Christiane Schmidt and her young dog Marley begin the Long Head competition.
Christiane Schmidt and her young dog Marley begin the Long Head competition.
The Dannevirke Sheep Dog Trial Club held a successful two-day event 10km on Weber Road on the weekend of February 10-11.
Nearly 300 entries were received and the judges were busy handling 38-40 trials in each of the four disciplines on Saturday and over 50 on Sunday.
There were more on Sunday as there were two other trials at Hawke's Bay and Wanganui on the Saturday.
Art Eastham and Finnegan bring the sheep down from the hill onto the flat in the Short Head and Yard competition.
The events were scattered but in close proximity on the properties of N. and L. Graham, G. Coleman and D. Kilmister, David Shield supplying the sheep for the Huntaway events and Garth Coleman for the Heading Dog events.
There were some very experienced sheep dog triallists competing.
Stuart Hensen of Mt Bruceas been a judge in Ireland, Bo Milner recently won the NZ Tux NZ Yarding Challenge and Art Eastham with his dog Finnegan won both the Dannevirke and Centre Short Head competitions last year.
Art, sheep and Finnegan line up just before going into the pen.
There were also a lot of young triallists just starting out, which Dannevirke Sheep Dog Club Past President Bo Milner said was great for the industry.
Christiane Schmidt of Masterton combines trialling with her job as a local doctor. She says she loves working with her 18-month-old dog Marley, which on the day was eager but not too responsive to commands.
K. Rhodes of Norsewood with his dog Quake won both the Intermediate and Maiden Zig Zag Hunt events at his first attempt.
Corey Caseley's Tux from Masterton starts the journey to the top in the Huntaway Straight Competition.
Results:
Short Head and Yard Open: 1 N Clark and Jan; 2 C Lee and Sheila; 3 T Stevenson and Spook; 4 H Linton and Chief. Intermediate — 1 T Stevenson and Spook; 2 M Sugden and Rod, 3 V Marfell and Glen. Maiden — 1 A Eastham and Rocky; 2 B Stevenson and Steve; 3 G Wind and Dawn.
Long Head Open — 1 J Hunter and Doll; 2 J Harvey and Bob; 3 C Casey and Chief; 4 P Evans and Richie. Intermediate — 1 J Hunter and Doll; 2 J Harvey and Rose; 3 G
Districts sheep dog trials
Bo Milner sets his dog Ngatai to tackle the Huntaway Straight.
Ngatai gets the sheep near the top before Bo orders him home.
Wellington and JLO. Maiden — 1 G Wellington and JLO, 2 T Morrison and Tui, 3 D Wallace and Dev.
Straight Hunt Open — 1 G Shaw and Dixie; 2 G Brown and Brew; 3 M Hodgins and Phoenix; 4 M Hart and Jude. Intermediate — 1 C Shaw and Dixie, 2 G Brown and Brew; 3 M Hodgins and Phoenix.
Maiden — 1 G Brown and Brew, 2 K Kilmister and Ben, 3 K Young and Prince. Zigzag Hunt Open — 1 S Prouting and Vince; 2 S McNeill and Ranger; 3 K Rhodes and Quake; 4 T Stevenson and Cope. Intermediate — 1 K Rhodes and Quake, 2 T Stevenson and Cope; 3 M Hodgins and Don. Maiden — 1 K Rhodes and Quake, 2 T Stephenson and Cope; 3 M Hodgins and Don.
