North Island Success In Dog Trial’s

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31090, 20 June 1966, Page 8

North Island Success In Dog Trial’s

North Island dog trial entrants won the three remaining national championships when the New Zealand and South Island championship dog trials were concluded on grounds between Tai Tapu and Motukarara on Saturday. Earlier in the week R. D. Parsons, of Cheviot, in North Canterbury, had won the other national title.

It was brilliantly sunny. More than 2000 attended and takings were nearly £l5O, bringing the gate for the week almost to £3OO. For national championships, however, the final runs were frequently disappointing in standard, mainly because of lack of co-operation of the sheep. In the short head and yard final there was a shadow over part of the hill where the sheep had to be headed and pulled and competitors had the sun in their eyes.

The final event of the day —the run-off for the New Zealand championship in the long head—was a fitting climax to the trials. Competitors and dogs displayed skill of a high order and the South Island came close to winning its second championship. For national championship honours the first seven dogs in the South Island championship ran again and the New Zealand title determined on the aggregate of points in the two runs. Quarter Point In the long head, the veteran dog trialist, R. M. Wilson, of Kirwee, was only a quarter of a point behind G. J. Brennan, of Feilding, who won the national title with Dick. For Brennan, a 52-year-old farmer with a 350-acre sheep and cattle property and about 15 years’ of trial experience, it was a fitting end to a highly successful season. Earlier in the season in the North Island championships he won both the long head and the short head. This is his third national championship. Wilson who has been entering trials for almost 40 years, has also won three national titles. Mr S. H. Macdonald, of Nightcaps, who judged the event, said that in the run-off on Saturday, Brennan’s Dick had made a good out-run, a good steady pull and a fullpoint hold in the ring. For his performance he scored a half point more than Wilson’s Patch, who the judge said had a full-point out-run, but had a slightly irregular pull before making a good hold. The day began well for the

South Island when the South Island zig-zag huntaway championship was completed. The winner of the island title was D. S. Morris, a Cheviot sheepfarmer, with 4-year-old Vow which qualified to compete in a championship for the first time this year. This has been a notable trial for the Cheviot Collie Club as another of its members, R. D. Parsons, won the national straight huntaway earlier in the week. But after the run-off for the national title in the zig-zag huntaway, Morris dropped back to third. B. W. Murphy, of Kohuratahi, north-east of Stratford, improved from seventh in the island championship to take the national title.

Aged 38, Murphy who farms 1000 acres of rough hill country, has been placed twice before in national championships but it was his first title. “Smooth Job” The judge, Mr G. Woolaston, of Taihape, said that Murphy had done a smooth job with awkward sheep. W. D. McSporran, of Waipukurau, with Guy, who was second, had done beautiful work with sheep that would not co-operate. Competitors in the short head and yard also had trouble with their sheep. The judge, Mr C. P. Perry, of Aria, Te Kuiti, said that the sheep appeared to be cold and very touchy. The fortunes of competitors fluctuated. W. E. Hazlett, of Southland, who won the South Island championship with Geordie, ran into serious difficulty with his sheep at the’ yard—two of the three sheep actually got inside at one stage—and time was called before he had yarded. Won Before The winner was 46-year-old L. J. Knight, who farms 500 acres near Te Kuiti. Knight, who won the same event at Te Anau two years ago, was running Trek, aged 18 months, in its first season in trials. Knight and Trek made two very consistent runs scoring 95) points 'on each occasion. Mr Perry said that Trek had shown a nice touch with “light” sheep. This dog’s outrun had been virtually

without blemish. Although penalties had been incurred in all departments of the work on the flat. Trek had finished with a very strong yard.

Placed second in the national championships was W. W. Ross’s Jet, of Rangtwahia. Mr Perry said that Jet’s out-run had been very good, apart from a slight over-cun. The sheep had not co-operated in the puli but Jet had done very good work. On the flat the dog’s work had deteriorated as it progressed to the yard, but it had yarded very firmly.

The arrangements made by the Tai Tapu Collie Club were praised at the prize-giving ceremony.

The following are Anal results (for New Zealand championships the Brst points given are for the South Island championship. the next for the runoff, and then the total):—

Zig Zag Huntaway.—South Island championship: D. S. Morris’s (Cheviot Vow, 97 points, 1; W. D. McSporran's (Watpukurau) Guy. 96, 2: R. J. Christie’s (Gore) Sharp, 95i 3: M. A. Lott’s (Garwton) Jim, 95i, 4: J. A. Rodgers's (Martinborough) Wag, 95, 5; R. N. Connor’s (Waipukurau) Jim, 94f, 6; B. W. Murphy’s (Taranaki) Gleam, 94), 7. New Zealand championship: Murphy’s Gleam, 941. 95, 1891 points, 1; McSporrans’ Guy 96, 92, 188, 2; Morris’s Vow 97. 90, 187, 3: Christie's Sharp 95i, 90i. 186, 4; Connor's Jim 94|, 86), 1811, 5; Lott’s Jim 95} 84, 1791, 6; Rodgers’s Wag 95. Short Head and Yard.—New Zealand championship: L. J. Knight's (Te Kuiti) Trek, 95i, 951, 191 points 1: W. W. Ross’s (Rangiwhahia) Jet 97, 891, 1861, 2; N. W. Briggs’s (Pleasant Point) Glen, 971, 861, 184, 3; D. P. Harold’s (Pongaroa) Blue 95|, 801, 1751. 4; R. H. Davis’s (Ngongotaha) Boy 95J, 741, 1701. 5; W. E. Hazlett’s (Mossburn) Geordie, 97J, 66, 1631, 6: R. H. Davis’s (Ngongotaha) Dick, 96}, 21}, 118, 7.

Long Head.—New Zealand championship: G. J. Brennan’s (Feilding) Dick, 96|, 96. 1921, 1; R. M. Wilson’s (Kirwee) Patch, 97, 951, 192}, 2; W. W. Ross’s (Rangiwahia) Jet, 95}, 96, 1911, 3; J. E. Hay’s (Masterton) Ike, 96}. 93}. 190, 4; R. Dixon’s (Rangiora) Ben, 951, 94. 1891, 5: W. W. Ross’s (Rangiwahia) Speed, 96, 93. 189, 6; J. A. Rodgers’s (Martinborough) Lass, 97}, 901. 188, 7.

The results of the bench competition held in conjunction with the trials were:Best type heading, I. R. Churchhouse's (Dannevirke) Queen; best type huntaway, C. T. Kerr’s (Dannevirke) Bos: champion, Churchhouse’s Queen.