Northland sheep dog triallists have a good chance of returning with silverware from the North Island and national championships at Taupo on May 27.
Thirty-five dogs from the North have accumulated the six points required for the nationals, at which a total of about 250 heading dogs and 280 huntaways are expected to compete.
And five of the 22 Northlanders with qualifying dogs - brothers Murray and Neville Child, Northland Sheep Dog Trial Centre president John Nelley, Pete Campbell and Kenny Whittaker - have won national championship events in recent years.
Murray Child, of Maungakaramea, has four qualifying dogs. Dice, with which he won the national long head event last year, has 41 qualifying points from Northland centre trials and a further 15 points picked up through placings at Hawke's Bay, Poverty Bay and Waikato centre championships.
Two more of Mr Child's heading dogs, May and Ace, have 17 points each and his huntaway Frank has 33 points.
Scott McRae, of Tomarata, and Elle, runners-up to Murray and Dice in the national long head last year, are back for another crack. Elle has 16 points while another of Scott's heading dogs, Skeeta, has 11 points and his huntaway Otis has 50.
Other Northland triallists with their dogs' qualifying points in parenthesis are. -
Heading: Leo Jecentho, of Te Paki, with Cap (23), Fly (20), Pet (6); Alan Nisbet, of Maungatapere, Maggie (22); Tony Hargreaves, of Kaiwaka, Steele (16); Owen Finlayson, of Maungakaramea, Cap (15), Lady (13); Duncan Gilligan, of Kaiwaka, Tim (13); Merv Cameron, of Kaitaia, Clyde (9); Reece Dackers, of Tangiteroria, Speed (8); Ian McKinnon, of Dargaville, Tess (7); Shaun Haynes, of Okaihau, Doc (7); Chris Robertson, of Whangarei, Grace (6); Neville Child, of Maungatapere, Hawke (6); Pete Campbell, of Okaihau, Cash (6); Claire Thomson, of Okaihau, Dan (6).
Huntaway: John Nelley, of Whangarei, Buster (59); Reece Dackers, Kate (36); Claire Thomson, Rebel (23); Grant West, of Tangiteroria, Duke (21), Code (9); Steven Osborne, of Avoca, Jess (8); Tony Commins, of Paparoa, Shelley (18); Leo Jecentho, Storm (14); Brett Wilson, of Warkworth, Sony (6); Neville Child, Reign (6); Kris Sturge, of Okaihau, Fern (6); Kenny Whittaker, of Okaihau, Tim (6).