WORDS BY ANNIE STUDHOLME, IMAGES BY ANNIE STUDHOLME & SUPPLIED
Dog trials were more than friendly competition amongst our pioneering farming forebears; they were an important way of connecting and catching up. Since the late 1800s, sheep-dog trials have been a distinctive and valuable aspect of farming life, woven into the very fabric of rural communities.
The first trial occurred in Wanaka in 1867, followed by Waitangi and Te Aka in 1868 and Haldon Station in the Mackenzie Country in 1870 – all before an 1873 trial at Bala in North Wales, which is claimed to be the first-ever public dog trial. By the beginning of the 20th century, dog trials were seen nationwide – with a national championship held every year since 1936.
A quick check of the trophies and honours board at the Methven Collie Club result’s shed reveals the club is steeped in history and tradition going back 125 years.
Dogs like Toby, Scamp, Sweep, Pat, Patch, Rock, Skip, Don, Gain, Sue, Fleet, Fog, Kate, Rhys, Peg, Taine, Trix, Mary, Zoe and Don have etched their spot on the honours board having achieved South Island and national honours with some of the country’s best including Ted and Hugh Weir, Peter Kidd, and Mark Copland.
At the same time, the club’s history is minated by generations of McLeans, Todhunters, Grieves, Ensors, Griggs, Harrisons, Richards, Weirs, Talbots, Hutchinsons, Coplands, Browns, Roberts, and Watsons.
Having taken over from long-serving president Bob Brown at 36, incoming president Sam Lock represents the new generation of members. “It’s a privilege to be president of a club like this steeped in such a long history. I am fortunate to have all that experience around me,” he says.
A Methven local, Sam started working on sheep and beef farms while still at school. Through club stalwarts and good family friends, Ted Weir and Warwick Bell, Sam was first introduced to the club about 10 years ago. Initially, he helped out ‘slipping’ on the trial day before getting more involved in the committee.
“I just started as a way to improve my working dogs,” he says. “I enjoy spending time with the dogs, the learning and the challenge of the competition. It’s a good measure of where your dog is. But it has to be one of the more challenging sports to do. It can be a tough game. There are no guarantees.” There are three sheep, you and a dog, and they have minds of their own too, explains Sam.
Having the opportunity to learn from the likes of former national champions Kevin Lamont and Mark Copland is a huge advantage. “We are so lucky that we have people in the club like them who are more than willing to share their knowledge with the young ones coming through.”
Sam runs a 170-hectare beef and dairy support block at Alford Forest. As his children grow up, he hopes to have more time for dog trialling.
Though sheep numbers were declining, Methven Collie Club secretary Robyn Copland says dog trialling was growing in popularity with more young people and more women taking up the sport. “We have quite a few girls trialling which is great to see.”
Dog trialling was unique in that respect, she adds. It is one of the few sports where people can compete at any age, and you can have men and women competing against each other on the same level playing field.
Though the committee was small, everyone knew their job, she says. From the ladies running the kitchen to those running the bar or the timekeepers, it took a massive amount of volunteers to make the annual dog trial a success. Without the ongoing support from landowners and those farmers who provided the sheep, it wouldn’t be possible. It remains an important community event, just as it did in 1897.
A brief history
The first Methven Collie Club trial was run on August 27, 1897, at Rose Hill on the property of John Holmes Esquire. Attracting 60 entries, about 200 people made up of farmers, shepherds, and the general public attended. It was a four-class event costing non-members 7s6d for the first dog, 5s for each afterwards. Members then paid 2s6d for each entry and three Merino wethers, or five crossbreds, used across the four classes.
Rose Hill continued to be the venue for the annual trials until 1928. However, the driving competition was held at the Methven Racecourse for the previous few years. Even in the early years, trialists were prepared to travel long distances. Judges, too, came from outside the district.
Men from the settlement of Alford Forest, known locally then as ‘The Bush’, formed the club’s backbone in its infancy.
With murmurs that the trial ground may be affecting numbers, in 1928, the Methven Collie Club moved to Mr T S Harrison’s Drayton Estate. The course itself was on a long sloping terrace. The new course was well-received, with solid entries.
In 1937, the Methven Collie Club finally agreed to join the then Canterbury Collie Dog Association (now the Canterbury Sheep Dog Trial Association). Methven had vehemently opposed the idea since the early 1920s. That year the Methven Collie Club’s annual trials also shifted to the President Mr R C Todhunter’s Blackford station. The trials continued to be held at Blackford until 1941 when it returned to Drayton Estate.
The club celebrated its 50th year in 1946, with Jubilee trials held at Drayton with prizes totalling 100 pounds. Judge Mr P Fagan of Peel Forest presided over the three classes - Class 1 Open Huntaway with Slew, Class 2 Open Long Pull & Steady in Yard, and Class 3 Open Short Pull and Yard. The classes attracted 28, 50 and 48 competitors respectively.
From 1953 to 1958 the trial ground shifted to a terrace below the Mount Hutt station homestead, then owned by the Richards family, who had been early supporters of the club. The courses, especially the huntaway one, were more straightforward than previous courses. In 1959, it was moved lower down on a big terrace of the Rakaia River to the current grounds.
A permanent cookshop was later erected with the help of local carpenters and under the guidance of Peter Ensor and the late Tom Hutchison. A bar soon followed, growing mainly from donated materials. The uprights came from telephone poles from the road up to Rose Hill. Judge’s boxes were also added, followed by a new road in 1964 and a new secretary’s office in 1967 replacing the previous one, an ex-army hut that was brought down from Cleardale.
The club’s 75th Jubilee celebrations took place in 1971, attracting 300 entries over the 20 events run on the neighbouring properties of Mount Hutt Station and Mr Bruce Harvey.
The main Mount Hutt Station homestead block was subsequently sold to the Hood brothers in 1977, with the trial ground purchased by Ray Barlass and his son David, before being sold again to Hugh and Ted Weir, all of whom had been happy for the club to continue holding trials there, and in many cases providing sheep.
Before long, the club celebrated its centennial. The judges who officiated had all been associated with the club in years gone by. They included Don White, Stuart Weir, Robin Quigley, and Kevin Lamont.
Although the trial ground has remained the same, despite changing hands, there have been dramatic changes in personnel, circumstances and farming in the past 25 years, reflecting changes for the club and dog trialling in general.
Despite the growth of dairying and the decline of dog use on farms, the 125th Anniversary Trial last March confirmed dog trialling remains in strong heart attracting solid entries from across the South Island.
Camaraderie and love of stock main drivers
Former national champion Kevin Lamont (82) has been dog-trialling for over 60 years and is still going strong. “There is nothing like dog trials. It grows on you. It doesn’t matter if you are nine or 90. I don’t think I would be content with going and watching now; I would want to get out and do a run. While I am still competitive and enjoying it, I want to keep doing it for as long as I can,” he says.
Originally from Methven, Kevin was first introduced to sheep and dogs by well-known local musterer Elliott Grieve as a youngster. Having started as a ‘packy’ at age 12, Elliott did his first muster at Clent Hills in the Ashburton Gorge two years later and mustered without a break for the next 59 seasons. He later worked as a head shepherd at Mount Hutt Station. His dog skills were legendary, winning numerous trophies in dog trials.
Though his grandfather had also worked as a drover, Kevin attributed Elliott with making him fall in love with dogs and stock. “He got me a pup from Charlie Wightman and that got me really triggered. I was mad keen on dogs from then on.”
Kevin also got involved with the Methven Collie Club through the Weir brothers, first helping out while still at school before becoming a member. On leaving school, Kevin worked for 12 years mustering in the Rakaia Gorge for the Ensor family, returning for the annual dog trials, which were held in May once the autumn musters had finished.
Later, his work took him away from the Methven district to Geraldine, Banks Peninsula, Waimate and then Cheviot. Still, he continued dog trialling with other clubs, having a hugely successful career, including picking up numerous South Island and national titles. His highlight was winning the New Zealand Championship in 1982 with his huntaway ‘Bess’.
He competed at the Methven Collie Club’s 75th jubilee, judged at the 100th and was on hand to compete against at its 125th celebration trial last year.
When he started, Kevin says the Weir boys (Hugh and Ted) and Murray Bell were a great help to him and any other youngsters keen to give dog trialling a go. Their skills and knowledge were invaluable, and over the years, he’s been happy to give back in the same vein.
But at the end of the day, the camaraderie and sheer love of stock have kept him involved in the sport all these years. “I love working the stock and testing myself against the stock that are thrown at you. It doesn’t look too hard to those on the sidelines, but it’s a different story when you get out there. I also love meeting up with everyone. I’ve met people all over New Zealand through dog trialling and made some lifelong friends.”
His wife, Prue Lamont, can often be found in the kitchen or timekeeping. At the same time, sons Tim and Ben, who live in Gisborne, have inherited their father’s love of stock and are also keen dog trialists.
Kevin has witnessed many changes in the sport over the years. Many more females are out competing now than when he first started, which he believes is good. And there were a lot of younger members beginning to take part. He says that moving trials to the weekend, so people didn’t need to ask for time off work was also a positive move.
Dogs too were much better trained. “There are many more opportunities to learn nowadays with clubs running clinics and training days to help people with their stockmanship. In the early days, we didn’t have steering on dogs. We just hoped they would go in the right direction. Back then, there used to be six or 10 dogs that could win it, whereas now there are more like 50. That’s just because of training.”
Having concentrated on huntaways initially, since moving to a lifestyle block on the outskirts of Ashburton, Kevin is training a couple of heading dogs.
For those keen to get involved in the sport, Kevin’s advice is to find your nearest club and get an older dog well broken in, then get a well-bred pup and build up your team. “The problem with getting a pup first is that you’re both trying to learn at the same time,” he explains.
Beginner's guide to Sheep Dog trialling
There are 157 sheep dog trials clubs nationwide, 89 in the North Island and 68 in the South Island, 18 of which are in Canterbury. The club trial season usually begins in January each year and ends in June. Entry is open to all competitors and their dogs. All competitors start with 100 points, and as faults occur, points are deducted.
Competitors gain points to compete in the South and North Island Championships, culminating in the national championships held each June.
This year’s South and National Championships took place on 22–27 May, hosted by the Warepa Collie Club in Otago.
There are four standard classes with a judge for each course:
Class 1: Heading dogs – long head
The competitor starts his dog from a marked ring, and the dog heads three sheep on a hill 300 to 600 metres away. The dog pulls them into the ring in as straight a line as possible and holds them stationary to the judge’s satisfaction, all within 10–15 minutes.
Class 2: Heading dogs – short head and yard
The competitor starts his dog from a marked quad, heads three sheep between 150 and 300 metres away, and pulls them to the quad. They then move them along a pegged lane, through a pair of hurdles along another lane, before working them into a two-metre-square yard. The run is completed when the gate is shut on the sheep within the given time limit.
Class 3: Huntaway – zigzag hunt
The competitor starts his dog from a marked quad. Three sheep are liberated, and the dog then uses his bark to hunt them up a zigzag-marked hill for 200 to 300 metres. The run is completed when the sheep pass between the top set of markers within the given time limit.
Class 4: Huntaway – straight hunt
This event is the same as the zigzag hunt, except there’s only one set of markers 20 metres apart at the top of the course. The dog aims to hunt the sheep from the starting point, in as straight a line as possible, through the markers.