Leo and Deal win South Island and 7th in NZ

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

MANGAHEIA Station manager Leo Edginton and Deal won the South Island short head and yard title at Omarama in North Otago on Saturday, but slipped back to seventh in the New Zealand final.

The pair won the Island title with a score of 95.75 points but in the final they could only manage 51.5 points and the aggregate score put them back to seventh spot.

At the conclusion of the championships Edginton was named in the New Zealand test team to meet Australia in October.

He will compete in that event with his younger dog Skip.

“It is a well deserved honour for Leo,” said trials spokesman Trevor Brown.

Wairoa’s Michael McMillan and his huntaway Base won the South Island straight huntaway championship and then slipped to sixth after the New Zealand straight hunt final.

Samantha Shaw from Matawai slipped from sixth in the South Island straight hunt championship to seventh in the New Zealand championship final.

The New Zealand long head event was won by Murray Child and Dice from Whangarei, the short head and yard by veteran Ginger Anderson and Don from Omarama, the zig zag hunt event(judged by Poverty Bay’s Colin Bayliss) was won by Hamish Parkinson and Shake from Owhango and the straight hunt was won by Tim Stevenson and Cruze from Taihape.