A career in sheep dog trials - 40 years, 12 titles

Bernard Arends and Tarn wait for the start of the runoff in the North Island sheep dog trials long head championship they won at Moawhango last week. Photo / Supplied.

Tararua District farmer Bernard Arends had a big start to the national sheep dog trials series by winning the long head title at the North Island championships.

From Wairarapa-SHB club Weber, Arends and dog Tarn won the title last week at Moawhango, near Taihape, qualifying fourth from seven and excelling in the runoff to pip top qualifier and Waikato farmer Leo Jecentho and Jake.

Arends now has 12 island or national titles spanning four decades, back to a long head double with Pat at the 1986 South Island and New Zealand championships at Hakataramea, in the South Canterbury high country.

It was his fourth North Island title, going with three New Zealand championships and five South Island titles.

The win was the sole victory for trialists and dogs from the wider Hawke’s Bay area.

Ned George, a 2024 national title winner with the Wairoa club but now based with Raetihi, was runner up with Fred, David Scragg, of Wairoa, 5th with Jane, and Tom Deighton, of Omakere, 7th with Spud. Ricc Howell, of Waikoau, was 6th in the zig zag hunt with Fuse.

Meanwhile, the short head and yard title went to Dan Murphy, of Taranaki club Whangamomona, with Nippy, the zig zag hunt was won by Jamie Shrubshall, of Whanganui club Omatane-Kaiwhatau, with Jed, and the straight hunt was won by Trevor Rumbal, of Taumarunui, with Kate.

The South Island and NZ championships start on May 25 near Hanmer, where Arends won a long head double with Patrick in 1994.

Next year’s national and North Island championships will be hosted by the Hawke’s Bay centre at Te Aute, where 500 dogs were at the NI championships in 2018.

Doug Laing is a senior reporter based in Napier with Hawke’s Bay Today, and has 52 years of journalism experience, 42 of them in Hawke’s Bay, in news gathering, including breaking news, sports, local events, issues, and personalities.