Mackenzie Collie Dog Trial.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXIV, Issue 7492, 15 April 1899, Page 1

Mackenzie Collie Dog Trial.

(from ottk own correspondent.) The trials of the Mackenzie County Collie Club commenced at Burke's Pass on the morning of Thursday, 6bh April, but owing to the numerous entries and foggy weather did not finish until late on the afternoon of Satrarday, Sth April. Mr W-. O. Rutherford, Amuri, again acted as judge, and his decisions gave general satisfaction. The northehi clubs were well represented, two gentlemen having travelled all the way from Waikari to compete. The Waitaki Club was represented by Mr Melville (Three Springs), and he ably upheld the traditions of the parent club, as the results will show. Mr R. Eraser, Albury, takes the Club s Cup, with Nodj'a dog that ran creditably in the three classes, although ha did not show up prominently in either ; and he also takes the gold medal with the same dogMr Melville takes the lion's share of the money (LI6), and he also secured the silver cruet stand for the best bred dog and the silver snuff-box for the best heading in Long Pull, with Bess, Owing to the foggy weather on Thursday morning, the Hunt-away Class (first on the card) was postponed* and the Yarding Glass proceeded with. The work done in this class, with one or two exceptions, was not of a very high order, Mr Melville's Don being the only dog to yard his sheep, which he did with three minbtes to spare, and eventually proved the winner. In the Hunt-away class, which followed, many of the dogs were not ec[ual to the occasion, until Mr Evans, Orari, let Glen, the last dog on the card, loose. This noisy dog hunted his sheep away beautifully, eclipsing everything else in his class, and he won easily. The Long Pull was then proceeded with, and from the start" it was evident that the dogs were on their best behavior, and some really grand work was witnessed in this class. The first to show up conspicuously was Mr Mulville's Bess, who being slipped to three wild sheep that had been let out to a former competitor, and whose dog failed to find them, took the hill smartly with nice cast, heading her sheep beautifully just on the fog line, and after steadying them for a few moments she started them homewards—a truly meritorious pull. Gently yet firmly she landed her sheep in beautiful style, and, although wild, succeeded in holding them in the ring until the judge ordered their release, amidst applause. After this it was admitted on all hands that Bess held a safe mortgage over the stakes ; and so it proved, after some really good work had been done by Messrs M'Rae, M'Kay, and Ballantyne, the latter having a really rosy chance spoiled by a cross. The Club's annual ball took place on Thursday night. A full house and about 40 members sat down to the Club's annual dinner on Friday evening The following are the results : Heading, Polling and Yabdino. First prize LB, second L 4, third L2; 27 entries. W. Mulville (Tree c-prings), Don, 16 points .« •- ~ 1 W. W. M'Rae (Amuri), Bar, 15 points.™ 2 N. Ballantyne (Aswick), Moss, 14 points 3 H. W. W. Gray (Waikari), Bruce, 13 points . Long Poll. First prize LB, second L 4, third L2 ; 26 entries. W. Mulville (Three Springs). Bess, 29 points W. W. M'Rae (Amuri), Bar, 26 points... 2 A. M'Kay (Silver Stream), Speed, 25 points . ~j» 3 N. Ballantyne (Aswick), Moss, 24 points 4 Hunt-Away. First prize LB, second L 4, third L2; 22 entries. ' G. Evans (Orari), Glen, 29 ipoints ... 1 R. Fraser (Albury), Fame, 26 points 2 R. Fraser (Albury), Nod, 24 points 3 R. Cowan (Burke's Pass), Jet, 23 points 4