UNKNOWN. (From Our Own Correspondent.)

Otago Witness, Issue 2718, 11 April 1906, Page 29

UNKNOWN. (From Our Own Correspondent.)

Thp sixieentb annual gathering oi iv.» cub was held on ihe usual site on the SJCth mil 30th ult. It-was attended throughout with ', a Tair amount of success, competition beir.g, ", keen and splendid weather prevailing throughcut. A le.ii number of spectators patronised) ' the meeting. Mr Wright, owing to uidisposi- • tipn, was unfortunately \mable .to fulfil his.-,' engagement to, judge ; consequently • different" '•' volunteers had" to be enlisted for each, event, ' with the usual aftermath of discontent a>' ' the hands of unsuccessful competitors. _The"^ sheep proved admirably suited ior their pan;. * and were a . remunerative" investment. „'Tkp prevalence of" clear weather erfa'bie'^ 'the* coni- -" mittee to open operations -wi**» ' 4U - --itnninß.^of th.c longer, events. ' . -„ ■*" Class IV was first ,taken. For tlnVcventf^; there were 23 .maiden .nominations. „ OperVtionj-JX;-were opened by Mr 'A. M'Gregor'; cnteredl l upon the trysting ground for the first, time — * ft a natural handicap. Otherwise, it was .patriot '■ that "Wait would have given a better- acouns of himoelf than earning only 11 poinis. Mr W. 'Manning's Nap followed. ans put up a very fair performance by keeping an evirn left cast course, and clean headed in iriiin;*., £aiie<3 somewhat in pulling, tlte slieep allowing a pronounced disposition to race to the . light of the course, a tendency the dog failed' * to correct by keeping closer command over hia charges on that shoulder;, inclined to. ruu wide ; slow in answering command, but steady at hand. Points- earned, 9, 3, 5. I—lß. Mr R. Cowan next led out Mr F. Pagan's " Loo, who rather ran in en a left course, but answered the word of command well; took.rcut and made a clean head, but let the sheep"' badly over the shoulder of tho ridge and out . of syjht; retrieved, but still showed an inclination to keep too direct.'y above the sheep; got slackish at the foot of the hill; improved across the flat to the ring; inclined to stand oif steadying. Points, 8, 3, 5, 2—lß. ■ Mr W. Manning again came cut with Lassie, who, when cast on the left, rim an erratic course, but ultimately maTle a clean but wide head ; started back a- gocd course ; rather noisy, and inclined to get wide occasionally on hill face; but the sheep kept a good, straight course to near hand; a bit wide and Etand-oJfish steadying. Points, 7, 4, S, 2—22.2 — 22.

Mr H. S. Eeid's Mick next ran a creditable^' ' trial; faulty in ring; wide on flat, and l out' at the shoulder of the hill, but took a g/Jcd" position/ and made a clean hea"6! ; 'started' Back nicely, a little wide on the face, and gained,. * near at hand, where a rather fast turn^ and P a little wide running mared aa otherwise good;'' urn. ■ Points, 8, 4, 7, 2—21. - i - - -\-' ,• Mr K. Fraser, of trial fam.o throughout the,"-' length and breadth of the island, with- a soti'oi Mr Manning's Lassie (Marv«l) next cord-'*^ niaixled attention. Marvel seemed' uncertain s -„" of cast, -btit ultimately made a* nc-at, smart'" " head; failed in pulling; but got his sheep" to the ring along an indifferent course; smart but unsteady at hand. Points, 8, 4, 6, 2— 20.

Mr E. Shaw, with Xed, next ran. He made a pool start along a left cast, but improved farther out, though wide on the ridge; none too good at pulling; very wide on the near' hand, and failed to steady the bad sheep home by tho call of time. Scored 17 points — viz., 7, 3, G, 1.

Mr J. M'Leod's Sport followed, getting away smaitly along a left cast; wide on ridge; got back, and made a close running head in quick time, and pulled well to the ring; then got much at fault, leaving the sheep fend going to the creek; failed in steadying Points, 8, 3, 5, I—l 7.

The next best run vtsi Mi G. Waters's Sandy, who stalled down the flat, then took a good clean cast and headed well, perhaps a little c/.ose, in quick time, kept a good comse. but noisy to foot of hill; then let sheep wide; unsteady and faulty cd hat, and ditto at ring. Points, 9, 3, 6, I---17

Mr J. •Strullieis, with Dot, attracted attention by smartly taking out a left cast, getting a little wide at foot of the bill, rather over-ran ere making a \pry .qiiick head; fair '•tart, pulling them a, bit wide to nea;- ' front of hi:!; good to ring; steadied fairly well, and cainctl piemier position. Points,' 9, 4, S, 2—23. ''

Mr J. Burnett's Tip ran a fair averr.gc course for hh 18 points.

2J_r JR. Cowan with Mr Same's Megpie. .ran a good trial, though somewhat erratic, on • right cast up to near sheep, then headed with a cross; lacked style; at start of return journey settled down splendidly, and finished well right up to ring, where r.teady, holding work was also put in; finished a good run with » rouple of minutes to spare. Points, 7, 3, 10, 2-22. This was the last dog to call' for mention. ttaidsu,. For dftgs that had. never woa

s^-~Sver the value of £2, and confined to Mackenzie *?;- and' Radncliff- districts. Prizes, £8, £4, £2, ~V *nd £1. Maximum points, 30 — viz., heading 12, V- .command 5, pulling 10, steadying 3. — J. '->.:- Struthers 3, M. Sanxs 2, W. _Manning and '- H. S. Reid 3; specials, R. Fraser and G. ?~ .Waters. -"-. ■ Driving Contest. — Young Ronald Bain V essayed to drive the allotted three sheep along ??. a set course, through two sets of hurdles, and '- " yard. This event appeared on the programme --_;_ for the first time, and apparently was s novelty £- to both the judges and the majority of the =-; competitors, who failed to recognise that the ; ;- object of the competition was to drive, and r? not merely to take, the sheep along a given c.' course. So much was this so that some of "-•"- the coveted positions were, given, to the dogs J'--that never had their charges on the course . -.» proper 'from start to finish, excepting through ~-*he obstacles, their only recommendation for v-the task 'being their smartness ia getting at c-- the head of their sheep, and then smartly "." pulling the sheep back on to the course, turns J7- .that would rob a huntaway of all possible 'It . chance of scoring, to say nothing of undue -/"" running of sheep and loss of time. i T Mr Bain,, failing early in his task, gave place *" to Mr F. Dickson, with his fine dog Foy, who proved his, worth in several other 'events vvafr'diffeMiit times. - The judges .report on bis J-periormance thusly: — Woried quietly under s^jffooi command'^ completed course and. yarded, ' f-/in 7min. Points, 7, 3, 6, 7—23.7 — 23. j ;l w '- : Mr R: ,Fraser, /with his far-famed Lillico. next "fo serioiisly occupy the attention of --"the judges, -and they awarded, him 6j 4, 7, 7 "--points fore -worEing. quietly under- good com*.~~pa»nd, sometimes wide.; -completed course and :. yarded in 6min. Points, 24., -T. -Mr* D.' Angland, another Albury competitor, "* also put in a good run, and had his sheep C" in the yard but the gate not closed on call of

. time. "^ - Mr Ccwan, with Maggie, again put up a l_Jair run for her owner, Mr Sams, earning 19 S- points for working fair under good command ; ~ pulled, sheep too much; yarded well in 6^min. *;Points, 4, 3, 5, 7. .-% - "Mr J. Burnett, with his old champion all- ; rcund worker Fan, got credited with a score of ;v; v points for working fairly through hurdles ; ' command not vary good; yarded in 9min. •: Points, 7/2, 5, G. y~ Mr R. Fraser shortly ran with Marvel, 5 "whose work sufficiently impressed the judges , to be awarded pride of position with 9, 3, 7, '' B—^27 points, for working very well through hurdles, under good command, and yarding well in 7Jmin. Mr- A. S. Smith's Don scored 22 points for ' working very well through hurdles ; good com- "-" tnand ; sheep split at yards ; yarded in &Jmin. .-Points, .8. 3, 5, 6.

-"- Mr C. H. Wright, with Frank, scored 19 -, points — 6, 3, 5, s—for5 — for working fair through r hurdles, fair at yards, and yarding in 6min. ," Final , position.- Class 11, driving and yard- ~ ing. Prizes, \£9, £i, £2, and £1. Points, 30— driving 10, command 4, style 8, yarding 8. — R. Fraser's " Marvel, 27 points, 1 ; R. Fraser's

- liillico, 24 points, 2 ; F. Dickson's Foy, 23 t points, 3; A.S. Smith's Don, 22 points, 4; - (specials, J. Fan 20 and H. Wright's " Frank 119.;1 19.; •- The running. of Class I (Huntaway) followed, ~ and qf . the 14' nominations only three dogs 'Vualified for the prize by getting the sheep '/■(Sirqngh:' halfway flags. 'Mr Godfrey Waters iJTame out on top with Bob, who achieved the „j»me. score last year, and later in the season only one point below Mr R. H. Pollock's ' champion' of many contests, giving him the - ieijeditabl-e score .of two firsts and a second ;*iil of three .starts. Mr R. M'Pherson got '"second with Mona, and Mr R. Cowan third "' olace with Spy. Prizes, £8, £i, and £2. The -fourth prize (£1) and two specials were not qualified for. The -judge's records of these - runs were: —

Bob hunted stubbprn sheep out a good .course well, with plenty of noise. Points, 12, 4, 7, 5, cut of a possible 12 for huntaway,

5 for command, 8 fox noise, and 5 for style. '" Mona earned 10, 3, 7, 4 for huntaway: -rather slack at start; then put in some real -good work to completion of course. Spy ran his sheep too much over the course ; kept poor line; miesed first flags; recovered; . did good work to 'end of course, except once, coming too far back off his sheep. Points, 8, 3, 7, 3. -Mr S. Burnett's trusty o'.d smart Fan was

the only other to approach the qualifying goal, but time beat her about two chains short of -the flags, and consequently the judges, misInterpreting the club's rules, awarded her no

points. * Mr Fraser again appeared to advantage in Class 111 with Marvel, who made a fair head in 2min; pulled fair; good at running; completed in 7min, and scored 8, 3, 7, 3 points of the 12 for heading, 5 for command, 10 for pulling, 3 for steadying. The same owner's Lillico soon afterwards ■put up a good run, and scored 9, 5, 9. 3 for going out well ; disapeared from sight in 3Jmin; reappeared with sheep a minute later; kept a good., course; and. landed sheep well ieadied. ir -7min. . Mr Burnett's Tip went out well, head-1-ing. indifferently in 2min; pulled on a fair c-ourse in Bmin. earning 9, 3, 8, 2 points. • Mr R. Bain's Sandy also went out well, but - headed poorly in 3min; pulled well for part of: the way, and was, a Tut rash at the finish ; steadies in 9min. Points, 7, 2, 1, 1. .'Mr J. Burnett's Fan headed in 4min; eh'eep- got off course ; failed to steady. Points,

10, 2, 4/ 0. Mr A. Bain's old Dick -went out on a " good line ; headed in 3min ; a very erratic course; was a bit slack a£ ring. Points, 9, 1 1, 7, I—lß.1 — 18. This dog's score was earlier given as 20, and he was credited with fifth place, the 7 probably being accidentally added as 9.

Mr A. S. Smith's Don headed poorly in

Simm; let sheep off course , steadied well at ring, finishing in 9min. Points. 7. 3, 5. 2—2 — 18. Mr C. H. Wright's Frank headed badly, with a cross, in 2min ; pulled weli. and steadied nicely at ring; completed course in 7J.mm. Points. 6. 2, 8. 3—19. :- 3fr Borthwick's Tale aisp put up a fairly good run, but failed to hold the sheep steady it ring, -and scored 16 points. Class HI. Long Pull. Prizes, £8, £1, £2, md £1. Points— Heading 12, command 5, pulling 10, and steadying 3—30. Mr J. U'Lood's Sport, 26 points, 1 ; Mr J. Burnett s lip, 22 points. 2; Mr R. Fraser's Marvel, 21 points, and Lillico, 26 points, less 5 handicap, 3 and 4 ; specials, Mr D. Angland s Jack 19, and Messrs A. Bain's Dick, A. Smith's Don, C. Wright's Frank, and Manning's Nap 18 (equal). . , , , At the conclusion of the trials the usual wind-up— Competitors' Handicap Race — was run. 150 yards. First prize, 12 months' subscription to the Canterbury Times; second, -six months' subscription Otago Witness. Seventeen entries— Mr H. S. Reid (scr) 1; Mr H. Struthers (Byds) 2. The club's champion, cup was won by Mr R. Fraser's Lillico, 50 points ; and the same owner's Marvel came second, with 48 points. But for the mistake before referred to of not awarding points earned in the Huntaway, Mr Burnett's Fan would have just about displaced one of the above. Mr T. Bassett's special for most points in clases went to Mi M'Leod's Sport, 43 points : and Mr W. Sheehan's speoial for the best-bred collie to Mr F. Dickson's Foy.