MACKENZIE COLLIE CLUB DOG TRIALS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2355, 13 April 1899, Page 42

MACKENZIE COLLIE CLUB DOG TRIALS.

(From Our Albury Correspondent,) T' 3 annual gathering and contests under the auspices of the Mackenzie Collie Club came off last week under extremely adverse circumstances. ' In the first place, after the dates for holding the trial had been fixed and duly notified, the monster Waikakahi dispersing sale was arranged to take place, and, of course, this tended to divert the attention and patronage of a large number of persons bent on attending that notable fixti ,-c. The Fairlie people also sprang a surprise on tlieir more inland neighbours, and promoted an agricultural show which ■was a gathering blest with Queen's weather, and was a most pronounced success. This also tended to diminish the desire for a day's outing of a large section of the public who, under ordinary circumstances, would have honoured the meeting with their presence. Then, to crown all, the weather proved the 1 opposite of favourable, .this in its turn affecting the attendance materially, and making the carrying out of the various events far from pleasant. The liberal prize* offered, and the established popularity of tliis fixtura had commanded full attention from competitors, and entries had come in very satisfactorily indeed, and further, good judging had been assured by securing 'the services of that popular judge, Mr Vv. O. Rutherford. With such favourable arrangements, had the weather been fine, this year's trials would, no doubt, have proved as successful as those of preceding years, which was certainly expecting a lot. A new site had been secured, and all that could be desired in the way of sheep. Unfortunately, a denso fog covered the higher portion of the reaches of the larger courses. After waiting some time it whs deemed expedient to open proceedings witU the running of the yarding events, for which the " run" is o:tly about 10 ohains. At about 10.30 a.m. Mr M'Kay led out Speed, who hurdled three sheep in a creditable manner. Speed was net out to the left, and at the onset he seemed in too good running form for so short a pull, and rather overran his sheep, but on coming back to them ho put in nice steady work, though inclined to feather somewhat, and I running wide lost a little gro'ind, and re-, peatedly turned off his sheep at corners instead of turning inwards-. I; is generally conceded that had this youthful competitor had the experience of a former competition he would have gone close on winning; a* it was he failed at the.yarding. The next j to come before the' judge was Mr N. Ballantyne's well-tried dog Moss, who won the " long pull" here last year, and was second in both Classes II and HI t'-e previous year. He was also the winner, of a similar class at the Albury trial last season. He not 'unnaturally attracted < considerable attention. Being oast to the left, he made a; nice head trial arid pulled steadiJy, though inclined to run wide at times, and proved not so firm as usual at hand. Ho failed to yard. Mr W. M^elville, a consistent attender at the meeting of his old club at Kurow, - who is a new settler in this district, did not come as a stranger, for he successfully represented his club here at its fourth meeting, and he was looked upon as likely to furnish something in the way of good work, but on this occasion his dog was evidently not in the best of form for near-at-hand work.

Mr C. Thew, a visitor from Orari. was the next to take the field, and started Lassie straight from the right hand. She was inclined to run in under the sheep, but being under good command she was easily brought out on nearing the sheep. She ran v*!de, and overran her sheep on leading; lacked style in pulling, flying off and back into the sheep, and gave them too much course, ultimately spliting her sheep. Mr D. Munro, a representative of the rugged elopes of Mount Cook, next entered the ring, and sent Chance away to the left. He mode a nice head, kept the sheep on a good course returning, was very bii'j bio, though rather slack at hand. He let the sheep break a bit. ultimately losing one. Mr R. Cowan sent Jet, Mb cup candidate, round his sheep >n the right. He liiade a fair head, rathei rough at first in pulling, failed to keep a good course, but got his sheep to the yard. He put in some fine work, but was rather rash at times, and at others let his sheep away from the ring. He failed to yard.

Mr M'Rae (Waikari) next occupied the judge's attention. Boss showed that he had not travelled so i'ar without a possible, for he headed well and gulled nicely, ran rather wide at times, giving the sheep too much scope, but he landed them in the ring in good time, and worked them very steadily indeed. He failed to yard.

Mr R. Fraser's Nod, another cup candiddalo, also scored in this class, but did nothing of record.

Mr J. Ballantyne followed with Gyle, a dog that has on several previous occasions won honours fo« his master. He was not in the beet of trim, evidently, and did not acquit himself creditably, being altogether too slack.

■tr n - ext g *° 8t ' r U P enthusiasm was , Master J. Irving's Bob, worked by his youthful trainer, Mastei Bertie Anderson, the lad who created such » favourable impression at the Albury trials last fall in the youths' event. This young dog's work was much admired, and had the lad trained his dog to stand off sheep when hid in the yards, he" would have had a very good chance of winning indeed. Mr H. G Wyndham Gray (Waikari) followed with that far-famed dog Bruce, previously owned by Mr W. Anderson, whose loss ■ Bruce evidently still laments, for he apparently does not appreciate Ill's new master sufficiently to put himself on his best behaviour when from home. Bruce made a n-'ce head, and about the best in the event, and brought his charge well to hand, but his worker failed to get him to steady his sheep at tlu ring. On the whole he had good style. The last dog to run was Mr W. Melville's second nomination, Don, who carried a prize from this district on the former occasion Chat Mi Melville contested here six years ago. Scarcely a year since has Don failed to secure a place at the Kurow trials. His running was therefore watched with interest. When Sent away, he headed the sheep fairly, but their proving wild gave Don his work to land them at the yards, which he did well. They were too wide at the ring, but the sheep were yarded, though the credit >ies with tho master, and not th. dog. These were the only lot yarded during the whole contest. Awards, th* mtHcimum number pf point* being 30:-*

Mr.W. Melville's Don, 16 pts ... 1 Mr W. W. M'Rae's Boss, 15pts ... 2 Mr 'N. Ballantyne's Moss, 14pts ' ... 3 Mr H. G. Wyadham Gray's Bruce, 13pts

4Messrs D. Munro's Chance and J. Ballar.tyn's Gyle, 11 each.

Class I. — Huntaways : Driving three merino wethers out along a defined course about half a mile, through four sots of poles. Tho first two dogs failed to get the sheep to start the proper course, ana consequently failed to score.

Mr J. Fraser came out ivith Rasp, a slashing, big, stirring fellow, with a grand, bark — a rare sort of mustercr's help. Rasp succeeded with some little trouble m successfully negotiating tho first poles, thereby qualifying for a prize, if he could win it. This dog showed good command, but lacked style for trial work, turning back from the sheep every time they stopped. He kept a good course right on through the second flags, and well on up hill, but ultimately split, and lost charge.

Mr A. S. Smith's Royal was the next to succeed in getting through the flags, and made fair work half-way on to the second poles, when she headed her sheep, and lost the course.

Mr R. Fraser's Fame, who has previously won places in various events at different trials, was the next to qualify for a prize, and continued well on along the course through the second flags, and was well up to the third lot when a heavy mist falling obscured .the course from our view, and it was decided to terminate the trial for the night, the worker being given the option of running again in the morning if lie chose. He was, however, satisfied to take hie chance of the present performance being beaten. Fame was under good command, had plenty of noise, was somewhat lacking in style, but scored well in hunting out.

Mr S. Briant opened the ball next morning, when the weather, though still damp, was clear enough to allow the trial being continued. Old Ready succeeded in qualifying, getting his trio through the flags ; bad plenty of noise (a grand barking dog) ; fair style, but lacked command. As usual — he always having proved too headstrong for trial m ork — he let the sheep off the course to yards, and lost.

Mr A. S. Smith's Scott came next, and with fail style and noise and serviceable command, his charges were got through the iirst flags, and kept along a good course -well on towards the next, when, through, lack, of judgment on the part of Hie worker, thi3 young dog's chance of securing a place w'os lost. Mr R. Eraser's cup dog came next, and, ! like his former nomination, succeeded in accomplishing the greater part of his task, and in very grand style. Though showing good command, he was not up to the mark in noiso, and also lacked style. Mr Cowan's Jet followed, and succeeded in i accomplishing the greater part of his contract, | with good noise, fair command, and serviceable style; and but for a mistake at the second flags, which took some remedying, this dog would have gone much nearer tho winning posts. Mr Qebrge Evans next qualified with Glen, who took second honours in the same class last year, and. again proved himself a good dbg by handling two sheep'well. taking them along a good course in capital style, with plenty of noise right on through the second --flags, and close vtp to the third isoles — * really meritorious performance, and a very popular one,, as he certainly showed • the truest charactei- of a huntaway -of all that' qualified. The prizes, Ist £8, 2nd £4, 3rd £2, 4-th special, fell as follows, the maximum points being 30: — Mr G. Evans's Glen, 29pts - r»- 1 Mr R. Fraser's Fame, 26pts £•. ~- 2 Mr R. Fraaer's Nod, 24pts -*, : -. 3 Mr R. Cowan's Jet, 23pts .. .4 Mr J. Frasor's Rasp 18, Mr S. Briant's Ready 17, Mr A. Smith's Scott 17, were the others of the 22 entries to Vorc upwards of half points, and Brianl, Jot, and Smith's Royal got into double figures. At the conclusion of this class the " long pull," Class HI (26 entries), was proceeded with.

Number 4 on the card was the first to attract much attention. Mr W. Melville sent Bess out on the rightj rather straight, as she ran in somewhat on Hearing the sheep. However, she made a pretty head in quick time, pulled back nice, and went steadily along a good course to near the foot of the hill, then showed an inclination to feather nearly at hand ; nevertheless she was very steady, and landed her sheep at the ring »n good condition, had a little trouble steadying them in it, put in some nice work, though this was the weakest part of her performance. Her merit has only once been approached during these trials, and that was by Mr A. Hanlie with Jade" in the yarding during the second trials this club held, in 1892.

Mr H. Anderson sent Moss out indifferently, and the dog- showed no inclination to improve matters, and failed to make a good head. She pulled very well though she did not show command, and failed at the ring through being too unsteady for wild merino sheep, being accustomed to longwools. Mr W. Ballantyne's Moss also failed to go out, crossed in heading, luid ran in too close ere putting the first turn on, whence he made the best pull of the meeting, and landed his sheep into the ring in capital style and condition ; showed up well in holding, and but for the unfortunate blunders mentioned must have about won, repeating last year's performance, when he lost but one point in heading and one in holding. Mr Shaw's Lassie was the next to do well, making a fair head, pulled steadily though not firmly, showed good command but failed to hold in the ring. Mr Fraser now appeared with Nod, who went out remarkably well, but failed to retrieve his mob well, and did not reach the ring by the call of time. Mr M 'Rao's Boss did not go out any too freely ; made a. fair head after a lot of directions; pulled together in good style, the sheep being rather wild ; was a while getting the sheep steadied in the ring, but on the whole his was a very fair performance.

Mr R. Cowan's Jet's sheep were loot in fog, which now, with heavy rain, obscured the course. It was therefore called in, and the trial was postponed till the following day, when the fog lifting, Jet was again sent his mission of endeavouring to beat his only formidable rival foi cup honours. He needed to 'secure 21 points to tie, or 22 to beat, but only managed to secure 20.

Mi Melville's Doc was the only other dog to perform above the average, which was generally low. Don failed to take his directions well, and did not keep a good course; made a good head on getting out ; was rather inclined to run wide, pulling up on the right side of the sheep ; did not hold command of the sheep ; lef them right off tlu course, picked up otherß.

Tho judge's awards placed the prizes (£B, £4-, £2, and special) thus: — Mr W. Melville's Bess, 29pts -. . 1 M» W, M'RM'a Boss, 26pU M 2

Mr A. M'Kay's Speed, 25pts -..:. 3 Mr W. Ballantyne's Moss, 24pte ... ♦ Mr C. " Shaw's " Lassie, 23pts 5 Messrs W. Melville, H. Anderson, R. Fraser, and R Cowan scored apwards of half points; and Messrs H. Wyndnam Gray and J. Ballantyne were close up. Class IV. — Youths under 18 years. There were four entries.

Mr Shaw Thompson proved the winner with a nice, stron? working dog in Tip, who was closely followed by Master 0. B. Andersor with Bob. The latter really put in the finer performance, but had the misfortune to have one very refractory sheep to deal with.

Mr Herbert Anniss followed up for third place with a dog that showed signs of having had too much food and was feeling the illeffects thereof.

The various special prizes fell as follow : — The club's cup, to be held for tho year by most points scored during the meeting with one dog, was won by

Mr 11. Fraser, with Nod, for 51 points. He accordingly gets the club's two-guinea gold medal, given annually to the holder of the cup. Nod also won a similar medal for dog scoring most points, scoring in each class — i, n, in. For these orizes Mr R. Cowan ran «rery olosa with Jet, who was only 1 point behind, having scored similarly in two events, and then fell a- point short in the other, so he secured Mr M Millan's special, as runner-up dog to the champion — si deservingly popular win. ' Mr J. JFraser wbn the president's £2 2s for best team of three dogs, one scoring in each class. Mr W. Melville won Mr Bang's special, a handsome cruet, for the best breJi" collie competing with Bes3 ; also silver match box for best head in " long pull." The club's annual ball was held; the first night of trial and provided a great success. On the second night the club's annual dinner proved as sucessful as any formerly held, and that is saying not a little. Afterwards a smoke concert woa held, and the company spent a most enjoyable evening, during which the prizes, as far as won, were given out. During the evening the usual toasts were given and speeches and songs intermingled therewith. .