The Kauana Sheep Dog Trial Club is in recess, nearly four years after celebrating its centennial trial in Otapiri Gorge.
Life member Rod Coulter, of Centre Bush, said it was "a sign of the times".
Since the centenary, membership had fallen as people left the district and joined other clubs.
Mustering the six members required to hold a meeting would be a struggle, he said.
Pine trees were also being felled near the club grounds and access to the forestry block had been installed through one of the courses.
Mr Coulter doubted the club would return, which was a "shame".
His great-grandfather Robert Anderson helped launch the club in 1921 and his grandfather John Anderson once had the club grounds on his property.
"Things do change and you’ve just got to move with it," Mr Coulter said.
President Tain Laing said the club held its trials on Stoney Creek Station for more than 80 years and moved on for reasons including allowing the farm owner to plant crops on the flat courses.
The club held its first annual trial at sheep, beef, cropping and dairy farm operation Glen Islay in Mandeville last year.
That produced record entries, including nearly 90 competitors on the hunt courses, but that trial was also the last there.
Nearly 7000ha of forestry was to be planted on properties owned by the Roy family this winter including Glen Islay, he said.
The club had moved its grounds to the more than 4000ha property of brothers Cameron and Robert Grant in the Hokonui Hills.
Glen Islay changing to forestry would also impact the club, Mr Laing said.
"Very much so because they have three shepherds and usually a stock manager as well, so there's four people that they supply to help run the club that we're going to lose because there's going to be no-one there."
The loss of four members from a club was a lot, he said.
"I’d never say forever but hopefully it'll be for a very long time."
New Zealand Sheep Dog Trial Association president Pat Coogan, of Taumarunui, said it was a concern when a club went into recess as there were fewer opportunities for triallists to chase points to qualify for championships.
The association had 157 clubs in New Zealand, a number which had remained steady in the 11 years he had held presidency roles.
A club in the Waikato centre went into recess recently due to dairy cows being more common than sheep.
"They've basically run out of sheep so it's got harder. The members that are left there have joined another club about half an hour away, and that will strengthen that club."
Land-use changes to forestry had forced some clubs to find new grounds .
"The tenacity of the dog triallists in the local community to keep things going is immense," he said.
Sheep were becoming harder to find to run a trial.
"The moment forestry gobbles up land, sheep disappear with it."
He did not want to criticise the forestry sector and the sport remained in very good health, he said.
"We're still getting 280 runs per course at a championship."
The Mataroa Club celebrated its centenary in Taihape earlier this month and featured about 220 competitors on the hunt runs.
"So we're still getting huge numbers at championships because there is younger people coming through but because of land-use change, there seems to be the odd club that is suffering."
