Several Wanganui centre competitors and their dogs made the finals of the North Island sheep dog championships at Te Aute earlier this month.
Gavin Drake with his dog Clyde, from the Omatane/Kawhatau club, finished third in the longhead, while North Island title-holders Paul Evans and Bryte, from the Ohingaiti club,were sixth in the same event.
Alex Mathews and Rex, from Mangamahu, were seventh in the zig-zag hunt, and Mark Lourie and Klay from the Parapara/Makirikiri club came fourth in the straight hunt.
The Tux South Island and New Zealand championships are currently being staged by the Marlborough centre, at Meadow Bank Farms on Taylor Pass Rd in Omaka.
A large contingent of Wanganui centre competitors and dogs have headed there and among those on the top seven leaderboards on Tuesday were Jonathan Smailes and Fig (class 1); Graeme Wellington and Rachel (class 2); Jonathan Smailes and Havoc (class 3); and Joshua Brennan and Hung and Jamie Shrubsall and Stag (class 4).
The run-offs for the New Zealand titles is tomorrow.
With the hill season drawing to a close, the first Tux yarding challenge of the year takes place June 22-24 at Ohingaiti. This event is being held a month earlier than normal and is followed by the indoor sheepdog trial event at Hawera on July 6-8.
