zealand Sheep Dog Trial Association website archives had never won a North or South island title nor a national championship, but, also with Bryte, had been sixth in the North Island event last year.

This year they only made it into the top-seven on the long head leaderboard on Thursday, the fourth day of the championships being held on the Whangara club's Pouawa courses north of Gisborne.

There was a significant shakeup in the last stages, with three on the leaderboard at the midday call gone by the time the last run was completed a hour later, including prolific winning Poverty Bay veteran Merv Utting, who had been on the board since the first day with Prince.

Fellow prominent trialist Murray Child, from Northland, was among those to benefit, getting in at the last throw with sheepdog Dice and claiming second place.

Short head and yard, zig zag hunt and straight hunt runs in the North Island championships, which have been held throughout this week.

Short head and yard, zig zag hunt and straight hunt runs were continuing early this afternoon, to decide the other North Island titles and also top-sevens for the national title runoffs tomorrow.

Results of the North Island long head sheep dog trial championship: Paul Evans, Bryte, Ohingaiti, 98pts, 1; Murray Child, Dice, Maungakaramea, 97.5pts, 2; Dave Stuart, Gyp, Rangiwahia, 97pts, 3; Graeme Wellington, Murphy, Parapara-Makirikiri, 96.5pts, 4; Roger Tweed, Price, Waitahuna, 96.25pts, 5; Bob Bruce, Cheat, Te Aute, 96pts, 6; Neville Child, Rod, Maungakaramea, 95.75pts, 7.