Northern dog trialists headed to champs

There are 12 clubs in the Northland centre from Helensville to Mangonui.

Otamatea’s Tony Comins and Mangawhai’s Scott McRae will be travelling to Masterton this month for the North Island Sheep Dog Trial Championships after performing well in Northland qualifiers.

The Otamatea Dog Trial Club hosted the Northland championships this month. It was an auspicious occasion for the club, which also celebrated its centenary.

Comins, who is club president, placed first in the Zig Zag Hunt at the club trial with his dog BJ, which is in its first season of dog trialling.

Comins took second in the Zig Zag in the regional champs.

In the Short Head competition, it was nearly a clean sweep for the Child family of Maungakaramea, with Neville, Hamish and Murray taking first, third and fourth respectively. Kaikohe’s Shaun Haynes took second.

Neville Child is a two-time national championship winner and reckons this year he is going for a hat trick.

It was a great day for Arapohue’s Craig Lugteheid who took first place in both the Long Head and Straight Run events with his dogs Strike and Tara.

Scott McRae took third in the Straight Run with his dog Toby, and fifth in the Zig Zag Hunt with dog Punch.

Otamatea club host Anne Comins said centenary celebrations went ahead despite blustery and wet weather.

“The club is down a steep hill and the trucks had to be towed out of the mud, but they’re all farmers, so they were happy to see the rain.”

Fletcher Sceats at the Rodney trial.

Young dog, old tricks

It is no secret that the average age of sheep dog trialists is getting steeper, but that hasn’t stopped Fletcher Sceats, 15, of Kaipara Flats.

This  was Sceats’ first season running his own dog, Burt, which he got from breeder Duncan Gilligan of Oneriri.

“For my first dog, I wanted one that was experienced, to get me going. He’s good natured and a good working dog as well,” Sceats says.

Sceats works on the family farm in Kaipara Flats in addition to attending Mahurangi College.

His grandfather is local dog trialling legend Bob Sceats, who belonged to the Molesworth Club in Kaiwaka before moving to Woodcocks Road.

Fletcher is well used to the dog trialling circuit having travelled with Bob as a youngster.

He ran his dog at the Rodney trial this month, but he spends more time at the Helensville club where members are younger. He says it’s a great sport to be involved in.

“What’s more satisfying than bringing sheep in perfectly? I get a buzz out of it, and it’s good to watch as well.”