Gisborne RDA set for canine capers at charity fundraising trials

Laurence Rau in action at a previous J and T Hickey Charity dog trials event at Showgrounds Park. The 58th edition of the trials starts on Thursday afternoon. Photo / Paul Rickard

The 58th annual J and T Hickey Charity sheep dog trials will be staged at the Riding Club for Disabled pavilion at Showgrounds Park from Thursday.

The event has attracted about 160 entries - 20 up on last year - from all around the North Island.

“That’s a good entry and the line-up includes a good number of female competitors and 15 novices,” trials spokesman Ross Buscke said.

“Those girls are good and it’s a good trial for all the young fellas to get started.”

The trials have been going since 1967 and over the years the event has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for a range of Tairāwhiti charities.

“We will get the sheep from Papatu Station at Manutūkē again this year,” Buscke said. “They were worked at the weekend to get them ready and they look in terrific order.”

The event will be judged by veteran Waikato triallist Leo Jecentho, who recently won the short head and yard titles at the South Island and New Zealand championships and is in the New Zealand team to take on Australia in the Wayleggo Cup transtasman series later this year.

A working bee is to be held at the RDA on Thursday morning and the competition starts in the afternoon.

The top 10 dogs and their handlers will take part in a run-off to decide the championship title on Saturday from about midday.

The public are welcome to watch the action over the three days. Admission is free.