THE SHEEP DOG.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19344, 3 June 1926, Page 14

THE SHEEP DOG.

OPERATIONS AT TRIALS. PROGRESS IN NORTH ISLAND. ENLISTING PUBLIC INTEREST. BY C.B.G. * Now that a great many of the club fixtures throughout the country "are completed and-the championships are about to be held or are in progress, the sheep dog trial season may be considered to be at its height. There is no doubt that it has been a wonderful year for the majority of the clubs, and the sport has obtained a very firm hold in all country districts. This year's championships are beftig held at Te Kuiti and there is a very big muster from all parts of the North Island. A good team has gone from Hawke's Bay and one or two Poverty Bay men who were fairly successful last season are included . among the. competitors. v . In view of the successful season the North Island Dog Trial Association should be in an exceedingly good position financially. Tho net profit on the year's working was £92 2s 6d, the income £213 Is 6d, and the expenditure .£l2O 19s. Some idea of tho popularity of the sport can be gained from the fact that during the year 4319 dogs competed at the various meetings held throughout the North Island. There are now 52 clubs affiliated with tho association and there are indications that other clubs will commence activities next season. It is noteworthy that Poverty Bay provides the greatest number of successful clubs. One of their, trials tops the list for the vear with the greatest number of entries. There can be no doubt that the association has done a very great deal for the betterment of the sport, the rules being framed to bring about a system of cooperative management between the various clubs, while still giving them the right to run their trials on their own lilies. The Lilico Shield. Last year the Lilico Shield was awarded to a dog that, according to some critics, did not show sufficient styl6 and the judge, Mr. Whyte, was severely taken to task in some quarters for his award. The writer, however, was present at the trial and was in thorough accord with, the decision. Writing on the point "Shepherd," in a letter to the wiiter, said that the principal complaint made regavduing the awarding of the shield was that the association did not ailow points for style. He stated that if a dog scored the maximum points at ring anct yard, he must necessarily have possessed style'. With that contention I agree. Another point made by Shepherd was that the style, about which the critics talk so much is possessed only by tho Border dog, which is often unsuited for the typo of work demanded in the Dominion, and especially in the North Island where crossbred sheep predominate. It is indeed a very fortunate thing that in the majority of cases judges of trials are prepared to accept as the standard work which, in their opinion, shows a dog to be best suited for all classes of the work he will be called upon to do. There are many dogs which, while not showing the outstanding style exhibited by the Border dogs, give every evidence of a very much more useful style than- that dog possesses, at least so far as work in the Dominion is concerned. I have always maintained, and still do, that the use of the Border dog in the North Island is limited and that the type of dog which does most of the winning at North Island trials is the type best suited to ordinary _ station workthere. That, after- ail, is the ideal of every real trial enthusiast. New Zealand Championship.

It,is to be hoped that while the championship trials are in progress at 0. e Kuiti the question of a New Zealand championship will be discussed. There is a possibility that several South Island men will be present at the fixture, and it would be interesting to hear their opinions on the subject. Many years ago championship trials were held in the South, and ever since then spasmodic attempts' have been made to establish a Soutli Island association similar to that in the North Island. The sport apparently is not so keenly followed in the South and the project has never been brought to fruition. The Canterbury trials are now putting on a championship event, however, and this is attracting entries from many parts of the South Island. It therefore appears as if the time is opportune for the forming of a South, Island association. Once that is done there is no doubt" that the officials of the North Island Association would enter into negotiations for the holding of a New Zealand championship. Reference to the figures published by the North Island Association with regard to the entries of the various clubs for the past season shows that of the 11 strongest clubs in the North Island four are to be found in Poverty Bay. The Ruatorea Club in that district heads the list for record entries, while the Te Pohue and Waikoau trials, both Hawke's Bay fixtures, come next in order. It must not be forgotten, however, when considering the figures that some of these clubs have more classes than others, so that in many respects some of the smaller clubs are equally as strong. For' instance, a club that holds three classes and gets 70 entries in each class is relatively stronger .than a club, which has four classes and attracts 60 entries in each class. The strongest clubs are:—Te Pohue, Otamatea, Cape Runaway, Waikoau. Wairoa, Kumeroa, Central Hawke's Bav. Poverty Bay, Masterton, Waikohu and Ruatorea. The list shows how very popular the sport is in both Hawke's Bay and Poverty Bay, and as new clubs are being formed in these districts each season, interest is growing eveii keener.

A " Star " Event. A feature of exceptional interest to the general public which was staged by the Wairoa Collie Club this season was a " star " event in which only the winners m the various classes were run off. The Wairoa Club is fortunate in getting tne unqualified support of the wht.le of the district. Its trials are of such interest that on People's Day a crowd of more than 600 watch the various events.. Recognising this interest in the most prac, tical way possible, the club instituted the "star" event, which is kept for People's Day, the final day of the trials. In this manner the interest of the townspeople is held in a much stronger manner than would be possible if only the ordinary event were staged. .At this year's event nine of the best dogs from Hawke's Bay competed. The idea is one that can well be recommended to clubs J wishing to attract the interest of the people. An interesting feature of the North Island trials this season has been Hie presence of two lady competitors. Miss Long; of Kopahi, put up a notable performance in gaining the possible points at one of the trials, while another .meritorious performance was registered by Miss Hawkins at the Opotiki trials. This is not: the first time lady competitors have been present, as in the past the Opotiki trials have attracted several. It is seldom, however, that such consistent work is accomplished by a lady as in the case of Miss Long, whose dog is an exceptionally well-trained animal. The Wairoa Collie Club wisely invited Miss Long to be present at its annual trials, and there is no question but that she proved to be a "draw." Many of those who competed against her at Wairoa were hoping that she would be present at the championships, as her dog was certainly of a standard that would-not disgrace itself at the Te Kuiti meeting.