New Zealand Sheep Dog Trial Championships straight hunt runoff winners Ethan Smith, of Patearoa club in Central Otago, and his dog Chub. Photo / Kayla McKenzie Photography
New Zealand Sheep Dog Trial Championships straight hunt runoff winners Ethan Smith, of Patearoa club in Central Otago, and his dog Chub. Photo / Kayla McKenzie Photography
An Otago farmer has emerged from both the geographical and sheep dog trialling wilderness to claim the first New Zealand championships title at Warepa, near Balclutha.
Ethan Smith, 30, a Central Otago farm manager representing remote club Patearoa, was second in the South Island championships’ straight hunt as its runs ended early yesterday - the fourth day of the joint championships.
Smith then vaulted South Island title winner Craig Johns, of Raetihi, in the national title runoff that followed to claim the major title.
Smith, who is originally from Whanganui, ran the new champion dog Chub late on the opening day (Monday) and stayed on the leaderboard thereafter.
He had made just one previous runoff in the annual series of championships, with third place at the North Island championships near Masterton in 2021.
All three placings were particularly special for Smith and Chub, who is the lone survivor in the litter from which the mother also died.
The other title decided on Thursday, as the championships started drawing to a close, was the South Island zig zag hunt, won by Hawke’s Bay dairy farmer Clark Chrystal.
The championships gave Chrystal a week away from his 150-hectare farm in Tutira country, north of Napier, where he had spent most of the last three months amid the slips and badly damaged water systems, fences and tracks left by Cyclone Gabrielle.
He had no electricity on the property for three weeks, was near-isolation for six, and had to have supplies delivered by helicopter.
There seemed little up-side to the situation - apart from the leeway granted for championships qualifying of dogs - from areas where dogs could not travel to local trials to get the points.
The New Zealand Sheep Dog Trial Championships straight hunt runoff finalists, including winners Ethan Smith and Chub (fifth from left). Photo / Kayla McKenzie Photography
With just two dogs at the championships, the former Hawke’s Bay Sheep Dog Trials Centre president and winner of multiple centre championships, Chrystal and dog Jude were run 269 on the zig zag course about midday yesterday, but “went alright” and climbed to the top of the leaderboard with just 7-8 other runs to go.
Jude is a great-granddaughter of Hendrix, with which he won a North Island straight hunt title and was runner-up in the national title runoff at Te Aute in 2009, and runner-up in the South Island and national events in Gore 12 months later.
The zig zag national title runoff is on this morning, with Poverty Bay competitor Samantha (Sam) Shaw, of Matawai club, among the seven finalists, with two chances of becoming only the second woman to win a New Zealand championships title, with kennel mates Rogue and Lottie.
The two heading classes’ South Island runs were drawing to a close, with all seven on each leaderboard at Thursday’s 4 pm call being from clubs in the South Island.
Straight hunt: Craig Johns (Raetihi), Clay, 98pts, 1; Ethan Smith (Patearoa), Chub, 96.5pts, 2; Robbie Calder (St Bathan), Angus, 96pts, 3; Dan Broughton (Banks Peninsula), Louie, 95.8pts, 4; Fergus McLean (Omihi), Suzie, 95.5pts, 5; Steve Kerr (Mackenzie), Charge, 95pts, 6; Dave Stuart (Rangiwahia), Jade, 94.8pts, 7.
Heading dog leaderboards at 4 pm on Thursday:
Long head (up to run 219): Paul Collins (Tahatika), Sky; Neil Evans (Omihi), Tess; Mark Copland (Methven), Don; Michael Lucas (Lowburn), Dixon; Barry Thompson (Tai Tapu), Bolt; Lloyd Smith (Waihemo), Guide; Brian Dickison (Greenvale), Mack.
Short head and yard (up to run 189): Lloyd Smith (Waihemo), Guide; Eric Stringer (Kyeburn), Mark; Fergus McLean (Omihi), Dan; Gavin Drake (Mataroa), Baldy; Lloyd Smith (Waihemo), Ted; Ian Stevenson (Omihi), Zac; Brian Dickison (Greenvale), Jake.
