But that bar was soon bounded over by two maidens (first-time winners), who turned in two of the best overall results of the 272 dogs brought by about 100 shepherds to the hill farm between Clinton and Owaka.
"The sheep behaved well enough but didn’t just give away good runs, you had to earn it," club secretary Lyndon McNab said.
"For maiden dogs to win their whole event is quite an achievement."
Once a dog has won a maiden event, it is no longer eligible for that class. Open winners can only enter the open class for the rest of their careers.
Open results give points for the season, five points for first, down to one point for fifth. Six points are needed across a season to enter the national competition.
Established in 1910, the Tahatika Collie Club has held 116 events.
Mr McNab said dog trials demonstrated the strong connections between a man, his dog and a flock of sheep.
"It’s not necessary to have your dogs this well trained for most of our day-to-day ... But it gives shepherds something relevant to aspire to beyond their work.
The Tahatika club’s next step was the construction of a dedicated clubhouse with the goal of hosting more events.
