The competition was held at Aratiatia Station in Taupō earlier this month.
"I was relieved to have gone all that way and to have got a result."
It was the first time either of the duo had competed in the North Island before or in a national final.
"There was a lot of trials and tribulations to get there," Ms McClymont said.
She and a fellow member from Maitland Sheep Dog Trial Club and another two members from Warepa Collie Club travelled together in a ute to compete at the event.
A lack of ferries presented a challenge to secure a booking to get their ute on a return journey across the Cook Strait, so the triallists and their nine dogs sailed as foot passengers.
The group then rented a ute in Wellington to travel to and from Taupō.
Despite the stressful journey and freezing conditions during the final, the southern duo penned the sheep in the given time.
"It got a bit messy at the pen because one of the sheep was facing out and it was a wee bit difficult to get Peggy to move it."
Peggy Sue was "quite young", celebrating her third birthday this week.
"She was trying to avoid that confrontation."
Peggy Sue got the sheep in and Ms McClymont shut the gate.
She had less than a minute remaining on the clock.
"I was very relieved."
Ms McClymont and Peggy Sue qualified for the final by winning the maiden section at the South Island final in Tapanui in November last year.
The North Island competitor in the national final, Luzia Meara and her dog Mouse, penned the sheep but after the allotted time.
The pair were unable to stay for the prizegiving in Taupō as they needed to make their return ferry booking.
Peggy Sue was happy to be home on their farm in Tapanui, Ms McClymont said.
"After going in trucks and ferries and staying in strange places."
