Tweed shows True Grit for NZ victory

‘I’m absolutely delighted for her, and it’s great for dog trialling that she’s won. There’s a bit of a revolution going on.

The top sheep dogs and their handlers in the country delivered an exhibition of class when the national and North Islands championships were held on the steep slopes of Te Ahu Ahu in the Mid North on Friday afternoon.

The most celebrated performance of the five-day event was by Stephanie Tweed from North Canterbury, who became the first woman to win a national sheep dog trial title after taking out the straight hunt championship with Grit.

Tweed and Grit firstly got off to a strong start by emerging as the top placegetters from the first round in a field of 220 dogs and built from there, going on to claim the New Zealand title.

Northland Sheep Dog Trial Centre president Chris Robertson congratulated Tweed, noting the result should encourage more women to take up dog trialling, which would be great for the future of the sport in terms of numbers and longevity.

“I’m absolutely delighted for her, and it’s great for dog trialling that she’s won. There’s a bit of a revolution going on.

“More and more women are getting involved, and there’s no reason why they can’t be as good as the men,” he said, adding Tweed’s victory showed that the ladies could now not only hold their own in what was once regarded as a male-dominated sport but win as well.

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Northland triallists featured prominently on home soil in a field of 240 competitors and more than 500 dogs from as away as Southland which took part in the Stephanie Tweed became the first woman to win a national sheep dog trial championship when she claimed the New Zealand straight hunt title with Grit in the Far North last week.

2019 Tux New Zealand and North Island Sheep Dog Trial Championships last week.

The event was held on the volcanic cone of Te Ahu Ahu (just south of the Kaikohe turnoff on SH1) from Monday to Friday, May 27-31, with national and North Island titles up for grabs across four divisions: huntaways in zig zag and straight hunt, and the two heading events, the long head and marquee short head and yard. Maungakaramea’s Murray Child with veteran huntaway Frank won the national zig zag title, while Noddy Helley with Jayde took out the North Island title. It was Child’s fifth national title, a feat described by Northland stablemate Merv Cameron as a “magnificent achievement”, while Helley admitted he was no stranger to the Far North, having won the handy dog title at the Kaitaia leg of the Tux Yarding Challenge in December. There was further success for the Child dynasty, with Murray’s brother Neville and his outstanding dog Harry winning the national short head and yard final. It was Neville’s third national title, a record that includes the long head at last year’s nationals in the South Island, also with Harry. The pair put together two 97-point runs on Friday to hold off Guy Peacock and Chief, with Neville’s son Stuart close behind with Brodie in third place.

Andy Clark with Girl from Christchurch won the national long head title, while Cantabrian stablemate Neil Evans took out the North Island title in this class. At the conclusion of the event, the New Zealand test team to challenge Australia later this year was named as, Andy Clarke (captain), Neville Child, Guy Peacock and Stuart Child with reserve Henry ‘Chicken’ Gattum. Gattum, incidentally, was also touted by organisers as the vanguard of a new generation of triallists for featuring in the final run-off for the national short head with two dogs. He may be no spring chicken at age 30 but is still considered young compared with more experienced, topranking individuals in the sport. Every competitor at the event had qualified from their own provincial club championships. Three of the four national titles were decided on Friday, with the first national title sorted on Thursday. Conditions were difficult during the week, especially with winter arriving in no uncertain fashion on the last two days bringing chilly, strong winds and driving rain.

Northland Sheep Dog Trial

Centre president Chris Robertson on Stephanie Tweed’s NZ straight hunt win