This year's 75th anniversary trials - held on Sunday and yesterday at Ben Ledi Station and neighbouring Mt Alexander in the Dansey Pass - was the first time he had not taken a dog, but he was not bothered.
"It's not the end of the world," he said.Mr Sutherland (77) was kept busy as marshal for class one, the long head, which involved organising the competitors.
A life member of the Tokarahi Collie Club, he recalled attending the club's 50th anniversary trials which seemed "a couple of blinks ago".
Mr Sutherland usually attends trials between Taieri and Levels, and highlights included qualifying twice for the New Zealand championships.
He has two old dogs and two young dogs and, "God willing and I'm still around", he intended being back at Tokarahi with dogs for next year's trials.
Dogs played a key role on properties like those in the Dansey Pass. Indicating the steep hills, Mr Sutherland said farmers could never shift stock on such country without them.
Patiently waiting for her turn in the long head section was a relative newcomer to trialling, 25-year-old Kate Fitzpatrick, who works on her parents' farm at Fuchsia Creek, near Five Forks.
She enjoyed considerable success at a trial in Timaru several months ago with her young dog Ben, who was only 10 months old back at the time.
She was campaigning Ben yesterday, along with another heading dog, Jess, and a young huntaway, Cruze.
The trials attracted competitors from as far as Geraldine and Wyndham. There were about 100 entries each in the long head, zigzag hunt and straight hunt, and about 110 in the short head and yard.
The club will mark its 75th anniversary with a dinner at the Homestead in Oamaru in June.
The club's two patrons, Dave Blanchard and John Garvan, both attended this year's trials.
The prizemoney was doubled for this year's event with the winners of the open classes receiving $150.
A comprehensive history of the club, covering the years from 1934 to 1967, was compiled by the first secretary, Arthur Hore.
It was the drive and energy of the late Archie Henderson, a keen triallist and judge, which began the movement to form a club.
The inaugural meeting was held in the Tokarahi Hall on July 25, 1934.
Secretary Sandra Gibson is keen to hear from anyone with photographs or old programmes to update the club's history.
Margaret Vickers, the national archives co-ordinator for the New Zealand Sheep Dog Trial Association, was also looking for "anything connected with dog trials" from throughout the country.
