Adapting to Aussie rules a challenge

East Otago triallist Lloyd Smith and his heading dog Code will compete to retain the Wayleggo Cup by winning a transtasman test series in South Canterbury from Friday. PHOTO: SRL FILES

Palmerston triallist Lloyd Smith and his heading dog Code are in a team out to beat their Australian rivals and bring home the Wayleggo Cup. Smith talks to Shawn McAvinue about his preparation for the transtasman test series over two days at the Ashburton A&P Show from Friday.

Q. How are your preparations going?

I’m pretty happy with what we’ve done.We had a team practice on captain Mark Copeland’s farm about six weeks ago and walked around the course together and then ran our dogs and I’ve been familiarising myself and getting comfortable with what’s required in the Australian sections of the competition.

We’re quite comfortable with what our sections are because we do them in our normal dog trials but it’s getting familiar with what happens in those Australian carries, where you’ve got to keep the sheep within 9 metres of you at all times and you’ve got to pick a pace and you’re not allowed to stop and you’re not allowed to help your dog in any way, so it’s sort of just a bit different to what we do.

It’s not only about me getting familiar, it’s getting the dog comfortable with doing those Australian sections and understanding that he’s got to keep those sheep within 9 metres of you.

Q. Who are the other New Zealand team members?

Mark Copland and his dog Guy, of Methven Collie Club in Canterbury Centre, Leo Jecentho and Jake, of Karioi Sheep Dog Trial Club in Waikato Centre and Ben Millar and King, of Glenroy in Canterbury Centre.

The reserve is Brian Dickison and dog Dan, of Greenvale Dog Trial Club in Southland Centre.

Q. How do you like your chances of the team retaining the cup?

I like to think we’ve got a pretty good chance but you certainly don’t want to be cocky about it because dog trials are very much all on the day — it’s you and the dog.

You can have full confidence in your dog but there is the unknown factor of the sheep.

Q. What type of sheep will you competing with?

Romney hoggets. They’re doing a wee bit of work on them so they’re not so feral to get them a bit more dog-friendly and user-friendly.

Q. Do you think there will be a home ground advantage for the New Zealand team?

You’d like to think so. A lot of their trials in Australia are on free-running merinos and their dogs are used to that type of sheep and handle them quite well compared to ours and we’d like to think there’s going to be a bit of home advantage on Romney hoggets.

Q. You have been dog-trialling for more than 40 years, winning your first national championship in 1983. Since starting in the sport, you have placed 69 times in island and national championships, competing with 24 dogs. How does Code compare with those dogs?

He’s never won a national but he’s been pretty consistent in the last couple of years and he’s been there or thereabouts, so I’m reasonably confident and comfortable with where he’s at and his ability to handle it.

Q. Is a Romney more likely to stand up a dog than a merino? A Romney can be a bit stubborn and stand up a dog, as you say. If they think the dog has got a weakness and it’s not firm enough to actually shift them, they will test the dog.

Is Code firm enough to shift a stubborn sheep?

I don’t think there’s any problem there. He’s pretty firm.

Q. How many transtasman tests have you competed in?

This is my second one.

I went to Australia in 2010 after winning the yarding at the New Zealand Championships in Gore with a dog called Ace. We went to Australia and we won it that year. It was quite good to win it over there.