Good Sports: Chris Robertson

Kaitaia's Bill Garton instructs Bud at the 2011 Sheep Dog Trials in Maungakaramea. Photo/ File

Sheep dog trialling is one of those sports which seems to fall between the cracks. Is it sport or human interest? Either way, when you see the skill involved in training the dogs and the competitive side to it, there's no denying there is some form of sporting merit there.

Sheep dog triallist Chris Roberston took some time out with the Northern Advocate to talk about the sport.

Can you explain sheep dog trialling in a few sentences?

Probably one of the most frustrating, infuriating yet satisfying sports I have ever participated in. You have one dog who will hopefully do what you have trained it to do and three sheep that may decide to be as unco-operative as only sheep can. There are four main events, two heading dog and two huntaway. The heading dog runs away from his handler and silently brings the sheep back down a hill while the huntaway "hunts" the sheep away from the handler on an uphill course.

What shape is Northland in with regards to performance and numbers?

Northland, despite relatively low sheep numbers, has an outstanding record in the sport. The Northland Centre consists of 12 clubs from Helensville to Mangonui and has many national champion dogs and competitors in its ranks. Northland probably ranks as one of the strongest centres in the country.

How do people get involved?

Anyone keen at having a go at dog trialling is welcome to attend any of the 12 main trials during the season and ask the advice of any triallist there. There are also yard dog trials at the Warkworth, Kaikohe and Waimate North A & P Shows where you could ask for help.

There is also a website for the National Sheep Dog Trial Association. (www.sheepdogtrials.co.nz) where the names of local officials can be found.

The dogs are working dogs during the day right? So, essentially when they go along to trials they are just doing what they do day in day out on the farm?

Well, yes and no. Dog trialling is a highly refined and stylised version of what a dog does on the farm. Just like a farm hack is not an eventer or showjumper so is a trial dog much more than a farm dog. A farm dog can be only half trained and still be useful on the farm while a good trial dog is under perfect control and reacts instantly to a range commands. It is best put this way ... The average trial dog will still be a very good farm dog but the average farm dog is unlikely to set the world on fire at a sheep dog trial.

How do you train the dogs? Are they a special breed?

Huntaways and heading dogs have long been bred specifically for their ability to work sheep and it is deeply ingrained in their DNA. The huntaway is a uniquely New Zealand breed while the New Zealand heading dog has its origins in the sheep dogs brought to NZ by the early British settlers.

Training takes a great deal of time and patience and starts as a young puppy and continues for the rest of the dog's competitive life.