Dust off your long johns and stories — it’s time for the St Bathans Collie Club centennial trial.
The centennial celebration begins with a community event at the clubrooms from 2.30pm on Saturday.
The corrugated iron-clad clubrooms sit at the foothills of the St Bathans Range on Dunstan Burn Station, a 12,000ha sheep, beef and deer farm, managed by club president Tom Goble.
All past and present members, sponsors, locals and anyone associated with the club were invited to the celebration, Mr Goble said.
"It’s all going to [be] laid on. There will be speeches and some old stories told."
Club secretary Janet Smith, of Becks, said a story from the club’s early history included a group of men and women racing on foot from the clubrooms to the Vulcan Hotel wearing only long johns.
She hoped about 150 people would attend the community event, which would feature a bark-up competition.
Club member Robbie Calder said for the contest, for a top prize of $300, competitors would battle to get their dog to be deemed the "loudest and funniest" on show by a panel of judges, who were all life members of the club.
The centennial trial will run on Sunday and Monday.
The four courses — the long head, short head and yard, zigzag hunt and straight hunt — were challenging because they were longer than the courses of other clubs, Mr Calder said.
Mr Calder will supply Romney sheep from his property Lauder Station for the short head and yard course.
Don Malcolm, of Mount St Bathans Station, will supply merino sheep for the three other courses.
The four judges are past members, who once worked in the area and now live outside the district.
Prize money would be increased to mark the centenary and winners of each event would take home a bespoke chopping board, Mr Calder said.
On the Saturday, a musterer’s race would be held as a side competition.
"A dash for cash."
Triallists would run from the cook shop to the top of the zigzag hunt and the first three back — "in the middle of a stinking-hot January day" — would win prize money.
Triallists had faced a range of weather conditions in the club’s history.
The club hosted the South Island Sheep Dog Trial Championships in 1981. Triallists were welcomed by hoar frost and then fog made it impossible to finish the heading events.
It snowed at another South Island championship the club hosted in 2002, Mr Calder said.
No matter the weather, dog trialling was his chosen sport and was enjoyed by many farmers.
"They love coming here and moaning about the price of lamb and the lack of rain — it’s a good couple of days to get away and talk to some like-minded people."
The club grounds was a community meeting place, where the children of triallists climbed trees, built huts and dug up rabbit holes, Mr Calder said.
"It has always been like that and we want to keep it going."
The club has five living life members — (in order from oldest to youngest) Jim Morgan, John Morgan, Val Waldron, Ralph Hore and Murray Heckler — who will all be at the centennial.
Jim Morgan (95) remembered being a child in the early days of the club.
Mr Heckler, of Omakau, said he would run dogs across all of the courses and would enter the bark up, but he would give the foot race up a steep hill a miss.
"At my age, I think I would be lucky to get across the flat," he laughed.
He acknowledged people such as Dunstan Burn Station owner Tony Enright for allowing dog trial clubs to use their property.
Dog trialling was great fun and had a strong camaraderie, Mr Heckler said.
"It’s quite competitive but I’ve made a lot of good friends at dog trials."
ST BATHANS COLLIE CLUB — THE EARLY YEARS
May 10 and 11, 1923: First annual dog trial meeting at Blackstone Hill.
A newspaper article on the inaugural trial reported: "A keen working committee had all arrangements well in hand, the various events being run off promptly and to the general satisfaction of all competitors.
For its initial effort the club is to be congratulated on the manner in which the trials were conducted, and for the most successful results, the presence of a number of well-known trial competitors being very gratifying to the promoters."
The watch of timekeeper William McConnochie was awarded to maiden competitor J. Wheeler, who secured the most points in the maiden huntaway class, with dog Mick.
The short pull and yard class had 17 competitors and a first prize of £8, won by triallists J. Donald and dog Mack.
The long pull and hold in ring class had 15 competitors and a first prize of £10, won by triallist C.H. McErlane and dog Speed.
The maiden huntaway and slew class had 16 competitors and a first prize of £10, which was won by W. Shaw and his dog Flo.
The open huntaway and slew class had 14 competitors and a first prize of £10. The section was won by triallist D. G. Matheson running Roy.
The competition judge, W. M. Wilson was given a case of pipes and the "ladies who ran the tea stall" were given £2 and 50p to share among those who had helped.
