Third title in a row for champion sheep dog pairing, Bob Bruce and Susan

Brent Matthews winning a trial at the Omakere sheep dog trials last month. Photo / Warren Buckland

A busy Hawke's Bay sheep dog trials season has started to hit potholes, but not without celebrating its centre championships and one of its most prolific winners.

The honours board at the championships, held at the end of the Te Pohue trials on February 18-20, for the third year in a row featured the pairing of "Bob Bruce, Susan."

This year it was a successful defence of the long head title they won at the end of the Taradale club's trials at Crownthorpe last year, the two wins following the pair's win in the short head and yard championship at Tikokino in 2020.

Their win two weeks ago was Bruce's 11th Hawke's Bay centre long head championship, with stars of the kennel over the past decade also including 2017 national title winner Cheat and North Island title winner Trump.

But Bruce wasn't the only familiar name at the top of the charts at Te Pohue. The short head and yard title was the seventh centre triumph for centre president Rocky Hawkins, this year with Jean. The zig zag hunt was won by Ned George, with Kruger, and Mark Loye claimed the straight hunt honours with Stone.

The consecutive staging of the championships amid a string of cancellations over the past two to three years caused by drought, sheep staggers and primarily the coronavirus crisis has been a miracle, but three of the remaining trials this season have now been cancelled.

The Patoka trials, which would have been on tomorrow and Saturday, have been cancelled, as have the Wairoa trials next week, and the Te Aute trials which were to have been in April.

The Petane trials, which were to have opened the season in December, were also cancelled but the Waikoau, Waimarama-Maraetotara-Elsthorpe, Omakere, Te Pohue and Takapau trials have all been held.

Results:

Waikoau (January 28-29):

Long head: Kevin O'Connor, Jax, 98pts, 1; Bernard Arends, Parker, 93.5pts, 2; Clark Chrystal, Joe, 92.5pts, 3; Bob Bruce, Susan, 91.5pts, 4; Bernard Arends, Tarn, 89.5pts, 5.
Intermediate – Clark Chrystal, Joe; Maiden – Tom James, Jim.

Short head and yard: Dave Wallace, Slug, 92pts, 1; Peter Williams, Star, 90pts, 2; Don Avenell, Cane, 89.5pts, 3; Laurie Horsfall, Thor, 89pts, 4; Nigel Clark, Jan, 88pts, 5. Intermediate – Don Avenell, Cane; Maiden – Laurie Horsfall, Thor.

Zig zag hunt: Bernard Arends, Gem, 98pts, 1; James Hemopo, Kahn, 97.75pts, 2; Henry Hindmarch, Crim, 97.5pts, 3; Ben Te Kahika, Punch, 97pts, 4; Tim Stevenson, Banjo, 96pts, 5. Intermediate – Bernard Arends, Gem; Maiden – Ben Te Kahika, Punch.

Straight hunt: Ned George, Base, 97pts, 1; Corey Ruwhiu, Code, 96.5pts, 2; Guy Collins, Mia, 96.25pts, 3; Henry Hindmarsh, Prudence, 96pts, 4; Barney Chrystal, Scar, 95pts. Intermediate and Maiden - Barney Chrystal, Scar.

Waimarama-Maraetotara-Elsthorpe (February 4-5):

Long head: Long head: Dave Wallace, Slug, 97.5pts, 1; Howard Ingles, Lou, 97pts, 2; Bruce D'Ath, Honey, 96.5pts, 3; Nigel Clark, Jan, 95pts, 4; Tom McConway, Ice, 94.5pts, 5. Intermediate – Tom McConway, Ice; Maiden – Jim Wilson, Taffy.

Short head and yard: Dave Wallace, Shade, 96pts, 1; Chris Redmond, Dee, 93pts, 2; Selwyn Dorward, Queen, 92pts, 3; Dave Wallace, Amp, 90.5pts, 4; Peter Williams, Neve, 89.5pts, 5; Intermediate – Chris Redmond, Dee; Maiden – Jim Wilson, Taffy.

Zig zag hunt: David Scragg, Kate, 97pts, 1; Henry Hindmarsh, Prudence, 96.5pts, 2; Brad McHardy, May, 96pts, 3; Bex Scragg, Tom, 95.75pts, 4; Clark Chrystal, Duke, 95.5pts, 5. Intermediate – Ned George, Sprocket; Maiden – Rob Galien, Shield.

Straight hunt: Phillip Te Huia, Red, 97.5pts, 1; David Scragg, Chook, 97pts, 2; Brent Loffler, Bruce, 96.5pts, 3; Bex Scragg, Fred, 96pts, 4; Clark Chrystal, Butch, 95.5pts, 5. Intermediate and Maiden – Phillip, Te Huia, Red.

Omakere (February 10-11):

Long head: Brent Matthews, Reef, 96pts, 1; Jono Neilson, Boris, 95pts, 2; Chris Redmond, Dee, 94.5pts, 3; Howard Ingles, Lou, 94pts, 4; W Falkner, Roz, 93.5pts, 5. Intermediate and Maiden – Jono Neilson, Boris.

Short head and yard: Bob Bruce, Susan, 96pts, 1; Howard Ingles, Lou, 95.5pts, 2; Jono Neilson, Boris, 93pts, 3; Paul Evans, Beaudie, 92.5pts, 4; Peter Williams, Guide, 92pts, 5. Intermediate and Maiden – Jono Neilson, Boris.

Zig zag hunt: George Sheild, Molly, 98.5pts, 1; George Sheild, Smoke, 98pts, 2; Clark Chrystal, Jude, 97.5pts, 3; J Kereopa, Chime, 97.25pts, 4; Stu McNeil, Spur, 97pts, 5. Intermediate and Maiden, J Kereopa, Chime.

Straight hunt: Clark Chrystal, Renegade, 98pts, 1; Brad McHardy, June, 97.75pts, 2; Rocky Hawkins, Kane, 97.5pts, 3; H Mead, Millie, 97.25pts, 4; P Burke, Murphy, 97pts, 5. Intermediate – Clark Chrystal, Renegade; Maiden – B Matthews, Quid.

Te Pohue (February 18-19):

Long head: Leo Edginton, Kim, 96pts, 1; Bob Bruce, Susan, 95.5pts, 2; Peter Williams, Ike, 95pts, 3; Scott Wedd, Steel, 94,5pts, 4; S Haynes, Sue, 94pts, 5. Intermediate – Peter Williams, Ike; Maiden – P Whiteside, Dodge.

Short head and yard: Rocky Hawkins, Jean, 98pts, 1; Peter Williams, Ike, 97pts, 2; Dave Wallace, Slug, 96.5pts, 3; Howard Ingles, Lou, 95.5pts, 4; Nigel Clark, Jan, 95pts, 5. Intermediate – Peter Williams, Ike; Maiden – C Greene, Dee.

Zig zag hunt: Dylan Rofe, Thump, 95.5pts, 1; David Scragg, Kate, 95.25pts, 2; Ned George, Kruger, 95pts, 3; Ben Te Kahika, Punch, 94.5pts, 4; B Thomas, Knight, 94.25pts, 5. Intermediate – Dylan Rofe, Thump; Maiden – Ned George, Kruger.

Straight hunt: Leo Edginton, Deano, 96.5pts, 1; C Shaw, Dixie, 96.25pts, 2; Tom Manson, Chief, 96pts, 3; Mark Loye, Stone, 95.75pts, 4; Bruce D'Ath, Rum, 95.5pts. Intermediate – Mark Loye, Stone; Maiden – Bruce D'Ath, Rum.

Hawke's Bay Championships (Te Pohue, February 20):

Long head: Bob Bruce, Susan (95.5, 94) 189.5pts, 1; Peter Williams, Ike (95, 85) 180pts, 2; Scott Wedd, Steel (94.5, 82.5) 177pts, 3; Laurie Horsfall, Raid (93.5, 79.5) 173pts, 4; Dave Wallace, Fly (93.75, 79.5) 169.75pts, 5.

Short head and yard: Rocky Hawkins, Jean (98, 91) 189pts, 1; Dave Wallace, Slug (96.5, 82.5) 179pts, 2; A Morton, Tarn (93, 67.5) 160.5pts, 3; Howard Ingles, Lou (95.5, 59) 154.5pts, 4; Peter Williams, Ike (97, 52) 149pts, 5.

Zig zag hunt: Ned George, Kruger (95, 90.5) 185.5pts, 1; Ben Thomas, Knight (94.25, 90) 184.25pts, 2; Dylan Rofe, Thump (95.5, 84.5) 180, 3; James Hemopo, Jade (94, 85.5) 179.5pts, 4; David Scragg, Kate (95.25, 60.5), 155.75pts, 5.

Straight hunt: Mark Loye, Stone (95.75, 83.5) 179.25pts, 1; Dan Jury, Chrystal (95, 81) 176pts, 2; Bruce D'Ath, Rum (95.5, 80) 175.5pts, 3; Tom Manson, Buck (94, 58) 152pts, 4; Tom Manson, Chief (96, 35) 131pts, 5.

Takapau (February 25-26):

Long head: Bernard Arends, Parker, 95pts, 1; Paul Evans, Beaudie, 94.75pts, 2; Graham Duff, Jess, 94.5pts, 3; Bo Milner, Sharp, 93.5pts, 4; John Linton Cam, 93pts, 5. Intermediate – Paul Evans, Beaudie; Maiden – Mike Sugden, Tane.

Short head and yard: Bob Bruce, Susan, 93.5pts, 1; Bernard Arends, Nell, 91.75pts, 2; Jono Neislon, Boris, 91.5pts, 3; Bernard Arends, Tarn, 90pts, 4; John Aldworth, Abe, 89.5pts, 5. Intermediate – Bernard Arends, Nell; Maiden – Peter Williams, Roger.

Zig zag hunt: Rocky Hawkins, Kane, 96.5pts, 1; Clark Chrystal, Jude, 96.25pts, 2; Grant Magee, Belle, 96pts, 3; Leo Edginton, Rob, 95.5pts, 4; Simon Prouting, Meg, 95.25pts, 5. Intermediate – Jamie Arnold, Grace; Maiden – Mark Johnson, George.

Straight hunt: Sam Shaw, Rogue, 97.5pts, 1; Ned George, Base, 97.25pts, 2; George Sheild, Smoke, 97pts, 3; Clark Chrystal, Jude, 96.5pts, 4; Bernard Arends, Gem, 96pts, 5. Intermediate – Sam Shaw, Rogue; Benjamin Collister – Cone.