Competitors Phillipa Lambourn (Mangamahu), Brian Dickie (Westmere), Eric Weir and Bruce Christie (Mangaweka) enjoy a bit of banter.
By Brenda O'Leary Wanganui Centre Publicity Officer
Poukiore Collie Club held its annual sheepdog trial last weekend.
The weather on Friday was a little wet with drizzle patches, but some of the better runs took place during the rain.
Club secretary Bridget Harvey was pleased to see entries up on previous years and the club was thrilled when Nathan Bradley - son of landowners Lynda and Stuart Bradley - and his huntaway Kooze won their first open event, the zig-zag hunt.
Nathan and Kooze broke maiden status the weekend before at the Poverty Bay centre champs which were held at the Ruakituri Trials, Wairoa, and pair also won the intermediate in the in same event.
The alterations to the liberating area on the shorthead course at Poukiore have been a huge improvement. The cadets that liberated on that course did a great job once Roy Pullen went up and gave them a few pointers.
The winning of heading events is always in the liberating, and Don White, long-time liberater on the Mataroa longhead, did a magnificent job - as did Morgan Monk on the shorthead at the recent Parapara/Makirikiri trial.
Good liberating makes the judges' job easier and competitors happy.
The centre's top dog competition has started to sort itself out.
In the heads, Rob Mather and Sonny Bill lead on 13 points from Graham Wellington and Seamus on 12, while Rob Mather's Sheen is in third place with 11 points. The leading huntaway is Gavin Drake's Glen with 11 points.
The Young Guns have the last two trials on that circuit this weekend - at Kaiteke and Moawhango, where the Wanganui Centre Championships are under way. The final of the Young Gun competition will take place at Ohingaiti on April 14 and 15.
Results:
Class 1: 1, B Burke & Stone 99; 2, G Wellington & Seamus 96; 3, J Shrubsall & Whip 95; 4, J Smailes & Fig 94.75; 5, D Stuart & Jip 94.5.
Intermediate: J Smailes & Fig 94.75. Open/maiden: N Tipling & Max 93.
Class 2: 1, P Martin & Di 98; 2, I Munn & Speck 96.5; 3, L Rau & Dixie 95.5; 4, S Whiteman & Reign 95.25; 5, B Gower & Hone 95.
Intermediate: P Martin & Di 98. Open/maiden: N Tipling & Max 90.
Class 3: 1, N Bradley & Kooze 96; 2, J Gillespie & Ben 95.75; 3, J Smailes & Havoc 95.5; 4, R Morris & Shade 95; 5, N Tipling & Bell 94.75.
Intermediate: N Bradley & Kooze 96. Open/maiden: J Gillespie & Ben 95.75.