New Zealand Championship sheep dog trials: Results

Mark Mallison whistles while he works. Photo / Peter McIntosh

A fifth title for a legendary North Otago competitor and a dream victory for a host-club trialist have climaxed the 2021 New Zealand Sheep Dog Trial Championships which ended in Northern Southland on Saturday.

The triumphant veteran is 75-year-old Ian "Ginger" Anderson who, soon after his win with the trusty Jet in the short head and yard runoff, was on his way back to the day-job of farming near Omarama.

He has been competing at New Zealand championships since 1963, and had previously won a long head title at Masterton in 1995, and short head and yard titles at Ngongotaha in 1997, Gore in 2000, and Omarama in 2016.

He had two dogs in Saturday's runoff with Boss finishing 7th.

With the huntaway events decided on Thursday and Friday and some competitors having started their trips home, there was still a good turnout for the long head runoff which produced a first-ever New Zealand championships title for host-club Greenvale trialist and general star-of-the-show Brian Dickison, with Cole, the dog with which he had previously won a national Tux yarding title.

Dickison had the rare distinction of reaching three of the four runoffs, he and Cole also finishing 5th in the short head and yard, after Thursday's effort with Radna for 6th in the straight hunt, won by Wanganui centre competitor Jamie Shrubsall, of Omatane-Kawhatau, with Stag.

Image 1 of 5: Oaklyn (23 months) and Reggie (3) Cross, of Waikaka, put their gumboots to good use. Photo / Peter McIntosh ODT

On Friday William Lott, from the Mackenzie club in Canterbury, won the zig zag hunt with Liz.

Uniquely, the North Island dominated the South Island championships which started last Monday and from which the top seven in each of the four classes contested the New Zealand titles.

All four South Island titles were won by North Island trialists, with John Bartlett, of Wairarapa club Tinui, taking long head honours with Honk, Poverty Bay had two wins with celebrated veteran Merv Utting's victory with Fern in the short head and yard and Leo Edginton's zig zag hunt win with Robert, and the straight was won by former Poverty Bay competitor Andrew Spence with Brin, from Wanganui centre club Mangamahu.

Utting has won six New Zealand championships titles and now 12 at North or South island championships.

The north wins during the six days of competition at Greenvale, near Waikaka and north of Gore, was inter-island bragging rights payback for two South Island wins at the North Island championships near Masterton last month.

The sharing of the titles means that throughout the annual series of 12 island and New Zealand titles there were 12 different winners.

Anderson's North Otago will host next year's South Island championships, the New Zealand championships heading back north to be run in conjunction with the North Island championships in King Country.

Results from the South Island and New Zealand Sheep Dog Trial Championships at Greenvale, Northern Southland, on Monday-Saturday, May 17-22, 2021

South Island championships:

Long head: John Bartlett (Tinui) and Honk, 98.5pts, 1; Mark Copland (Methven) and Don, 98.25pts, 2; Brian Dickison (Greenvale) and Cole, 98pts, 3; John Peterson (Kaitieke) and Cap, 97.75pts, 4; Neil Evans (Omihi) and Tess, 97.5pts, 5; Barry Thompson (Banks Peninsula) and Bolt, 96.75pts, 6; Guy Peacock (Makotuku) and Slim, 96.5pts, 7.

Short head and yard: Merv Utting (Waimata) and Fern, 96pts, 1; Ian (Ginger) Anderson (Omarama) and Jet, 9575pts, 2; Brian Dickison (Greenvale) and Cole, 95.5pts, 3; Eion Herbert (Tapawera) and Bell, 95.25pts, 4; Bob Bruce (Te Aute) and Susan, 95pts, 5; Neville Child (Maungakaramea) and Harry, 94.75pts, 6; Ian (Ginger) Anderson (Omarama) and Boss, 94.5pts, 7.

Zig zag hunt: Leo Edginton (Tolaga Bay) and Robert, 97.5pts, 1; Matthew Clark (Waikaia) and Ranger, 97pts, 2; William Lott (Mackenzie) and Liz, 96.75pts, 3; Bruce Parkinson (Raetihi) and Holly, 96.5pts, 4; Simon Prouting (Dannevirke) and Meg, 96.25pts, 5; Maurice Yearbury (Tuakau) and Hemi, 96pts, 6; Robbie Calder (St Bathans) and Ned, 95.5pts, 7.

Straight hunt: Angus Spence (Mangamahu) and Brin, 97.25pts, 1; Jamie Shrubsall (Omatane-Kawhatau) and Stag, 97pts, 2; Tim Stevenson (Dannevirke) and Donk, 96.75pts, 3; Brian Dickison (Greenvale) and Radna, 96.5pts, 4; Tom Manson (Mohaka) and Buck, 96.25pts, 5; Scott Hunter (Omarama) and Hood, 96pts, 6; Todd Rowland (Tahatika) and Stern, 95.5pts, 7.

New Zealand championships:

Long head: Brian Dickison (Greenvale) and Cole (98, 97.5) 195.5pts, 1; Mark Copland (Methven) and Don (98.25, 97) 195.25pts, 2; Neil Evans (Omihi) and Tess (97.5, 95.5) 193pts, 3; John Petersen (Kaitieke) and Cap (97.75, 95) 192.75pts, 4; John Bartlett (Tinui) and Honk (98.5, 92.5) 191pts, 5; Barry Thompson (Banks Peninsula) and Bolt (96.75m, 94) 190.75pts, 6; Guy Peacock (Makotuku) and Slim (96.5, 92) 188.5pts, 7.

Short head and yard: Ian (Ginger) Anderson (Omarama) and Jet (95.75, 96.25) 192pts, 1; Eion Herbert (Tapawera) and Bell (95.25, 96.5) 191.75pts, 2; Merv Utting (Waimata) and Fern (96, 94) 190pts, 3; Neville Child (Maungakaramea) and Harry (94.75, 94.75) 189.5pts, 4; Brian Dickison (Greenvale) and Cole (95.5, 90.5) 186pts, 5; Bob Bruce (Te Aute) and Susan (95, 90.25) 185.25pts, 6; Ian (Ginger) Anderson (Omarama) and Boss (94.5, 90) 184.5pts, 7.

Zig zag hunt: William Lott (Mackenzie) and Liz (96.75, 94.5) 191.25pts, 1; Leo Edginton (Tolaga Bay) and Robert (97.5, 93.5) 191pts, 2; Robbie Calder (St Bathans) and Ned (95.5, 93) 188.5pts, 3; Bruce Parkinson (Raetihi) and Holly (96.5, 91) 187.5pts, 4; Maurice Yearbury (Tuakau) and Hemi (96, 85) 181pts, 5; Simon Prouting (Dannevirke) and Meg (96.25, 75.5) 171.75pts, 6; Matthew Clark (Waikaia) and Ranger (97, 57) 154pts, 7.

Straight hunt: Jamie Shrubsall (Omatana-Kawhatau) and Stag (97, 96) 193pts, 1; Tom Manson (Mohaka) and Buck (96.25, 95.25) 191.5pts, 2; Angus Spence (Mangamahu) and Brin (97.25, 94) 191.25pts, 3; Tim Stevenson (Dannevirke) and Donk (96.75, 92) 188.75pts, 4; Todd Rowland (Tahakita) and Stern (95.5, 87) 182.5pts, 5; Brian Dickison (Greenvale) and Radna (96.5, 85) 181.5pts, 6; Scott Hunter (Omarama) and Hood (96, 56) 152pts, 7.