Ruahine-Rangiwahia Collie Club celebrates 75th jubilee

Colin and Lorraine Pettigrew with local farmer Alex Hall.

Ruahine-Rangiwahia Collie Club celebrated its 75th jubille on April 5-6 in perfect autumn weather. This trial was held on Glencorran (M & K Gee-Taylor’s farm) and Paki-iti (A & F Morton’s farm) in Manamako Rd, Rangiwahia.

There were record entries with 219 heading dogs and 211 huntaways strutting their stuff. Josh Brennan provided the sheep for the event — beautiful, well-grown male and female lambs.

Past president Colin Pettigrew cuts the cake as secretary-treasurer Greg Clifton (left) looks on.

The hospitality at the Ruahine club is second to none, with the Rangiwahia Playgroup doing the catering on the two days.

Long-serving secretary-treasurer Greg Clifton stopped the competition for an hour on Saturday afternoon for the cutting of the jubilee cake and a gathering of past and present members of the club, plus all the liberators came down off the hills to join in, as did all those who were waiting to have their runs.

The club's 75th-birthday cake.

The Ruahine-Rangiwahia club had its first trial at the Lands & Survey Block in Mangarapa Rd, then moved to its present site, where it has been held since.

Isabel Hall, now 92, was at that very first trial — she would have been 17 then, so has had a long association with the club, and was at the jubilee celebration.

Colin Pettigrew with Isabel Hall, 92, who was at the first Ruahine dog trial held on Lands & Survey Block, Mangarapa Rd.

Colin Pettigrew and his wife, Lorraine, were both president and secretary of the club during the 80s and 90s, swapping jobs during that period. Colin managed Hinau Station for 17 years.

Local farmer Bruce Fryer was a sheep steward on the heading courses during the 80s and helped out for 10 years in various roles.

Local farmer Bruce Fryer was sheep steward on the heading courses during the 80s and 90s, and helped out for 10 years.

Dog trial clubs would not exist if it weren’t for the many people who got them started and the rural communities who keep them going; often, many of those people don’t even run a dog, so we owe them a huge debt, big credit to them all, long may our sport flourish.

John Linton from the Wairarapa won both heads with Cam, and Wanganui Centre men won the hunts: Hamish Mackay with Daff (zigzag), and Gavin Drake and Short (the straight hunt.)