Paparangi Dog Trial Club held its annual sheepdog trial over the weekend in fairly damp conditions, with the rain welcome for many.
Club secretary Ross Jones was delighted with how the trial went. The sheep on the heads were reason to cheer, with 41 pens out of 80 runs on the shorthead - last year, when the centre championships were held, there were only seven yards.
Kudos to Lawrence Patter son and Peter London who worked the lambs on the longhead and Brian Burke and Brian Dickie who worked the shorthead lambs.
And special thanks are due to land and sheep owners Steve and Karen Rainey, and Darren and Fiona Wyatt for allowing the use of their land and animals for the dog trial.
Ross Jones can also pat himself on the back for winning the open/maiden shorthead prize with Blue.
Other club members to feature were John Maher and Kay, who won the maiden longhead and Hamish Thompson, course steward on the straight hunt, who placed fourth in the open straight hunt with Charm and won the open/maiden in the same event.
Phillipa Lambourn, a relative newcomer to the sport and her dog Moss, from Mangamahu, won the maiden woman/man/dog in shorthead - a good way to kick the season off.
Next weekend will be busy with Raetihi trials on Friday and Saturday and Mangamahu on Sunday and Monday.
The Mangamahu club has moved its trial to Mt View station up the top of the Mangamahu valley - the heading courses are on Mt View; the hunt courses on Manawaimai Station next door.
A huge number of man hours have gone into setting courses up and preparing sheep and the club should stage a great trial.
Results:
Class 1: 1, M Williams & Showman 98.75; 2, G Wellington & Murphy 98.5; 3, P Green & Di 97.5; 4, D White & Gale 97; 5, G Wellington & Rachel 96.5.
Open/maiden: D Stuart & Gyp 95.5. Maiden man/dog: J Maher & Kay 87.
Class 2: 1, J Bartlett & Honk 97; 2, G Wellington & Murphy 96.5; 3, M Williams & Showman 96.25; 4, J Smailes & Fig 96; 5, B Burke & Freya 95.5.
Open/maiden: R Jones & Blue 90. Maiden woman/man/dog: P Lambourn & Moss 88.
Class 3: 1, S Tweed & Grit 98; 2, S Philps & Forge 97.5; 3, J Chambers & Rain 96.5; 4, R Morris & Shade 96; 5, K Fox & Milo 95.5.
Open/maiden: S Philps & Forge 97.5. Maiden man/dog: M Henderson & Pippa 92.
Class 4: 1, P Green & Brew 96; 2, M Lourie & Bella 95; 3, K Fox & Cloud 94.5; 4, H Thompson & Charm 94; 5, J Hemopo & Grit 93.
Open/maiden: H Thompson & Charm 94. Maiden man/dog: M Henderson & Pippa 92.5.