Top honours for loyal competitors

Northland's Murray Child picked up his fourth national title.

The South Island and national sheep dog trial championships in North Otago resulted in some big triumphs for two of the event's most loyal competitors.

The first was the victory by 70-year-old host Omarama club patron Ginger Anderson with Don in the short head and yard runoff, just after being made a life member of the New Zealand Sheep Dog Trial Association.

The second came as 73-year-old Poverty Bay stalwart Merv Utting, whose failure to reach the runoff in defending the title he won last year at Moawhango, near Taupo, must have been redressed by Monday's announcement his service to sheep dog trials had been recognised in the Queen's 90th Birthday Honours by being made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM).

It was Anderson's 4th green tie success at the nationals, in a top-level career which dates back to almost 50 years to a South Island Championships runoff in 1967.

Utting has won six national titles in the 42 years since a North Island championships runoff in 1974.

Anderson was almost bemused with his NZSDTA honour, telling the Otago Daily Times it was hard to justify being made a life member when he was simply doing something he loves, while Utting told the Gisborne Herald he would have to accept his MNZM "on behalf of all those who have competed in dog trials and those who have helped with trials over the years".

Anderson with his dog Don. Mr Anderson has been granted life membership to the New Zealand Sheep Dog Trial Association. Photo / Omarama Gazette

King Country triallist Hamish Parkinson, of Owhango, had a successful trip south, claiming the national and South Island zig zag hunt titles with Shake, in what were only his second and third runoffs at that level, while Northland competitor Murray Child and Dice added the national long head title to the North Island championships long head title they won a month ago at Mangamingi, Taranaki.

It was Child's fourth national title, and a second for the trusty Dice.

Other titles were however spread around, the the New Zealand straight hunt runoff won by Taihape triallist Tim Stevenson, with Cruze, and the North Island scoring a clean sweep in the South Island Championships, with Wanganui centre triallist Graham Wellington claiming the long head title with Murphy, Poverty Bay's Leo Edginton and dog Deal the short head and yard, and Northern Hawke's Bay farm manager Micheal McMillan having his first big success with Base in the straight hunt.

The championships had more than 200 runs in each of the South Island classes.

Child and Edginton were named in the New Zealand team to compete at the Royal Perth Show in West Australia later this year.

Others in the team are Marlborough-Nelson centre competitor Eion Herbert and Canterbury's Stuart Millar.

Next year's New Zealand Championships will be held with the North Island championships in Poverty Bay, while the South Island Championships will be held in Otago.