Te Arai farmer triumphs at South Island Sheep Dog Trial Championships

Te Arai farmer Scott McRae and dog Cory at the South Island Sheep Dog Trial Championships last month in Alexandra, northern Otago.

A Te Arai beef farmer has finally clinched a top podium finish at the prestigious national sheep dog trial championships after many narrow misses.

Scott McRae and his dog, Cory, won the short head and yard event at the South Island Sheep Dog Trial Championships last month in Alexandra, northern Otago.

Fiona Hastie, secretary of the Molesworth Sheep Dog Trial Club in Oneriri where McRae is president, indicated the win was a big deal for the farmer.

"This was a great achievement for Scott, having featured in almost every place in the island championships before, however, the win has always remained elusive."

McRae headed south to compete with three dogs - two heading dogs and one huntaway who had qualified via wins and placings at multiple other club trials throughout the 2022 season.

There was an abundance of opponents as more than 200 other canines competed in the short head over the five-day event.

McRae put his hat in the ring for all four classes: class one - long head, class two - short head and yard, class three - zig-zag hunt, and class four - straight hunt.

"As run 54, Scott felt like Cory had run well and was pleased to make the top seven on just the second day of the event," Hastie said.

He held his spot and qualified in seventh place earlier on in the competition with 96 points from a maximum 100 - just two points behind the top qualifier.

Hastie explained how the top seven competitors and their dogs run off in the final where scores from qualifying are added to the score in the runoff to produce the aggregate and decide the eventual winner.

"Scott and Cory scored 91.5 points in the runoff to make 187.5, bringing them into the top position," she said.

"Huge congratulations to Scott and Cory, it is wonderful to see Northland being represented on the national stage."

McRae's interest in sheep dog trials dates back to his youth, in Oneriri Station on the banks of the Kaipara Harbour.