South Island Sheep Dog Trial Championships to be held on Earnscleugh Station

Earnscleugh Station co-owner Alistair Campbell prepares sheep for a hunt event at the Omakau Earnscleugh Collie Club's annual trial last week. Photo / Supplied

Preparations are "full steam ahead" to host the South Island Sheep Dog Trial Championships near Alexandra next month.

North Otago Centre president Robbie Calder, of St Bathans, was expecting more than 200 triallists and about 500 dogs to compete across four events on Earnscleugh Station for five days from Monday, May 2.

"We are full steam ahead."

The Omakau Earnscleugh Collie Club has its clubrooms on the station and its annual two-day trial finished on Monday last week.

The centre, which has 13 clubs in it, got a championship every decade.

The station would host a championship for the first time.

Officials from the New Zealand Sheep Dog Trial Association attended the club trials to inspect the courses to ensure everything was up-to-standard to host the championships.

A few minor changes were needed but overall the officials were happy, he said.

The centre was "lucky" the Campbell family allowed the championship to be held on their station.

Station co-owner Alistair Campbell said he was ready for the championships to be held on the 2000ha property.

"The sooner, the better."

The championship had been delayed a year due to Covid uncertainty.

He would compete in the championships - "a couple of headers and a huntaway".

The family nurtured dog trials because it gave shepherds an opportunity to train their dogs and improve in their profession.

"Dog trials are massively important to us, especially on a big place like this."

Dog trials helped retain shepherds in the industry, he said.

"A lot of guys might get more money working on a wharf but the love of their dogs keeps them mustering."

About 4000 of his merino sheep would be used during the championships.

Omakau Earnscleugh Collie Club president Elliott Heckler, of Galloway, said the championship venue was unique because it was the only one in New Zealand to run merino sheep across all its events.

Merino sheep could be temperamental.

"You don't get too many chances, if you do a wrong move, that's it."

His wife Nikki was part of the team catering the championships to raise funds for Molyneux Turf Inc to get a full-size hockey turf installed in Alexandra.

"I'm going to live up here for a week and it starts at 6 am with breakfast," she said.

Central Otago Mayor Tim Cadogan attended the club trials to support the club bringing the championships to the district.

The event was "important" because it attracted people, who spent money in the district, Cadogan said.

"You've got a truckload of people coming, who will spend a truckload in the community - it's all good."

At the club trial last week, the mayor got a good-hearted ribbing from triallists about Fraser Dam Rd needing to be graded before the championships.

"I had to put my teeth back in when I got out of my car — I'll need to talk to the roading boys," Cadogan laughed.

Calder said triallists need five qualifying points to compete in the championships but locals needed only one point to qualify, which would allow up to 20 more young triallists to compete.

"It's really good at encouraging the young fullas to have a go at a championship and get blooded."

He expected triallists visiting from outside the South to be struck by the rocky landscape they would be competing in.

"The North Islanders will think they have come to the moon."