The Waimea and Tapawera Dog Trial Clubs teamed up to bring the much-loved Tux Yarding Competition to Tasman for the first time, hosting the event at Rowandale Farm in the Moutere last month.
Previously a Marlborough tradition, the event was unable to continue there, prompting the Tapawera and Waimea clubs to step in.
With 111 dogs entered, the two-day event drew strong competition and plenty of enthusiasm from both handlers and spectators. Fine weather helped, with just a touch of wind for Sunday’s run-off.
Julie Edwards, one of the organisers and a trialist herself, described the weekend as “extremely successful”, with positive feedback and well-behaved sheep helping everything run smoothly.
“Two of our local club members, David Meade and Eleanor Greenhough, made it into the run-off – which was incredible,” Julie says.
It was an impressive achievement against a strong field of competitors.
The overall winner was Brian Dickison with his dog Dan, while the novice section was won by 11-year-old Sage Spence from Marlborough and her dog Frankie.
“It’s great to see younger competitors coming through and being able to support them,” Julie says.
The Tux Yarding Competition focuses solely on yarding, where eye dogs and their handlers guide sheep through a series of obstacles, judged on teamwork and precision. Competitors start with 100 points and lose marks for any errors.
“It was a big club effort to make it happen,” Julie says.
