Young gun wins Oairi-Pukeroa open hunt sheep dog trials at 14

Steph Tweed and Grit from Papanui Station were winners of the top centre huntaway competition for the second year running.

The last hill sheepdog trial in the Wanganui centre took place at the Oairi-Pukeroa club up the Turakina Valley on the well known Otiwhiti Station in beautiful autumn weather.

With trials on in neighbouring centres, including centre championships in Hawke's Bay and Taranaki, it was a very busy weekend for many scrambling for those last vital points to qualify for the champs.

At just 14, Phoebe Smailes and her dog Sage, from the Ruahine club, won their first open hunt event at Martinborough.

Entries at Otairi were okay, and it was good to see more maiden dogs break their status despite the lambs on the heads being a real challenge.

Brian Burke's young dog Stone won the longhead and local lad Tom Nichol with Scoob nearly had a clean sweep in the shorthead second open, winning intermediate and maiden in that event.

Oairi-Pukeroa club vice-president Nick Tipling, who is too busy being a dad to compete on the circuit, had a good trial featuring in both heads and the zig-zag hunt.

It was a ground-breaking weekend for young gun competitor Phoebe Smailes who, with Sage, won their first open hunt, taking out the zig-zag at Martinborough and placing third in the straight.

This is unprecedented as Phoebe - at just 14 years old - will be the youngest person to qualify and run a dog at the New Zealand Championships which start at Whangara, Gisborne, on May 29. We wish her all the very best.

Graham Wellington and Rachel are the top heading duo wih 38 points in the Wanganui centre and Steph Tweed and Grit have won the huntaway section for the second year running with 18 points - the first time that has been done by a woman in the Wanganui centre. Congratulations to Steph and Graham.

Next year the Otairi-Pukeroa club will be celebrating their 75th jubilee, an event we will all be looking forward to.

Results

Class 1: 1, B Burke & Stone 93.50; 2, N Tipling & Mini 93; 3, M Sugden & Scout 92.50; 4, S Tweed & Flirt 91.75; 5, M Sugden & Rob 91.50.
Intermediate: B Burke & Stone 93.50. Maiden: B Burke & Stone 93.50.

Class 2: 1, B O'Leary & Tote 89; 2, T Nichol & Scoob 87; 3, S Whiteman & Reign 86; 4, N Tipling & Mini 85; 5, I Munn & Speck 84.
Intermediate: T Nichol & Scoob 87. Maiden: T Nichol & Scoob 87.

Class 3:1, J Brennan & Rock 92.5; 2, A Keogh & Trix 97; 3, J Carrad & Sooty 96.5; 4, D Kirkby & Frankie 96.25; 5, N Tipling & Bell 96.
Intermediate: J Brennan & Rock 97.5. Maiden: W Delany & Buddy 94.

Class 4: 1, T Macpherson & Chime 98.5; 2, T Baker & Berk 98; 3, T Sydney & Mana 97.75; 4, M Lourie & Bella 97.50; 5, D Kirkby & Mac 97.
Intermediate: T Macpherson & Chime 98.5. Maiden: T Baker & Berk 98.