There have been plenty of trials in Maurice and Annie Flood's marriage - dog trials, that is.
The Gisborne couple are competing at the South Island sheep dog trial championships at Hakataramea this week.
Mrs Flood qualified three heading dogs Bill, Baynes and Joy, while her husband is campaigning Fay a rising 10-year-old huntaway, who was second in the zigzag hunt at the North Island championships a few years ago and fifth in the New Zealand titles.
Dog trialling enthusiasts from throughout New Zealand have converged on Hakataramea for the championships. The titles, which finish on Friday, have attracted more than 200 entries in each of the four events and about 250 triallists.
While the couple were often asked if there was any marital rivalry on the dog trial circuit, that was not the case.
In fact, Mr Flood admitted he was proud of his wife's achievements. "Annie basically beats me most of the time.""That's nonsense," Mrs Flood quickly retorted.
The couple met when they were both competing on the rodeo circuit. Mr Flood, who was raised in the North Island, had gone south to do some mustering and shepherding, while his future wife came from North Canterbury.
After they married, they did some shepherding around Canterbury for a few years before settling in Gisborne.
They shared the farm work on the 480ha property.
The only flat area on the farm was around the house and daily stock work was done with horses and dogs. Trials were just an extension of the work they did on the farm.
At the first dog trial Mrs Flood entered, she took her little handy farm dog and it ended up being the local champion huntaway. She became enthusiastic about trialling and the number of her dogs grew.
She enjoyed working with her dogs and taking them from a pup, through the ranks, to a high level of competition, such as the South Island championships.
She likened it to growing a garden - planting something and watching it grow - and she got a great deal of satisfaction from it.
She also enjoyed the friendships forged, as well as the competitive nature of the sport. Having been a competitive horsewoman for many years, she was used to handling pressure.
She was also used to being in the minority, as far as women dog triallists were concerned, but it did not trouble her. And she enjoyed sharing the interest with her husband.
"I wouldn't be doing this if it wasn't for us two doing it together."
While winning a New Zealand title was the ultimate achievement for any triallist, Mrs Flood remained philosophical.
"What will be will be. You can't make it happen."
Dog Trial Results:
First day of the South Island Championship sheep dog trials, Hakataramea.
Long head: M. Utting, Jack, 1; D. Roy, Ali, 2; K. Kilmister, Floyd, 3; J. Berry, Duzar, 4; M. Williams, Jet, 5; N. Hore, Vic jun, 6; M. Child, Gaye, 7.
Short head and yard: M. Child, Dice, 1; G. Allison, Nell, 2; M. Utting, Brier, 3; K. Ebbert, Prince, 4; S. Wallace, Craig, 5; I. Anderson, Clyde, 6; D. Roy, Rob, 7.
Zigzag hunt: A. Irwin, Oscar, 1; M. Utting, Claude, 2; M. Mallison, Yeti, 3; S. Bradley, Buck, 4; D. Greenwood, Cruise, 5; L. Wink, Bear, 6; J. Kotloski, Reg, 7.
Straight hunt: D. Murphy, Rebel, 1; R. Pullen, Turk, 2; B. Manson, Mac, 3; E. Heckler, Brin, 4; B. Parkinson, Bear, 5; S. Bradley, Glen, 6; M. Loye, Jonah, 7.
