Former president Bob Bruce and well-performed Susan also claimed a double, winning the centre long head class after top-qualifying for the runoff by winning the Taradale title. It was a big boost as Bruce heads into the islands and national championships' series hoping to add another New Zealand title to the long head victory he had with Cheat in 2017.
Ruwhiu, grandson of former well-performed trialist Howard Woodmass, of Puketapu, said while he enjoys doing the trials he sticks mainly close to home at the Wairoa and Ruakituri clubs' trials held about the second weekend of each March and others not too far away.
They initially would have included the Centre championships centre championships, which had to be transferred to the Taradale club after original host-club Mohaka had to cancel because of sheep staggers among the target flock.
"This is the first time I've been here," said Ruwhiu, who had been runner-up in the Taradale club zig zag behind form Hawke's Bay competitor Colin Bayliss and Tahi, who as visitors, from Poverty Bay, were not eligible to contest the Hawke's Bay titles.
In the same situation was Taihape trialist Steve Ponsonby, who won the club short head and yard with Chook.
The Taradale club was originally the Central Hawke's Bay club, which in 1893 staged one of the earliest sheep dog trials in the North Island.