Whangamōmona handler and dog place at North Island and national championships

Dan Murphy and Nippy competing in the short head and yard event during the North Island and New Zealand championships event.

A Whangamōmona handler and her dog placed at both the North Island and national championship trials.

Rachel Law and her huntaway, Miss, competed at the joint championships in Mangamingi, hosted by the Taranaki centre recently. She and Miss won the zig-zag hunt at the North Island championships and secured third place in the New Zealand championship trials on the fourth day of the joint championships.

Law has represented the Whangamōmona club for 10 years. She achieved a hat-trick this year placing in the national, South Island and North Island championships.

Rachel Law and Miss, representing Whangamōmona, received placings in the North Island and New Zealand dog trial championships.

Top Taranaki dog trialist Dan Murphy and his heading dog, Nippy, placed second in the North Island Sheep Dog Trial Championships’ short head and yards, and sixth in the New Zealand championships.

This was an outstanding result for the Taranaki centre, the smallest club in the NZ Sheep Dog Trial Association, with Taranaki trialists featuring prominently on the daily leaderboards throughout the championship.

On the final day of the events, Taranaki centre’s Ken Lobb said preparing for the championship had been two years in the making.

“The Taranaki community has dedicated countless months, weeks, and hours, and we’ve received overwhelming support from all our sponsors. I couldn’t be more proud.”

Taranaki competitor results:

Long head: Steve Murphy, Edge, Whangamōmona. Short head and yard: Bernie Gower, Jack, Waihī, Waitara, Dan Murphy, Nippy, Whangamōmona. Zig-zag hunt: Rachel Law, Miss, Whangamōmona. Straight hunt: Loyd Bishop, Cobba, Mangaehu-Stratford, Brad Bielski, Joop, Eltham-Takau, Lloyd Duffy, Rogue, Egmont. Straight hunt: Loyd Bishop, Cobba, Mangaehu-Stratford, Rachel Law, Boy, Whangamōmona, Brad Bielski, Joop, Eltham-Takau, Lloyd Duffy, Rogue, Egmont.

New Zealand championships results:

Long head: 1st Paul Collins, Sky, Tahatika, 190.5pts, 2nd Lloyd Smith, Guide, Waihemo, 190pts, 3rd Brian Dickison, Jake, Greenvale, 185pts, 4th David Sheild, Kip, Dannevirke, 183.5pts, 5th Michael Lucas, Kate, Lowburn, 183pts, 6th Brian Dickison, Cole, Greenvale, 173.5pts, 7th Neil Evans, Lad, Ōmihi, 173.25pts.

Short head and yard: 1st Stuart Child, Diesel, Te Anga, 193pts, 2nd Leo Edgintoon, Roxy, Tolaga Bay, 192pts, 3rd Ben Millar, King, Waimārama-Elsthorpe,191pts, 4th Steve Kerr, Pip, Mackenzie, 190.75pts, 5th Lloyd Smith, Code, Waihemo, 185.5pts, 6th Dan Murphy, Nippy, Whangamōmona, 155.5pts, 7th Andy McNab, Floss, Mt Nessing, 143.5pts.

Zig-zag hunt: 1st Tim Stevenson, Banjo, Dannevirke, 192.25pts, 2nd Brad McHardy, May, Waingake, 191.5pts, 3rd Rachel Law, Miss, Whangamōmona, 190.5pts, 4th Hunter Davis, Pound, Omatane-Kawhatau, 188.75pts, 5th Brad McHardy, Trix, Waingake, 186.75pts, 6th Chris Shaw, Dixie, Tinui, 185.5pts, 7th Ned George, Sprocket, Wairoa, 181pts.

Straight hunt: 1st Ned George, Bounce, Wairoa, 196.5pts, 2nd Robbie Calder, Ned, St Bathans, 193.25pts, 3rd Ned George, Fred, Wairoa, 191.25pts, 4th Hunter Davis, Chief, Omatane-Kawhatau, 188.5pts, 5th Craig Johns, Clay, Raetihi, 188pts, 6th Jamie Shrubsall, Rusty, Omatane-Kawhatau, 180.75pts, 7th Lana Chrystal, Belle, Moawhango, 158.5pts.

North Island championships:

Long head: Lloyd Smith, Guide, 97pts, 2nd Paul Collins, Sky, 96.5pts, 3rd Michael Lucas, Kate, 96pts, 4th Brian Dickison, Jake, 95.5pts, 5th Neil Evans, Lad, 95.25pts, 6th David Sheild, Kip, 95pts, 7th Brian Dickison, Cole, 94.5pts.

Short head and yard: 1st Leo Edginton, Roxy, 99pts, 2nd Dan Murphy, Nippy, 98pts, 3rd Andy McNab, Floss, 97.5pts, 4th Ben Millar, King, 97pts, 5th Stuart Child, Diesel, 96.5pts, 6th Steve Kerr, Pip, 96.25pts, 7th Lloyd Smith, Code, 96pts.

Zig-zag hunt: 1st Rachel Law, Miss, 97.5pts, 2nd Brad McHardy, Trix, 96.75pts, 3rd Chris Shaw, Dixie, 96.5pts, 4th Hunter Davis, Pound, 96.25pts, 5th Brad McHardy, May, 96pts, 6th Tim Stevenson, Banjo, 95.75pts, 7th Ned George, Sprocket, 95.5pts.

Straight hunt: 1st Ned George, Bounce, 98.5pts, 2nd Lana Chyrstal, Belle, 97.5pts, 3rd Robbie Calder, Ned, 97.25pts, 4th Craig Johns, Clay, 97pts, 5th Jamie Shrubsall, Rusty, 96.75pts, 6th Hunter Davis, Chief, 96.5pts, 7th Ned George, Fred, 96.25pts.