South Island and New Zealand Sheep Dog Trial Championships kick off in South Otago

The South Island and New Zealand Sheep Dog Trial Championships are being held at the Warepa Collie Club. Photo / NZME / File

More than 500 of New Zealand’s best sheep dogs have started going through their paces at the South Island and New Zealand Sheep Dog Trial Championships in South Otago.

The championships, which started on Monday and are expected to end on Saturday, are being held at the Warepa Collie Club course near Balclutha.

There are 237 dogs in the two heading classes, and 277 huntaways, meaning a total of about 1100 runs.

The runs will be shared among judges Ed Aubrey, of North Otago, on the long head course, Scott Wedd, of Hawke’s Bay, on the short head and yard course, Vaughan Marfell, of Wairarapa-SHB, on the zig zag hunt, and Boyd Tisdall, of North Otago, on the straight hunt.

With a frost to start the day, conditions became fine throughout, with a big “vibe” around the courses, as farmers - from retired gentlemen of the land to young managers, shepherds and hands - relished the chance to get together after the devastation of Cyclone Gabrielle in the North Island and other challenges in both the North and South Islands, on the back of the Covid-19 disruptions.

Competitors are first targeting the South Island titles, to be decided during the week’s runs, with the top seven in each class then contesting the national title runoffs at the end of the week.

They are kept up-to-date with top-seven leaderboard calls at midday and 4 pm each day.

Among those staying in the running at the end of the day were Northern Hawke’s Bay farmer David Scragg, who stepped off the damaged farm for a week to win the North Island championships zig zag hunt title at Lochinver Station, between Napier and Taupo, earlier this month.

He continued the form on the opening day in the south to be on both hunt leaderboards at the 4 pm call, with Chook in the zig zag hunt and Jake in the straight hunt.

Among others were current New Zealand team captain Guy Peacock, of Makotuku, in Southern Hawke’s Bay, on the short head and yard leaderboard with Chief, with which he first won national selection after the pair won the short head and yard title in Marlborough in 2018, Nelson sheep dog trialling legend Eion Herbert, of Tapawera, who first contested a South Island championships trials runoff in 1983, who was on the same leaderboard with Shaun, and Northlander Murray Child, of Maungakaramea, winner of five national championships titles in the last 18 years and on the long head leader board with Brie.

Also on the leaderboards - with the rugged local terrain being a true test of even the most geographically talented - was Taranaki farmer Steve Murphy, of Whangamomona, who has won eight North or South Island championships titles since 2006 but is yet to win a New Zealand championships runoff.

South Island Sheep Dog Trial Championships leaderboard calls at 4 pm on Monday, May 22

Long head (up to run 44): Murray Child (Maungakaramea), Brie; Steve Murphy (Whangamomona), Edge; Lloyd Smith (Waihemo), Ted; Hamish Linton (Waikari), Crown; Ben Manson (Banks Peninsula), Rob; John Linton (Martinborough), Cam; Mark Copland (Methven), Guy.

Short head and yard (up to run 40): John Caley (Waihemo), Ed; Eion Herbert (Tapawera) Steel; Shaun Haynes (Bay of Islands), Sue; Lloyd Smith (Waihemo), Guide; Guy Peacock (Makotuku), Chief; Eric Stinger (Kyeburn), Mark; Fergus McLean (Omihi), Dan.

Zig zag hunt (up to run 75): David Scragg (Wairoa), Chook; Guy Heard (Cheviot), Cove; Matt Clarke (Pateroa), Ranger; Roger Sellars (Tahatika), Crunch; Grant Plaisted (Waikari), Coke; Tom Manson (Mohaka), Buck; Gavin Drake (Mataroa), Short.

Straight hunt (up to run 75): Dan Broughton (Banks Peninsula), Louie; David Scragg (Wairoa), Jake; Antony Barton (Waikari), Flair; Ruie Bridge (Waingake), Flash; Ethan Smith (Patearoa), Chub; Will Sutherland (Greenvale), Basil; Robbie Calder (St Bathans), Angus.