Change In Judging Of Dog Trials Advocated

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31089, 18 June 1966, Page 19

Change In Judging Of Dog Trials Advocated

An Otago move to change the system of selecting the leading dogs to contest the final of a New Zealand dog trial title failed at the annual meeting of the New Zealand Sheep Dog Trial Association in Christchurch on Thursday evening.

Most speakers, however, agreed that with increasing entries in national trials, changes would have to be made, and the Otago delegates were invited to take the matter back to their branch and present it again next year.

At present the seven leading dogs in any event at a national championship are automatically the placed dogs in the island title and these dogs then run off for the New Zealand title, the platings being determined on an aggregate of the two runs. The Otago remit suggested that the field for each class be divided into a number of equal sections, each being a separate competition, from which judges would select a determined number of dogs for running in a semi-final to decide the island title. Points from the original qualifying run would be disregarded. From the semi-finals, the leading dogs would run off for the New Zealand title, as at present. Mr D. A. Anderson, of Kurow, said the proposal would ease the task of individual judges and it would be fairer for competitors.

Mr C. J. Crutchley, of Naseby, supported him, saying there would soon be up to 200 dogs in individual classes at the national trials. Seventyfive per cent of these were capable of a run of more than 90 points. A judge could not find a place for them all. The remit had much merit, said Mr J. H. Divers, of Geraldine, but how long would a championship*' last? “You couldn’t get a championship through in a week; you would run to a fortnight,” he said.

Mr J. Tombleson, of Poverty Bay, said that under the proposal, seven dogs would have to be selected each day, and the event would have to be completed in four days before a semi-final. Commenting that it would take a lot more time, he said no competitors wanted to see the trials run for more than a week. If Otago’s suggestion were adopted, the qualifications for competing at the national titles would have to be tightened up, said Mr W. Paton McDonald, of Taranaki. Already, he said, the call-off rule (forcing a competitor to retire on the loss of certain points) had had to be introduced in the zig-zag huntaway event this week. A Wanganui delegate (Mr W. A. Morton) thought the proposal would be adopted in the future, but he did not think this year’s annual meeting should put it through without thorough examination. 1967 Titles Next year’s North Island and New Zealand titles will be held at Rotorua, beginning on June 12. The South Island titles would be held at Burke’s Pass, beginning on May 24. Life membership was conferred on Messrs W. E. Forbes (Taranaki) and S. Steedman (Taihape) for their services to the sheep dog trial movement Mr A. G. Stead, of Hawke’s Bay, was re-elected president and Mr W. E. Hazlett, of Invercargill, was re-elected vice-president.