WINNER OF THREE EVENTS

Taranaki Daily News, 28 April 1934, Page 11

WINNER OF THREE EVENTS

SUCCESS OF FRASER SMITH WAIHI-WAITARA DOG TRIALS HELD RECORD ESTABLISHED YESTERDAY. Fraser Smith, Awakino, established a record at the Waihi-Waitara dog trials which will be hard to beat. Yesterday he won the short head and yarding event with Highland King and the huntaway with Toss. As Highland King had on the first day won the long head and hold in ring, the Awakino competitor won all three open events on the programme, getting a leg-in in four cups. W. V. Mclntyre secured two seconds and Fred. King, Awakino, three thirds. In marked contra, t to the opening day, ideal weather prevailed for the second day. There was a large attendance of the public. The yarding event is always spectacular and it proved no exception to the rule, a number of the competitors yarding in good style, while the winning runs, which practically followed each other, were of a high Standard. Splendid progress was made, the yarding event and the huntaway being completed. The short head, pull, drive and yarding event which had been started the previous night, was continued. There were 33 entries. Good progress was made but in the afternoon some of the sheep were rather touchy and got away when let out at the pen. The same course was used as in the long head and pull, but on reaching the flat the sheep had to be driven through hurdles, then slewed, driven to the pens and yarded. As on the first day the event resolved itself into a duel between Fraser Smith, Awakino, and W. V. Mclntyre, Waitui, with Fred. King, Awakino, filling third place. Highland King was a very highly trained sheep dog, remarked the judge, Mr. J. Scott, who penalised him only half a point for lack of progress in the pull and half a point in command for the same fault. His work in the drives and at the yard was flawless. Cruachan instead of Chief earned second place for W. V. Mclntyre. He ran out perfectly but in the pull let to the left slightly, losing half a point, and another half point for command. Slight lack of progress also cost another half point. In the drive the man hanself lost half a point through getting in front. Letting the sheep past at the yard cost the dog another half point, thus dropping st total of 2j points, a run that would have been the winner at most trials. . Black Scot again earned third place for Fred King. His head and pull were perfect, but in the first drive the man was too far away for the sheep and in the second drive the man crossed the boundary in assisting the dog, dropping a point in each case. At the yard the dog let the sheep past, missing a splendid chance to yard. He lost two points there and one for command. A. J. Northcott’s Laddie was fourth. Among the competitors was Mrs. M. Walsh, Puniwhakau, whose dog Dee put up a fair run to yard in Bm. 255. and score 46 points. A boy, J. Sulzberger, also yarded with Wendy to score more than half the points, the dog again being over keen.

In the huntaway, which was started shortly after 4 p.m., there were fifteen competitors. The dogs first had to hunt sheep off the flat across a slight dip through a set of flags on the hillside. They then had to slew the sheep and hunt them along the side of the ridge through the next set of flags, take a left slew to punch and then go through the top flags. The hill was steeper than it looked and deceived some of the good dogs, which did not complei., the course. Only the four placed dogs completed. A factor that added to the difficulties was that the liberating pen was too close to the point where the dogs had to take charge of the sheep and it was therefore difficult to get the sheep through the first flags as they showed a tendency to turn back.

Fraser Smith won with Toss. He did splendid work through the first two sets of flags, but at the third set went out of position, losing a point for command. He also let the sheep drift, losing one fc. huntaway. J. Hirst’s (Tarata) Roy was second, two points away, and Fred. King with Don was again third. The chairman, Mr. J. T. H. Robinson, on behalf of the committee congratulated Mr. Smith on his triple success at th? meeting, a success that was well merited. * Mr. Smith congratulated the club on its new course, not because he had been so successful, but because he considered’ that it could be made into a firstclass course for championships. Details are:— CLASS IL—Short Head, Pull, Drive and Yard. Time, 12m. Points, head 10, bring back 10, drive 4, hurdles 4, drive 4, work at yard 10, yarding 6, command 12—toial 60. Fraser Smith’s (Awakino) Highland King—lo 9J 44410 6 1| 59 W. V. Mclntyre’s (Waitui) Cruachan -10 9 3j 4 4 9J 6 UJ 57j Fred. King’s (Awakino) Black Scot —lO 10 3 4 3 8 6 11 55 A. J. Northcott’s (Uruti) Laddie—9 9 3 4 2 8J 6 9i 51 J. Herbert’s (Urenui) Toss—9|, 8 2 4 4 7 5} 9 49 A. Turnbull’s (Huirangi) Victoria—9 9 4 22 9 6 74 48J J. McEldowny’s (Okoke) Dirk—9 9 3 3 3 8 6 7 48 J. Hirst’s (Tarata) Glen—9 9 2| 4 3 5 6 8j 47 Mrs. M. Walsh’s (Puniwhakau) Dee—--88232 9 6 8 46 E. Rumball’s (Uruti) Joe —8 6 3 3 4 7 6 7i ......................... 44j R. Trimble’s (Omata) Tweed —6J 8 3 3 3 6 6 8 43f J. Hirst’s Tweed Junior—9 8 2 3 3 7 0 8J 40J CLASS lll.—Huntaway, between three sets of flags a chain apart on zigzag course, about 300 yards. Time, 10s. Points, huntaway 18, style 6, noise 9, command 12—total 45. Fraser Smith’s (Awakino) Toss—l 7 9 6 11 43 J. Hirst’s (Tarata) Roy—l 6 9 6 10 .. 41 Fred. King’s (Awakino) Don—l 6 9 5 10 40 R. G. Grierson’s (Toko) entry—l 44, 9 4-J 11 39 Sheep-guessing: H. L. Taylor. The following trophies and special prizes to be won twice in succession or three times at intervals, were awarded:— Waitara Licensed Victuallers’ Cup, valued £lO 10s, for Class I.: Fraser Smith’s (Awakino) Highland King. J. Hirst’s (Tarata) Cup, Class II: Fraser Smith’s Highland King. Club’s • Cup for huntaway: Fraser Smith’s Toss. F. W. Matthews’ Cup for competitor scoring most points in three open events, one dog in each to count: Fraser Smith’s Highland King and Toss.