Whanganui Midweek

Raetihi dominates at championsh­ips event

Raetihi Collie Club shines, claiming all four centre titles in championsh­ips

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The Raetihi Collie Club hosted the Wanganui Centre Championsh­ips along with their club trial last weekend (February 23-25), a busy three days with a total of 483 dogs competing over the four courses.

Both the hunt courses and the shorthead course are on Gordon Chan’s property, with the longhead on the Rowe family farm a few kilometres south of Raetihi on the Parapara road. All four courses were in magnificen­t order, and the sheep worked well over the three days.

Club stalwart Merv Williams had a stellar weekend with Flash winning the open shorthead, placing fifth in the open longhead, winning the centre shorthead by a seven-point margin and placing second in the centre longhead, the stuff dreams are made of.

An amazing effort considerin­g Flash had a major ligament injury last year and wasn’t expected to recover.

Young Gavin Martin, also a Raethi club member, was fourth in the open shorthead with Chief and fifth in the centre run-off in that event. This was Gavin’s first time in a centre run-off. Merv’s Flash and Gavin’s dog Chief are litter relations.

Team Raetihi didn’t stop there with all four centre titles going to club members. Craig Johns won the centre long head with Jill, Merv and Flash the shorthead; Craig Johns also won the zig-zag hunt with Clay and Hamish McKay took out the centre straight hunt with Duff, with Raetihi club members dominating the minor placings too.

Hamish Thompson, from the Parapara-Makirikiri club, spoiled the party a little by winning the open zigzag hunt, and Graham Wellington, former Wanganui centre competitor, won the open longhead with Shamus, an event that Graham has won on many occasions over the years with various dogs.

Peter London, from the Paparangi club, followed up his win at Paparangi on the long head with Rush, making the centre shorthead run-off and placing fourth.

It was a great weekend of dog trialling — Fiona and her team in the cookhouse did a wonderful job catering on the three days.

The next trial in the centre takes place this weekend at Mataroa.

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?? ?? Gavin Martin and Chief in the drive. Merv Williams and Flash, winners of the class 2 open and centre.
Gavin Martin and Chief in the drive. Merv Williams and Flash, winners of the class 2 open and centre.
?? ?? RIGHT: Craig Johns and Jill, centre winners class 1. LEFT: Merv Williams and Flash penning for the win.
RIGHT: Craig Johns and Jill, centre winners class 1. LEFT: Merv Williams and Flash penning for the win.
?? ?? ABOVE: Finalists class 1: L. Patterson, C. Johns, C. Journeaux, M. Williams, A. Ryan. and judge Rob O’Sullivan.
ABOVE: Finalists class 1: L. Patterson, C. Johns, C. Journeaux, M. Williams, A. Ryan. and judge Rob O’Sullivan.
?? ?? Finalists class 2: C. Johns, G. Martin, P. London, G. Drake, M. Williams, with judge Andrew Savage.
Finalists class 2: C. Johns, G. Martin, P. London, G. Drake, M. Williams, with judge Andrew Savage.
?? ?? Finalists class 4: R.H. McKay, A. Kirkpatric­k, J. McAlley, H. Wilson, with judge Jono Neilson.
Finalists class 4: R.H. McKay, A. Kirkpatric­k, J. McAlley, H. Wilson, with judge Jono Neilson.
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?? ?? Finalists class 3: J. McAlley, H. Thompson, A. Von Pien, judge Tom Manson, and Craig Johns.
Finalists class 3: J. McAlley, H. Thompson, A. Von Pien, judge Tom Manson, and Craig Johns.
?? ?? Hamish Thompson and Brew, open winners class 3.
Hamish Thompson and Brew, open winners class 3.
?? ?? Gavin Martin and Chief, first in the centre run-off class 2.
Gavin Martin and Chief, first in the centre run-off class 2.
?? ?? Hamish McKay and Duff, winners centre class 4.
Hamish McKay and Duff, winners centre class 4.
?? ?? Peter London penning with Rush had only seconds left.
Peter London penning with Rush had only seconds left.
?? ?? Craig Johns and Clay, centre winners class 3.
Craig Johns and Clay, centre winners class 3.

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