CRUACHAN WINS AGAIN

Taranaki Daily News, 12 April 1935, Page 2

CRUACHAN WINS AGAIN

TARATA LONG HEAD CUP w. v. Mclntyre secures trophy. SOME SPLENDID WORK SEEN. The 28th annual trials of the Tarata Sheep Dog Trial Club opened yesterday under auspicious circumstances, everything pointing to a most successful meeting. Though the early morning was not promising, conditions improved and there was a good attendance. With large entries in each event also the financial success of the gathering is assured. There were 35 entries in the long head, pull and hold in ring and a splendid standard of work was seen. The judge, Mr. J. McCarthy, Wanganui, stated that he was very pleased with the work. The course was again on the property of the patron, Mr. R. Paterson, and though it does not appear difficult, yet it is rather tricky, a fence a little to the right proving the undoing of two competitors. Good progress was made, the organisation as usual being perfect and as a result the long head was completed about the middle of the afternoon and a start was made with the short head and yard, a number of runs being decided. The sheep, two-tooth and five-tooth ewes, provided by Messi’s. lan Macrae and A. Muir, were an even line, giving each competitor the same chance. They w*ere tractable to handle if the dog knew his work and kept well out, but was inclined to be touchy and take full advantage of any faulty move by the dog close in. That was evidenced in the ring work, and also in the yarding, as the first few dogs failed at the yard, but the last three yarded well showing that the sheep could be handled. They certainly tested the capabilities of the dogs. The judge was making his first appearance at Tarata and he showed that he could truly assess the merits of the various runs, most of which were very close. Mr. A. Muir as judge’s clerk and Mr. J. Grieve as timekeeper filled their usual places capably as did all the officials. Messrs.. I. Hirst, C. W. Gordon, G. Swan, M. George as sheep stewards let the sheep out expeditiously and quietly. Mr. S. George as dog steward, Mr. R. Lambert as grand marshall, and Mr. W. Topping as flag steward all did their share. KEEN INTEREST TAKEN. Keen interest was taken in the result of the long head, as four competitors had chances of lifting the club’s silver cup which had been competed for for 12 years, viz., W. V. Mclntyre, S. George and J. Hirst with two lives and A. Doole, last year’s winner. W. V. Mclntyre won with Cruachan, beating A. Doole’s Boy by one and a-half points. It was a meritorious win. He secured his first win with Chief. Then six years later he won with Chief Junior and now with the latter’s grandson, Cruachan. Mclntyre, with his usual sportsmanship, intends to replace the cup. Mclntyre was also third with Boss.

Previous winners were: 1924, W. V. Mclntyre’s Chief; 1925, J. Hirst’s Tweed; 1926, S. George’s Black; 1927, F. England’s Bid; 1928, J. Lind’s Myst; 1929, J. Hirst’s Tweed; 1930, W. V. Mclntyre’s Chief Junior; 1931, J. Edwin’s Jed; 1932, S. George’s Flirt; 1933, A. J. Northcott’s Laddie; 1934, A. Doole’s Boy; 1935, W. V. Mclntyre’s Cruachan. The winner Cruachan was four points short of the possible. He cast to left, moving out free and fast, but ran the head very slightly into the pull, dropping a point. He started the pull swinging the sheep a little to the left. He then straightened up and pulled very well on a good line to the ring, dropping another point in the pull. His first ring was jumpy but he kept the sheep in the ring. In the second ring he let' the sheep out once, dropping two more points.

A. Doole’s Boy was .one and a-half points further back. He, too, cast to the left running out free in good line to head! well with slight disturbance only, losing half a point. He split his sheep at the start of the pull, and let them slightly to the left, but then brought them down a bit fast to enter the ring, losing three points. The first ring was rather quick and the dog let the sheep out in the second ring.

The third dog, Mclntyre’s Boss, was half a point further away. He also cast to the left going out free but a bit wide and slightly over-run the sheep. At the start of the pull he let the sheep well to the left, and they drifted further to the left, the dog getting them back on to the course near the ring. His first and second rings earned him the maximum points. The catering was again a feature. It was supervised by’ a committee of women, Mesdames J. Drummond, C. W. Goodwin, I. Macrae, A. Muir, W. Topping, A. Smith and Misses S. George and C. Waite.

The veteran, Mr. H. Lambert, as chairman of the committee, kept a close watch on all details, ensuring smooth running, and with the president, Mr. Standish, and the secretary, Mr. I. Macrae, who had everything up to the moment, deserved the complimentary remarks made by the visiting competitors. It is expected that Messrs. Fred King and Fraser Smith, who were competing at Tuakau yesterday, will be present today with their teams.

Details are:— CLASS I.: Head, pull and hold in ring, about 30 yards; time, 10m. Points: Heading 22, pull 22, holding in ring 6, total 50. First prize £5, second' £2 10s; third £l, fourth 10s. W. V. Mclntyre’s (Waitara) Cruachan, 21, 21, 4, 46 1 A. Doole’s (Mangamingi) Boy, 21%, 19, 4, 44% ".. 2 W. V. Mclntyre’s Boss, 20, 18, 6, 44 . 3 I. Macrae’s (Tarata) Moss, 21, 18, 4 43 4 J. Scott’s (New Plymouth) Wee Peel, 20, 18, 4,'42 ..; 5 A. Northcott’s (Urenui) Laddie, 19, 19, 4, 42 6 F. Wadell’s (Tongaporutu) Boy, J. Hirst’s (Tarata) Glen (Awakino), M. Lyall’s Just So, D. Law’s (Kohuratahi) Rile, A. Northcott’s (Urenui) Fan, I. ■Macrae’s (Tarata) Ness, J. Edwin’s (Motunui) Ben Junior, S. George's (Tarata) Fleet, P. Topping's (Tarata) Fly.