Emotions were running high after the significance of a convincing win sunk in for captain Neil Evans and heading dog Tess.
North Canterbury’s Mr Evans, fellow Omihi club member Ian Stevenson and Zac, Southland’s Brian Dickison and Jake, and Waikato’s Leo Jecentho and Tess got away to a good start on the first day.
Pat Coogan was the team manager and one of two judges.
All of them had clear runs after getting through the course in the allotted 15 minutes, just hours after hail landed on the ground.
That was until they went on the back foot when Peter Oxley’s Rivlin Caesar struggled with three large romney hoggets and had time-up called on him before the bridge.
Before that, the New Zealand captain let the Australians go first after winning the coin toss, a move that puzzled the green team.
Mr Evans said the call was strategic to put the first Australian triallist in to gauge form and then hopefully put pressure on with strong performances.
"On the first day we managed to win the toss and we let the visitors go first.
"Obviously that’s the way we wanted to go.
How much of a bearing this had on the final result was debatable as the Australians elected to go first again after winning the toss on the second day in the show ring during the Ashburton A&P Show.
By the end of the first day, New Zealand spurted ahead in the first test with a total of 311.25 points compared with Australia’s 245.75 points.
The second test was a closer run event with New Zealand tallying 327.50 points and Mr Jecentho having a barn storming run on 91.50 points.
Australia was behind on 308.75 points to leave New Zealand the clear winner of the Wayleggo Cup.
Mr Evans said they went into the first test with the aim of getting eight completed runs.
"Unfortunately for them, their second competitor didn’t complete so and we got through our four completed runs so we ended with a winning margin in that first test of 65 points.
"In saying that, in the second test if we hadn’t all penned we would have been level peg again, but we managed to get through and have the four good runs in the first test and in the second test everybody actually penned."
He said the "big and bold"romney hoggets from Mark and Hugh Copland’s farm asked a few questions of the dogs from both teams.
The Australians worked at home with lighter merino sheep whereas the New Zealand dogs were more used to stronger sheep, he said.
Mr Evans said the New Zealand team felt for Mr Oxley after the first run and he showed his merit by posting a good run on the second day.
"When we normally go to dog trials, we are competing as individuals, but this being a team event sometimes the strategy changes a wee bit.
"When we got through to that last run of Brian Dickison’s, we were pretty confident we had the series won and were obviously keen to win the second test as well so he didn’t need to get a high score.
"He still had a very good run, but the main thing was just winning as a team and don’t give the judge an excuse to take points off you."
New Zealand had gone into the first test as underdogs after last year’s result.
They didn’t want to go into the second test as underdogs and were determined to complete a strong performance, he said.
Mr Evans said he was just about brought to tears when they were greeted back at the hotel by supporters, as so many people including past New Zealand captains had contributed in the build up to the success.
"To be fair, the win is possibly just sinking in and it was a great experience and great to do it in front of all our family and friends.
"We had a lot of support and people had travelled from around New Zealand, which is quite humbling really."
The competition is carried out over a special course of four obstacles — a gate, a maltese cross, a ramp and a pen — under a mix of New Zealand and Australian rules.
