The Northern Express Herald

Rachel Law and Nala triumph at national sheep dog trials in Hawke’s Bay

Rachel Law won the straight hunt title at the New Zealand dog trial championships in Hawke’s Bay.

A Taranaki farmer has become the third woman to win a national title in 116 years of New Zealand dog trial championships in Hawke’s Bay.

Rachel Law and Nala, of Whangamōmona, were the last qualifiers for the seven-dog straight hunt runoff on Friday.

But they turned over the field in winning the title after five days of sunshine for the North Island and New Zealand Championships in Central Hawke’s Bay.

In the rush for the revered green tie of national title acclamation, top qualifier and North Island title winner Ben Butterick, of Tai Tapu, near Christchurch, had to settle for fifth place with his dog, Frank.

Awaiting their turn Lloyd Bishop (left), from Taranaki, Bruno Broadhurst, from Marlborough, and Bryce Jensen, also from Taranaki. Photo / Doug Laing

The South Island claimed both heading dog titles, with Alan Stewart, of Omakau-Earnsleugh, triumphing in the long head with Ice, and Ben Millar and King, of Glenroy, claiming short head and yard honours.

King Country triallist Dan Jury, of Taumarunui, completed a North Island and New Zealand championships’ double with Tex in the zig-zag hunts.

Host centre and Takapau club triallist Jim Wilson won both heading dog titles in the North Island championships, which filled the first four days.

Two of Whangamōmona's finest, Dan and Steve Murphy, former national title winners who had to settle for the minor money, both in the long head runoff. Photo / HBSDTC

None of the 2026 New Zealand title winners had previously won a national championship.

Only seven titles have been won by women in the annual island and New Zealand championship series, all in the past seven years and all in hunts.

The breakthrough came in 2019 when Poverty Bay triallist Jo Waugh triumphed at the South Island Championships near Hanmer Springs, and Steph Tweed, of Waikaia, won the North Island and New Zealand straight hunt titles at Ohaeawai, Northland.

Law won a North Island zig-zag title closer to home at Mangamingi in 2024, and last year, at Amuri, Jo McIntyre won the South Island straight hunt and Samantha Shaw, also from Poverty Bay, won the New Zealand zig-zag title.

This year’s championships started with more than 500 entries, three triallists having five dogs entered, each with at least two runs.

The morning scene at Te Aute Trust Rd, Poukawa, during the 2026 North Island and New Zealand Sheep Dog Trial Championships in Hawke's Bay. Photo / Doug Laing

There were scratchings, which Hawke’s Bay centre president Rocky Hawkins said would have been because of changes in circumstances since the dogs qualified.

He didn’t think the fuel crisis would have been a factor, saying the annual gathering was not the sort of thing competitors would miss because of the cost.

It was all about the camaraderie, on the road as far as the deep south or top of the north, the days at the trials and in the clubhouse, the lodgings, from shearing quarters to motels and hotels, and restaurants and bars, particularly in Havelock North, where one of the attractions was a “bark-up” for dogs on Wednesday night.

There was fine weather all week, the morning fog that could have delayed proceedings came no closer than the surrounding valleys, and as a result, the championships, which started on Monday, were able to be completed before the start of the holiday weekend.

Wairoa farmer and dog trialist Dave Scragg had four dogs each running two trials on the hunting courses during the week, with the master otherwise bound to duties helping stage the events. Photo / Doug Laing

It would be a long trip home for two of the busiest and most travelled.

Semi-retired Southland farmer Brian Dickison, a former national title winner, and Omarama club member Scott Hunter, who won a title at the South Island championships last month, each came north with five dogs, but were heading south again without any of the spoils.

It was a particularly big week for judges Ken Lobb (Taranaki) in the long head, Andrew Herriott (Otago) in the short head and yard, Guy Redfern (Marlborough-Nelson) on the zig-zag course, and Scott McRae (Northland) in the straight hunt.

Results:

North Island Championships:

Long head: Jim Wilson (Takapau), Jude, 98pts, 1; Alan Stewart (Omakau/Earnscleugh), Ice, 97pts, 2; Steve Murphy (Whangamōmona), Edge 96.5pts, 3; Harry Peacock (Raetihi) Edge 96pts, 4; John Foss (Wairoa), Bindi, 95pts, 5; Dan Murphy (Whangamōmona), Nippy, 94.75pts, 6; Leo Jecentho (Karioi), Jake, 94pts, 7.

Short head and yard: Jim Wilson (Takapau), Jude, 96pts, 1; Roger Tweed (Waitahuna), Kane, 95.25pts, 2; Ben Millar (Glenroy), King, 95pts, 3; Mark Copland (Methven), Don 94.75 4; Hamish Child (Maungakaramea), Robbie 94.5pts, 5; Bernard Arends (Weber), Amp, 94.25pts, 6; Lloyd Smith (Waihemo), Guide, 94pts, 7.

Zig zag hunt: Dan Jury (Taumarunui), Tex, 96.3pts, 1; Jack Ellingham (Waikaia), Mana, 96.2pts, 2; Ben Butterick (Tai Tapu), Gus, 96.1pts, 3; James Steele (Mohaka), Gordy 96pts, 4; Derek Deans (Oxford), Maverick, 95.75pts, 5; Jamie Shrubsall (Omatane Kawhatau), Jed 95.5pts, 6; Jamie Shrubsall (Omatane Kawhatau), Rusty, 95.25pts, 7.

Straight hunt: Ben Butterick (Tai Tapu), Frank, 98pts, 1; Steph Tweed (Waikaia), Fault, 97.25pts, 2; Hannah Hutchinson (Ngātapa), Leslie, 97pts, 3; Grant West (Hobson County), Cassie 96.75pts, 4; Clark Chrystal (Jude), 96.5pts, 5; George Sheild (Ngātapa), Turk, 96.25pts, 6; Rachel Law (Whangamōmona), Nala, 96pts, 7.

New Zealand Championships

Long head: Alan Stewart (Omakau Earnscleugh), Ice, (97, 91.5) 188.5pts, 1; Jim Wilson (Takapau), Jude, (98, 90) 188pts, 2; John Foss (Wairoa), Bindi, (95, 91) 186pts, 3; Dan Murphy (Whangamōmona), Nippy, (94.75, 88) 182.75pts, 4; Steve Murphy (Whangamōmona), Edge, (96.5, 86) 182.5pts, 5; Harry Peacock (Raetihi), Edge, (96, 81) 177pts, 6; Leo Jecentho (Karioi), Jake, (94.5, 82) 176.5pts, 7.

Short head and yard: Ben Millar (Glenroy), King, (95, 93.5) 188.5pts, 1; Mark Copland (Methven), Don, (94.75, 89) 183.75pts, 2; Lloyd Smith (Waihemo), Guide, (94, 76.5) 170.5pts, 3; Roger Tweed (Waitahuna), Kane, (95.25, 63.5) 158.75pts, 4; Jim Wilson (Takapau), Jude, (96, 61.5) 157.5pts, 5; Bernard Arends (Weber), Amp, (94.25 59) 153.25pts, 6; Hamish Child (Maungakaramea), Robbie, (94.5, 58.5) 153pts, 7.

Zig-zag hunt: Dan Jury (Taumarunui), Tex, (96.3, 95.25) 191.55pts, 1; Jamie Shrubsall (Omatane Kawhatau), Jed, (95.5, 96) 191.5pts, 2; Ben Butterick (Tai Tapu), Gus, (96.1, 95), 191.1pts, 3; James Steele (Mohaka), Gordy, (96, 92.5) 188.5pts, 4; Jamie Shrubsall (Omatane Kawhatau), Rusty, (95.25, 92) 187.25pts, 5; Derek Deans (Oxford), Maverick, (95.75, 87) 182.75pts, 6; Jack Ellingham (Waikaia), Mana, (96.2, 79) 175.2pts, 7.

Straight hunt: Rachel Law (Whangamōmona), Nala, (96, 97) 193pts, 1; Grant West (Hobson County), Cassie, (96.75, 93.25) 190pts, 2; Clark Chrystal (Waikoau), Jude, (96.5, 93) 189.5pts, 3; Steph Tweed (Waikaia), Fault, (97.25, 92) 189.25pts, 4; Ben Butterick (Tai Tapu), Frank, (98, 91) 189pts, 5; George Sheild (Ngātapa), Turk, (96.25, 90) 186.25pts, 6; Hannah Hutchinson (Ngātapa), Leslie, (97, 84) 181pts, 7.

Doug Laing is a Hawke’s Bay Today reporter, and with more than 50 years’ experience in the news game. He has been based in Napier since rejoining the Daily Telegraph in 1987, covering events and issues, and has been honoured with a New Zealand Rural Sports Award.