NZ and South Island titles to Gisborne dog triallists Shaw and McIntyre

Poverty Bay sheep dog trial centre club members Andrew Savage, Samantha Shaw and Jo McIntyre at the Tux South Island and New Zealand championships, where Shaw won a national title and McIntyre a South Island crown.

Matawai dog triallists Samantha Shaw and Jo McIntyre flew the Poverty Bay centre flag high with title-winning performances in the South Island this week.

The South Island and national championships were held at Lochiel Station near Hanmer Springs.

McIntyre won the straight hunt section of the South Island champs, emulating her 2019 efforts (as Jo Waugh) when she won the zig-zag crown to become the first woman to win a South Island champs title.

On Friday, Shaw added to that history by winning the New Zealand championship in the zig-zag - only the second woman to achieve the feat in a history dating back well over 100 years.

North Canterbury’s Steph Tweed and her dog Grit won the straight hunt at the 2019 nationals.

Shaw and her dog Rogue posted a qualifying run score of 96.75 points in the zig-zag, which placed her fourth in the South Island champs and put her into the top seven run-off for the national crown.

She scored 96 points in the run-off for an aggregate total of 192.75 and victory.

Her nearest rival was Andy McNabb and Kahn from the Mt Nessing club in Canterbury on 188.8.

McIntyre and her dog Guy won the South Island straight hunt title with an excellent score of 98.5.

She had to settle for fifth in the run-off for the national title, scoring 91 for an aggregate of 189.5 - 3.25 points off third place.

Fellow Poverty Bay triallists Leo Edginton and Henry Hindmarsh, both from Tolaga Bay, got on the leaderboard during the week but were bumped off, as were David Scragg from Wairoa, Ngatapa’s Roger Strachan and Waingake’s Ruie Bridge.

Another Matawai triallist, Andrew Savage, judged the long head section over the champs.

The weather was said to be “all over the show” for the week-long event - windy on Sunday, freezing on Monday, beautiful and sunny on Tuesday and cold on Wednesday.

Thursday was shrouded in fog, but the run-offs went ahead once it cleared.

Results from the New Zealand and South Island sheep dog trial championships at Lochiel, Hanmer Springs, on May 25-29, 2025

Long head: Lindsay Wink (Weber), Ghost, (93.25, 93.5) 186.75pts, 1; Mark Copland (Methven), Don, (92.5, 94) 186.5pts, 2; Stuart Child (Te Anga), Carl, (97.5, 88) 185.5pts, 3; Leo Jecentho (Karioi), Jake, (93.5, 90.5) 184pts, 4; Hamish Linton (Pelorus), Crown (94.5, 88.5) 183pts, 5; Danial Adam (St Bathans), Ned, (93.75, 89) 182.75pts, 6; Ben Manson (Banks Peinsula), Danny, (93, 85.5) 178.5pts, 7.

Short head and yard: Leo Jecentho (Karioi), Jake, (97.5, 98) 195.5pts, 1; Ben Millar (Glenroy), King, (94.25, 93) 187.25pts, 2; Stuart Millar (Glenroy), Laddie, (95.75, 87) 182.75pts, 3; Mark Copland (Methven), Guy, (96, 84) 180pts, 4; 30 Brian Dickison (Greenvale), Reggie (93, 86.5) 179.5pts, 5; Lloyd Smith (Waihemo), Code, (94, 66.5) 160.5pts, 6; Steve Murphy (Whangamonona), Edge, (93.75, 63) 156.75pts, 7.

Zig zag hunt: Samantha Shaw (Matawai), Rogue, (96.75, 96) 192.75pts, 1; Andy McNab (Mt Nessing), Kahn, (97.8, 91) 188.8pts, 2; Sam Jamieson (Mackenzie), Gary, (95.75, 82) 177.75pts, 3; John Batley (Moawhango), Drum, (98, 62) 160pts, 4; Ben Butterick (Tai Tapu), Gus, (97, 48) 145pts, 5; Dan Broughton (Banks Peninsula), Harry, (96, 47) 143pts, 6; Todd Rowland (Tahatika), Hank, (96.5, 43) 139.5pts, 7.

Straight hunt: Steve Murphy (Whangamomona), Bridge, (98, 97) 195pts, 1; Grant Plaisted (Waikari), Coke, (97.5, 96.5) 194pts, 2; Dan Jury (Petane), Ice, (97.25, 95) 192.25pts, 3; Ned George (Raetihi), Fred, (97.75, 93) 190.75pts, 4; Jo McIntyre (Matawai), Guy, (98.5, 91) 189.5pts, 5; Shaun Littleworth (Te Aute), Ralph, (96.5, 92.5) 189pts, 6; Ned George (Raetihi), Rex, (97, 90.5) 187.5pts, 7.

South Island championships:

Long head: Stuart Child (Te Anga), 97.5pts, 1; Hamish Linton (Pelorus), Crown, 94.5pts, 2; Daniel Adam (St Bathans) Ned, 93.75pts, 3; Leo Jecentho (Karioi), Jake, 93.5pts, 4; Lindsay Wink (Weber), Ghost, 93.25pts, 5; Ben Manson (Banks Peninsula), Danny, 93pts, 6; Mark Copland (Methven), Don, 92.5pts, 7.

Short head and yard: Leo Jecentho (Karioi), Jake, 97.5pts, 1; Mark Copland (Methven), Guy, 96pts, 2; Stuart Millar (Glenroy), Laddie, 95.75pts, 3; Ben Millar (Glenroy), King, 94.25pts, 4; Lloyd Smith (Waihemo), Code, 94pts, 5; Steve Murphy (Whangamomona), Edge, 93.75pts, 6; Brian Dickison (Greenvale), Reggie, 93pts, 7.

Zig zag hunt: 36 John Batley (Moawhango), Drum, 98pts, 1; Andy McNab (Mt Nessing), Kahn, 97.8pts, 2; Ben Butterick (Tai Tapu), Gus, 97pts, 3; Samantha Shaw (Matawai), Rogue, 96.75pts, 4; Todd Rowland (Tahatika), Hank, 96.5pts, 5; Dan Broughton (Banks Peninsula), Harry, 96pts, 6; Sam Jamieson (Mackenzie), Gary, 95.75pts, 7.

Straight hunt: Jo McIntyre (Matawai), Guy, 98.5pts, 1; Steve Murphy (Whangamomona), Bridge, 98pts, 2; Ned George (Raetihi), Fred, 97.75pts, 3; Grant Plaisted (Waikari), Coke, 97.5pts, 4; Dan Jury (Petane), Ice, 97.25pts, 5; Ned George (Raetihi), Rex, 97pts, 6; Shaun Littleworth (Te Aute), Ralph, 96.5pts, 7.