Seventh Southern Indoor Charity Dog Trials a fundraiser for Hospice Southland

Slow and steady not only wins races but helps pen sheep at indoor dog trials.

The seventh Southern Indoor Charity Dog Trials are being held in the Agrished at the Southern Field Days site at Waimumu.

The preliminary round was held at the weekend and the finals were held yesterday.

The event is a fundraiser for Hospice Southland.

Organising committee chairman Mike Joyce said the secret to doing well at the event was to keep the ewe hoggets calm.

"Sheep don't like being upset.

"Be nice and quiet.

"If you upset these sheep you may as well go and open the door and let them out."

Wayne Miller, of Waikaka, and his dog Steel try to persuade their sheep to go across the bridge, one of the obstacles on the Southern Indoor Charity Dog Trials course. Photo / Sandy Eggleston

Competitors had 10 minutes to complete the course which was laid out over about two-thirds of the shed and it was important they took their time.

"It's not a race."

The course had four obstacles, including a bridge that the sheep needed to cross.

In the years the committee had been running the event, about $70,000 had been raised for charity, Joyce said.

About 170 triallists from as far afield as Marlborough entered.

Competitor Eddie Conlan, of Waikoikoi, said this was the third year he competed in the event.

He was an "average" dog triallist who enjoyed competing.

His aim was to get the sheep to the pen.

"If you've got to the pen you've achieved quite a bit."

If he managed to pen the sheep that was the "icing".

Part of the reason he liked the event was it was a fundraiser for Hospice Southland, he said.