Dog triallists kept busy over Wellington Anniversary weekend

Ross Hartley penning sheep.

Wellington Anniversary weekend was a busy one for the dog triallists who follow the show ring trials, with the Levin show on Saturday and Ohingaiti sports on Monday, not to mention the annual fundraiser working dog sale the Parapara/Makirikiri Sheep Dog Trail club puts on jammed in between the two shows on Sunday.

Heather McGrammachan (Hawke's Bay) penning.

The Levin show was a royal show this year and the sheepdog trial section is now in the hands of farm manager Jason Barber and his shepherd Tom Whiteman who both work at Lakeview Farms, where the male lambs for the event came from.

Jason and Tom did a great job working the well-grown store crypt orchid lambs for the trial.

Heather McGrammachan of Hastings, Bruce Meek of Stratford and Brian Dickie of Whanganui.

Lakeview supplied the sheep for many years during the time Lindsay and Wendy Schmidt were managing that property so it was good to see them back again.

Bryce Visser heading to pen.

Major sponsors were Hunting & Fishing Ōtaki. The Whiteman family donated $500 worth of spot prizes.

New team at Levin: Tom Whiteman, Dave Smith and Jason Barber.

There were 68 dogs competing at the trial, many travelling down from the Wanganui Centre, Hawke’s Bay, and Wairarapa, and some trialists coming back from competing down south at the NZ Tux finals also caught the event.

Guy Peacock and Chief penning for third place.

Vaughan Marfell from the Wairarapa judged the event.

Guy Peacocks' Scrap up close and personal!

Ohingaiti Sports attracted about 48 dogs and it was a very pleasant day out for many. Rangitīkei Mix (Debbie Clare) was the major sponsor and Jimmy Agate judged the trial as a new judge. The lambs supplied by Henderson farms were quite lively and freshly shorn.

Young Ruby Bailey from Turakina for the first time running a dog put up a great display and got to the pen and won the maiden /man/maidendog.

Ian Burling and Blue, after placing at Levin, stepped up and won the Ohingaiti Sports Trial, back-to-back wins for Burling who took out the event last year with Jay.

Wayne Falkner, Josh Brennan and Wade Clare kept things ticking over in the liberating pens, and new secretary Di Birch proved a good replacement for longtime retired secretary Elaine Bismark.

Joan Schofield, Brenda O'Leary, Dave Schofield, Maryanne Barry and Brian Dickie enjoying the shade under the awning and trees.

Maryanne Barry at the pen with Jess.

Novice first time competing, Ruby Bailey from Turakina Valley didn't pen but had a flawless run to pen and won the maidenman/dog - a great effort on lively sheep.

Ruby again with Sass.

Results from Levin

Open: 1 Jim Wilson Wally 97.5; 2 Peter Williams Guide 96.5; 3 Guy Peacock Chief 95.5; 4 A Clements Fern 93.75; 5 Peter Williams Neve 93.5; 6 Ian Burling Blue 93.

Open/maiden: 1 A Clements Fern 93.75; 2 Ian Burling Blue 93; 3 Don White Nap 90.

Local Maiden: R McCormack Jess.

Results from Ohingaiti Sports Day

Open: 1 Ian Burling Blue 93; 2 Dave Schofield Haig 93; 3 Josh Brennan Tadpole 89.

Intermediate: 1 Dave Schofield Haig 93, 2 J Brennan Tadpole 92; 3 J Brennan Thorn 89.

Open/maiden: Josh Brennan Tadpole 92.

Maiden man/maiden dog: Ruby Bailey Sass 69.