Good stick returns to ensure trials special

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Warren Brown is never short of a stick.

The Te Anau man estimates he has made about 200 sticks over the years.

Some of his sticks, featuring the horns from merino sheep, were given as prizes at the Waitaki Collie Dog Club's 125th anniversary trials at Hakataramea over the last two days.

Attending the trials was particularly special for Mr Brown, who was a member of the club when he worked as a shepherd in the Hakataramea Valley.

He reckoned he had not been to the trials for about 36 years and it was "bloody marvellous" to return.

He said he used a variety of woods for the sticks, including lancewood, cherry wood, hawthorn and holly - "anything I can get my hands on" - and used an old microwave to help bend the horns.

He fashioned a whistle into one of the sticks which had a handle made from deer antlers.

Mr Brown, who retired about nine years ago, estimated he had owned "a couple of hundred" dogs over the years.

"I loved the dog trials.

"I never did any good but it doesn't matter.

"It's just talking to country people.

"It's just a way of life," he said.

Matthew Taylor (10), from the Hakataramea Valley, went home with one of Mr Brown's sticks as youngest competitor.

Matthew completed his run, ensuring three generations of the Taylor family ran dogs at the anniversary trials.

At the other end of the age spectrum was Ron Dickie, of Queenstown.

Reluctant to give his age - although he let it slip he was probably the oldest dog triallist in New Zealand - Mr Dickie is understood to be in his 90s.

Mr Dickie, who has climbed Mt Cook three times, was a shepherd all his life but did not take up dog trials until he retired, 20 years ago.

He reckoned he was in his last season of trialling - "there comes a time you've got to give it away" - and was campaigning his heading bitch, Lassie.

Hakataramea was his eighth dog trial for the season and he was hoping to tackle the Omarama trials, too.

His "home territory" was Gore, venue for this year's New Zealand championships, and while he would love to compete at the national event, "I think it's just a dream", he said.

Following the publishing of an article in the Otago Daily Times on Saturday, Keppel Taylor, who researched the club's history, was phoned by a Dunedin woman whose great-great grandfather, Henry Molloy, owned the hotel where the club's meetings were held.

She said one of her prize possessions was a silver teapot, presented by the club to Mr Molloy in 1895.