Dog trials: Whanganui representatives succeed at national championships

Jamie Shrubsall and Stag won the NZ Straight Hunt at the NZ Sheep Dog Trial Championships. Photo / Supplied

The NZ Sheep Dog Trial Championships held over a week at Leithen Valley Farm at Greenvale, Southland, wrapped up on May 23.

A large contingent of North Island competitors and dogs made the long trek south to participate, with the Wanganui Centre being very well represented.

The weather often plays a large part in these events and can wreak havoc with the best-laid plans. Those competitors who ran on the Tuesday struck terrible weather and just had to grin and bear the conditions.

Whanganui huntaway men did the centre proud, with Jamie Shrubsall and Stag winning the NZ Straight Hunt. Angus Spence and Brin won the South Island Straight Hunt and placed third in the same event in the NZ runoff, with Bruce Parkinson and Holly maintaining their form from Masterton and taking fourth spot in the South Island zig-zag hunt and ending up fourth in the NZ runoff in the same event.

Formerly of Gisborne, Spence is managing Mt View Station up the top of the Mangamahu Valley. He is 29 years old and has been dog trialling for nine years. Spence and Brin were sixth in the Straight Hunt North Island Championships at Masterton.

At 26 years old, Shrubsall with Stag is one of the younger men to win an NZ title. His dad Anthony Shrubsall, of Cougar fame, started him off with dogs at the age of 13 and then Bruce Parkinson took up the guidance when Jamie worked at Tanupara Station. Shrubsall credits Craig Johns and Alex Matthews, both top huntaway men in the centre, as also having a huge influence on his dog trialling career.

Shrubsall and Stag were second in the South Island Straight Hunt. They are this season's Wanganui Centre top huntaway duo.

Centre heading dogs didn't fare so well down south. Jamie Shrubsall and Whip made the leaderboard on the shorthead with the first run in that event. They also made the longhead leaderboard, but failed to stay there. Former Wanganui competitor Guy Peacock with Slim made the longhead final, ending up sixth.

The next event on the calendar is the Ohingaiti Tux Yarding Challenge and Trans Tasman event at Ohingaiti on June 17-19, with the runoff on June 20. Entries close on June 7.