Father and son give Hawke's Bay a strong hand at sheep dog champs

Ben Manson with second dog Malt during the championships this week near Taumarunui. Photo / Supplied

A father and son are among strong Hawke's Bay hopes of triumph at the North Island and national sheep dog trials, going into the last two days at Meringa Station in remote country east of Taumarunui.

At the fourth-day 4 pm call on Thursday, Hawke's Bay and Dannevirke area dogs and trialists held 10 of the 28 places on the leaderboards, comprising the top seven on each of the long head, short head and yard, zig-zag hunt, and straight hunt courses.

Among them were Putere farmer Tom Manson, with Buck in both the zig-zag hunt and straight hunt and 23-year-old son Bennett Manson in the zig-zag with Sam, one of two dogs with which he qualified for the championships for the first time.

The region held four of the seven leaderboard places in the straight hunt, with Tom Manson joined by fellow Wairoa area trialists David Scragg (Flow) and Ned George (Sprockett), and Dannevirke trialist Tim Stevenson (Banjo).

Others from the region still in the running were, in the long head David Sheild and Jack, from Dannevirke club, and Howard Ingles, of Waimarama club, with Lou, in the short head and yard Kevin O'Connor, of Waikoau club, with Jax, and Guy Peacock, of Makotuku.

Despite heavy rain dogging much of the championships week, about 1000 runs had been completed by the end of the fourth day, chasing the North Island titles.

The top seven in each class then face runoffs for the New Zealand titles, the first expected to be the two hunts today, followed by the heading finals on Saturday.

One trialist said much of the better form reflected finer conditions and the leaderboards, updated at least twice a day, had changed regularly.

There were 10 changes across the class leaderboards yesterday and among the departures was the new South Island zig-zag champion, Steve Kerr, from Mackenzie, in the South Island.

Southern Hawke's Bay South Island champions Sam Magee and Bernard Arends were also missing.

Leaderboards at 4 pm on Thursday:

Long head: Graeme Cook, Glen (Whatatutu); David Sheild, Jack (Dannevirke); Howard Ingles, Lou (Waimarama); Stuart Child, Brodie (Te Anga); Merv Utting, Bob (Poverty Bay); Graham Wellington, Rachel (Aria), Donald Fannin, Sam (Moawhango).

Short head and yard: Lawrence Rau, Dixie (Matawai); Kevin O'Connor, Jax (Waikoau); Neil Evans, Tess (Omihi); Neville Child, Finn (Maungakaramea); Guy Peacock, Slim (Makotuku); Gavin Drake, Baldy (Mataroa); Eion Herbert, Bell (Tapawera).

Zig zag hunt: Liam Park, Risk (Moawhango); Greg Anderson, Gus (Te Anga); Bennett Manson, Sam (Mohaka); Leo Edginton, Deano (Tolaga Bay); Tom Manson, Buck (Mohaka); Fergus McLean, Suzie (Omihi); George Shield, Smoke (Tolaga Bay).

Straight hunt: Steve Kerr, Rich (Mackenzie); Troy MacDonald, Mouse (Putaruru); Ned George, Kruger (Wairoa); Tom Manson, Buck (Mohaka); David Scragg, Flow (Wairoa); Dylan Gallien, Troop (Mataroa); James Maher, Rogue (Moawhango).