Far from a trial to poach points | Rural

Poaching - that's what the other half did last weekend and he wasn't alone.

Dog triallists often travel the entire country competing and experiencing unfamiliar courses and varying types of sheep against fellow competitors and dogs they may have never met.

With the Wairarapa/Southern Hawke's Bay SDT Centre's season kicking off a week behind other centres and a colossal craving to compete, a group of members travelled to Feilding, where it was cool, misty weather both days, but the sheep worked well on all courses.

They went to poach points.

Returning from the Wanganui centre, sporting super-sized smiles and precious points were four members.

Kerry Kilmister and Pulse came second on the Zig Zag Hunt, with Tim Hunter and Angel settling in at third.

The Straight Hunt was the other course members featured in, with Snow Taylor and Tangi winning the intermediate and taking third place in the open.

However, the young and talented Chris Shaw grabbed fourth place in the Straight Hunt Open with Major and won the Maiden SH with his second dog Rock.

Nurturing and supporting our country's shepherds is vital to farming and this sport - they are the next generation - it's great to see them being rewarded for their hard work.

So, the "other half" and Pulse have four points already, needing only one more to qualify for the North Island champs and two more for the nationals.

It's those last points that can be elusive though, so more poaching may be on the cards.

Next trial.: February 18-19 - Dannevirke & District DTC.

Contact secretary Buffy Lock on (06) 374-7747 to enter. Entries close noon on the last day.