COASTAL DOG TRIALS

Taranaki Daily News, 23 February 1935, Page 12

COASTAL DOG TRIALS

RECORD CROWD ATTENDS PROGRESS OF PROGRAMME. HIGHLAND KING AND CRUACHAN. Favoured by fine weather the second day of the Cape Egmont dog trials attracted a very large attendance to Mr. H. J. Kelly’s property at Pungarehu yesterday. Some idea of the crowd may be gleaned from the fact that there were 165 cars parked on the ground during the day, while £l5 was collected at the gate. Under the better conditions prevailing, matters went with a swing, all the officials carrying out their work well. The remaining runs in the combined head, pull, ring and head, pull, drive and yard event were decided early, while the novelty event in which the dog had to be sent out to bring in the sheep unaided was also completed. In this there were eleven competitors, and some of them did good work. The majority, however, were at a loss when they saw the dumb attitude of their owners, and it was pathetic to see them standing awaiting orders. This event was won by J. Herbert’s (Urenui) Toss, which scored 45 points of a possible 50, T. Reilly’s Nigger being a point away and Fraser Smith’s Highland King yet a point further away. In order to give the public a varied day’s sport eight of the competitors in the cattle event made their runs, and some of the dogs handled the cattle in splendid style. In this event the dog had to go out, head the cattle and pull them, completing the course by driving between two sets of flags. A start was also made with the huntaway, in which six dogs were run last evening. In this event one set of flags was placed on the flat, another at the foot of the hill and the third set on the top of the hill. An innovation was tried in that ten sheep were used. The flat nature of the course baffled some of the dogs who were used to pushing the sheep up a steep slope, and though the extra number of sheep steadied them somewhat, only one dog has so far completed the course, and strangely enough He was not a huntaway but Fraser Smiths utility dog Highland King. These two events will be completed to-day The judge, Mr. Haseltine R. Scott, had a busy time and so did his wife as clerk, but the decisions met general favour. W. V. Mclntyre’s Cruachan was second in Class I. and first in Class 11. He scored a point less than Highland King in Class I. but scored 1J points more in the driving and yarding. Cruachan,. according to the judge, cast to the right, running out free on a good line. He, however, came in, stqpped and recast, heading nicely in 42 seconds, losing 21 points. In the pull he let the sheep drift a little to the left and then made a good pull across the flat. He came nicely into the ring but let one sheep out, completing with a fair ring in 5m 16s. His drive to the peg and through the hurdles was only fair, but he made a good drive to the second peg. He let the sheep a little out of position at the yard, but then yarded in good style in 11m 375. f t Highland King, the winner of the first event, scored within 4J points of the possible. He, the judge said, cast to the right and ran out free in a good line, and headed a little bit far off the sheep, losing half a point for that. He started to pull nicely in a good line, but a little fast, and brought the sheep into the front of the ring. He lost a point in the pull. The dog let the sheep out of the ring and lost command. He let the sheep out again but finally completed after a very poor ring, losing 21 points-in ring work. He finished third in Class 11. His drive to the hurdles was poor and he got through the hurdles at the second attempt. The second drive was also poor. He let the sheep behind the yard and yarded in a jerky style, taking 13m 5s to complete the course. A. J. Northcott’s Laddie cast to the right and ran out free on a good line but headed just too close, losing half a point. He started his pull well but the dog was too far round and let the sheep back and right off the course, losing three points, as he was also inclined to push the sheep to the right. He entered the front of the ring quietly and made a fair ring but then let all the steep out and failed to complete. He, however, did well in the driving after starting his drive fairly. He drove well through the hurdles but after making a rather poor drive to the yard he yarded in good style. ... , J. McEldowney’s Dirk, which was third in Class 1., cast to the left and ran out free to make a good head in 355. He did not stop and came too fast across the flat, and was then too wide at the ring, finishing the ring in good style. All the officials worked exceptionally well. The ladies, too, under more pleasant conditions, also did their part nobly. They had a very busy day, taking over £l3 Details of the events so far decidedCLASS I. Short head, pull and drive twice round ring. Points, head 22, pull 22, ring 6, total 50. Prizes, first £5, second £3, third £1 10s, fourth Fraser Smith’s (Awakino) Highland King, 21/2, 21, 3, 45% .............. 1 W. V. Mclntyre’s (Waitui) Cruachan, 19%, 20, 5, 44% ' •• 2 J. McEldowy’s (Uruti) Dirk, 21%, 19%, 3, 44 3 D. Forester’s (Waitotara) Meg, 21, 19%, 2%, 43 4 CLASS 11. Short head, pull, drive twice round ring, drive through hurdles, drive and yard. Run in conjunction with class I. Points, head 22, pull 22, ring 6, drive 5, hurdles 5, work at yard 13, yard 6, total 84 points. Prizes, first £5, second £3, third £1 10s, fourth 10s. . W V. Mclntyre’s (Waitui) Cruachan, 19%, 20, 5,3%, 4,4, 11%, 6, 73 .. 1 A Northcott’s (Uruti) Laddie, 19, 18, 5,4, 5,3%, 12, 6, 72% 2 Fraser Smith’s (Awakino) Highland King, 21%, 21, 3,2%, 3,3, 9%, 6, 69y 2 T Reilly’s (Eltham) Nigger, 19, 19, 4%, 5,4, 3,8, 6, 68% ... 4 Novelty event with three sheep. Head and pull into ring. Competitors to start dog, but give no other directions or signs. Same course as class I. Prize, a cup, Points, head 25, pull 25, total 50. J. Herbert’s (Urenui )Toss, 22, 23, 45 1 T. Reilly’s (Eltham) Nigger, 24, 20 44 2 Fraser Smith’s (Awakino) Highland King, 23, 20. 43 .; > 3 F. McLennan’s (Alton) Huff, 17, 24, 41 4 The women’s chain stepping was won by Miss L. Gilhooly. There was a very large attendance at the dance in the Pungarehu hall last night, when the trophies so far decided were presented by the president, Mr. H. Gilhooly. The music was played by Hooker’s Merrymakers. The trials will be completed to-day, when there should be much to interest the public.