Owaka farmer Roger Sellars started trialling in 1982, and had dogs qualify for the championships most years, he said. This year, five dogs - three huntaways and two heading dogs - qualified.
He and 5-year-old heading dog Dice were 27th to run the short head and yard contest yesterday, in bitter conditions.
"It's so cold, you can hardly blow the whistle," he said.
While Dice was handling the weather, working the sheep with any finesse was difficult because the rain and cold was upsetting them.
Mr Sellars lost points coming down the course and withdrew before the sheep were in the yard.
"The draw can be an advantage for people running later in the week, when the weather fines up," he said.
Maria Hurrell, who is the secretary of the New Zealand Sheep Dog Trails Association Southland Centre, and the Gore Sheep Dog Trial Club championship secretary, expected the weather would clear tomorrow.
Ms Hurrell said there were about 300 competitors and close to 500 dogs registered yesterday. There had been some scratchings from the North Island, where farmers had got behind with their work because of recent weather, she said.
The competition runs until Saturday.
