SHEEP DOG TRIALS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22294, 21 June 1934, Page 5

SHEEP DOG TRIALS

SOUTH ISLAND CHAMPIONSHIPS FIRST EVENT DECIDED. KAUANA OWNER’S SUCCESS. (From Our Special Reporter.) MIDDLEMARCH, June 20. The South Island dog trial championships were continued on Mr Alexander M'Kinnon’s property at Middlemarch to-day. The weather in the morning was overcast and misty, while the afternoon produced a heavy drizzle which made conditions unpleasant for spectators and competitors alike. The first event, the Head, Pull, and Hold in Ring, which was commenced yesterday, was completed early in the afternoon. The standard of the work produced was somewhat below that In the early part of the event, due principally to the foggy and unfavourable conditions. The event was won by Mr J. E. Anderson (Kauana), whose dog gave on excellent display of handling the sheep. Mr C. H. Smith (Oamaru) was second and third. The detailed results are as follows: HEADING, BRINGING BACK. AND

HOLDING IN RING. (About half a mile. Time, 12 minutes.) Points: Out run 20, lift 8, pull 20, ring 3; total 46.

First prize £15,. second £lO, third £5, fourth £3, fifth £2, sixth £l.

(Points shown in the results arc an aggregate awarded by three judges.) J. R. Anderson’s (Kauana) Lass, 125 points 1 C. H. Smith’s (Oamaru) Chance, 124 points . • .. .. .. .. 2 C. H. Smith’s Moss, 320 J points .. 3 John Anderson’s (Kurow) Toby Again, 119 points .. ~ .. .. 4 L. H. Tilson’s (South Otago), Don, and J. B. Queale’s . (Southland) Trim, 115 points (equal) .. .. 5

Fifty dogs competed. John Anderson : « Toby Junior (114 i points) was seventh and A. T. Miller’s (Olifden) Dusky (113 i points) was eighth. Commenting on the work of the placed dogs the judges stated that the first dog, J. R. Anderson’s Lass cast on the right and went out in a good line across the flat, but stopped when approaching the hill, coming in a little and failing to take command. The dog then went out and made a good head. Getting the sheep well off the course, it lifted quietly and pulled in a good line, but lost grip slightly in the last hollow. It then pulled to the centre of the ring in a good lino, and its hold in ring was excellent.

The eecond dog, C. H. Smith’s Chance, cast on the right and,, went out in good line, but stopped near the top of the hill. It then made a good head in 2min 14sec. The dog was a little fast, and split the sheep after lifting, and again split halfway down. It pulled to the ring in a fair line, the sheep being a little to the left. It again split before entering the, ring. The work at the ring was good. The same competitor’s Moss, the third dog, cast on, the right, and went on fast across the flat, afterwards coming in a little on the cast and stopping. It then went out and made a slow setting head in 2min Isec, the sheep moving away to the right. The dog pulled in a good line to the last hollow, where the sheep split slightly. It was a little too far off the sheep at the foot of hill. It then pulled in a fair line to the centre of ring. The work at the ring was good. John Anderson's Toby Again, who wa* fourth, cast on the right and went out fast on a good call, coming in a little near the top of the hill. It made a close head in 2rain Bsec, the sheep moving to the left. The dog was a little slack in lifting and let the sheep off to the left. Half way down it again inclined a shade to the left. Although keeping a fair line approaching the ring, the sheep again inclined to the left, the dog overrunning to bring the sheep to the centre of the ring. The work at the ring was good. L. H. Tilson’s Don, which was placed fifth equal, cast on the right and went out wide. Stopping twice, it continued too wide, but came in and set the sheep before heading in iniin 59sec. It lifted quietly, but pulled the sheep a little too fast, letting them to the right and losing grip before coming off the hill. It lost sight on the flat, but entered the ring in a fair line, the work in the ring being good. J. B. G. Neale’s Trim, which tied with the previous dog for fifth place, cast on the left and went a little too wide going up hill, and stopped twice. It came in a little on the .cast and went out to make a good head in 3rain. It stopped and lifted quietly, making a good pull to the foot of the hill. The dog then let the sheep to the left of the course and lost grip slightly, the sheep going to the right. It recovered and entered the centre of the ring, where it made a good bold, The second event, the Head, Pull and Yard, was commenced this afternoon and will probably he completed to-morrow.

CONFERENCE OF DOG OWNERS SCORE CARD SYSTEM DISCUSSED EXCELLENCE OF-ARRANGEMENTS. A conference of dog owners and members of the South Island Dog Trial Association was held at Middlemarch on Tuesday evening, when matters of interest to competitors in the championships were fully discussed. The chair Avas occupied by Mr B. W. Trotter, president of the South Island Dog Trial Association. Welcoming those present the chairman said that three championships had been held by the association, and each had been better than the previous one. The trials at present under way were excellently conducted, great credit being due to the officials of the Strath-Taieri Collie Dog Club for the completenessof the arrangements for the carrying out of the fixture. Entries had been received from as far north as Nelson to the districts in the far south of the South Island, and were more representative than had been experienced before by the association. This spoke volumes for the universal popularity of the association and assured its future success. He was positive that an outcome of the association’s activities would be an annual inter-island championship meeting. Too much praise could not be given to the officials of the Strath-Taieri Collie Club, who had worked extremely hard to ensure the success of the championship. The chairman referred to a valuable cup which had been presented to the association by the-North Island Association and competitors in the north, which would, bo felt sure, foster the sport in the south as well ns help to create excellent feeling between the associations. In conclusion be thanked Mr Alexander M'Kinnon for the great assistance he had given by granting the association the use of his ground apd sheep. Mr Monro, the president of the Marlborough Association, thanked the chairman for the warm welcome which had been extended to him, and said that he could find no suggestions to make for the improvement of the conduct of the trials. He drew attention to the desirability, in the future, of holding championships in Blenheim, and although it might seem a little far afield, such a fixture there would have a beneficial effect on sheep dog work in that district. In Blenheim they had seven clubs, although not all of them were as yet

affiliated, and he could promise that if it were decided to allocate championship meetings to the district it would be attended with the greatest success. Mr Finchman, of North Canterbury, said that it would not be possible to make a complete success of sheep dog championships unless they had a parent body to control all associations, and ho supposed the principal idea of the meeting was to discuss the question of forming such a body.

Mr P. A. Watt, of Warcpa, said he was pleased to see that the association had been so successful since it inception. Mr John Anderon and Mr James M'Lean were the two men they had to thank for the sound formation of the body, for they had fought very hard for the institution of a South Island Association. Mr W. 6. Thompson, president of the Strath-Taieri Collie Club, after thanking the chairman for the complimentary references he had made about his club, said that the club was not very strong numerically, but was quite financial, a fact for which they had to thank the ladies, without whose assistance It would have been scarcely possible for the club to bold the championships. The club was always' a loyal supporter of the South Island Association, and would continue to be so while it was conducted on its present lines. , Mr Thompson then referred to the score card system which bad been adopted by the association for judging purposes, and expressed himself as being In favour of the system, which induced a better standard of judging. He then extended a hearty welcome on behalf of his club to all visiting competitors. Mr John Purdue (Southland) said that if the score card system were fully explained it might remove much of the antagonism at present existing towards it, which was occasioned principally through ignorance of its purpose. Mr John Anderson (Kurow) spoke of the excellent relations existing between the sheep dog owners In the North and South Islands, and of the desire existing in the north that interisland contests should be arranged.

Mr A. Chapman, president o! the Waitaki Association, said that next year his association would be holding its jubilee, and that a programme would be arranged suitable to the occasion. Trophies would be presented to be won outright, and he extended a cordial welcome to all sheep dog men to attend the celebrations.

After Messrs J; H. Mead (Blenheim), J. Brown (West Coast), and W. S. Thomson (Warepa) had spoken congratulating the association on the satisfactory arrangements made for the championships, Mr A. T. Miller (Clifdcn) reverted to the vexed question of the score card, which, he said, he had considered carefully. Judging, in bis opinion, should be carried out by common sense and intelligence, and be was positive that the score card system cramped a judge’s style and favoured flukes to the expense of outright ability.' Mr C. Parker (Canterbury) said that he had been one of the compilers of the score cards, which, he contended, would help the judges in the future by setting a standard of work on which to base their decisions. It was not claimed that the system was faultless, but if they worked on it and amended it whore necessary he was sure they would achieve a more honest standard of judging. Two of the judges, Messrs H. E. Ingram (Canterbury) and A. Henderson (Otago), spoke favourably of the score cards, which, they contended, should be given a fair trial, but the third judge, Mr John Evans (Southland) disagreed with the other speakers and expressed himself as not being in favour of the system, ■which, he contended, was not in the best Interests of judging. The chairman stated that the score cards were based on those used in Australia and the Old Country.

Mr L. A. Charleson (Gore) favoured the score cards, which, he said, made for more standardised judging. He considered that the range of points should be extended, however, as to separate 47 dogs in one event was almost impossible under the present system. Mr A. Matheson said that every club in Otago had given the cards a trial and the general opinion was that they were not quite satisfactory. The clubs in Southland and Canterbury, had not, however, given them such a good trial.

The discussion then lapsed. A vote of thanks to the North Island Dog Trial Association and northern competitors for the donation of a cup, and the presentation of a rug to the retiring secretary of the South Island Association (Mr James M‘Lean) as a mark of appreciation of his services concluded the meeting.