Broadwood Sheep Dog Trial Club marks 100 years with championships

Members of the Broadwood Dog Trial Club in the early 1920s. Peter Mackenzie is fourth from the right, standing.

The Far North town of Broadwood is celebrating a major feat for a small rural community as its sheep dog trial club celebrates 100 years on the trot.

The Broadwood Sheep Dog Trial Club is marking its centennial today by hosting the three-day target="_self">Northland Centre Championships on a Waiotehue Rd farm.

The club started with a hiss and a roar in 1925 in partnership with Kaitāia.

Its then president Peter Mackenzie – who was credited by many for bringing the club north from his Hawke’s Bay roots – headed a large team of 23 vice-presidents and a 26 person-strong working committee.

The club’s popularity has continued in strength to the point it struggled to get enough sheep to run trials.

Not only are young handlers coming through but the stalwarts have stuck around.

Founding member Eric Carman competed at the first trial in 1925 with dogs Trixie and Jack, and was still competing at 81 years old at the 60th Jubilee.

Before Carman’s death in 1991, he wrote notes that recalled a working bee to prepare for the club’s debut trial in 1925.

“The Herekino boys arrived carrying the necessary tools on horse-back and joined up with the Broadwood workers. Most of them also rode; I doubt if there were more than four cars in the district at that time.”

According to Carman, trials carried out throughout World War II but trophies stopped and sweepstakes provided the prizemoney until “the boys returned all fit and well”.

He described how the effects on the economy of the Great Depression threatened the club’s survival.

“We were in dire straits and had it not been for the Irvine brothers starting a dog training school on their property at Rockfield, we would have had to go into recess.”

Cars became a game-changer as it allowed competitors to travel further afield, Carman wrote.

“Probably between the mid 1950s and well into the 1970s, we were at our best.”

Club secretary of 38 years, Bob Nelley, told Northern Farming the trials for him were an opportunity to take a break from the farm and socialise.

He started as a barman but became a competitor after he got a Huntaway.

Nelley said trialling fine-tuned dogs for farm work, and it provided a rewarding sense of accomplishment.

Broadwood is the fourth Northland club to celebrate 100 years, according to Nelley.

While dwindling sheep numbers and hills turning into pine forests pose challenges for sheep dog trial clubs, many continue to enjoy it, he said.