Sheep dog trialling legend Neil Evans killed in accident on North Canterbury farm

Neil Evans, captain of the New Zealand Sheep Dog Trialling team, has died in an ATV accident on his North Canterbury farm. Photo / File

A well-respected farmer and member of New Zealand’s sheep dog trialling community has died in an ATV accident.

Neil Evans died in an accident at his family property near Omihi in North Canterbury yesterday just before 11.30am.

”Despite the best efforts of emergency services, the person died at the scene,” police said.

WorkSafe has been notified and the police Serious Crash Unit visited the scene yesterday.

Evans was captain of the New Zealand Sheep Dog Trialling team.

According to New Zealand Sheep Dog Trial Association archives, Evans had multiple successes with both huntaways and heading dogs spanning more than three decades and was particularly on top of his game over the past five years.

He reached 14 New Zealand championships runoffs (the top seven dogs), and won three of them, in addition to five South or North Island titles.

Success came in his first runoff in the annual championship’s series with Joy in the South Island straight hunt championship at Omarama in 1991, and the pair claimed the North Island zig zag hunt title at Te Aute two years later.

The trialist also won a South Island and New Zealand double with Rose in the long heads at Gore in 2010. As well as three championship triumphs with Tess, in the North Island long head at Ōhaeawai in 2019, and back-to-back in national runoffs at Taumarunui in 2022 and Warepa in 2023.

In 2023 he claimed the North Island long head title at Taupō.

Last November, he led the team that beat Australia in the Trans-Tasman Wayleggo Cup in Ashburton.

Neil Evans and Tess, of Omihi, won the short head and yard at the 2023 New Zealand Sheep Dog Championships. Photo / Kayla McKenzie Photography

He told the Otago Daily Times at the time that he was nearly reduced to tears.

”To be fair, the win is possibly just sinking in and it was a great experience and great to do it in front of all our family and friends. We had a lot of support and people had travelled from around New Zealand, which is quite humbling really,” he said.

North Canterbury Federated Farmers president Karl Dean today paid tribute.

“He was a very valued member of the community, he was also a former member of Federated Farmers,” he said. “It’s a tragic loss, there’s just no other way to describe it.”

Dean urges farmers to take extra caution in ATV vehicles.

“Everyone needs to be aware to take their time especially with the changeable weather. You just have to be careful,” he said.