Talking to Southern Rural Life at the Strath Taieri Dog Trials recently, Mr Anderson reflected back to when he first competed in 1963 as a bright-eyed and bushy-tailed 17-year-old, ‘‘right here at this very club’’,
with a black huntaway.
Mr Anderson and his family farm Ben Omar Station near Omarama. Son John has now taken over, but Mr Anderson (74) still keeps himself active shifting stock ‘‘and keeping busy’’.
Mr Anderson’s grandfather, whom he never got to meet, immigrated to New Zealand from Scotland and brought his farm dogs with him. As a South Islander he ventured north to compete in the North Island dog trials and was part of the group who formed the New Zealand Sheep Dog Trial Association.
‘‘They probably sat down over a bottle of whisky and came up with the idea,’’ Mr Anderson said.
‘‘The first national trial took place in 1936 and has been going ever since.’’
Mr Anderson credits some of his own dog trialling success to that solid dog breeding base his grandfather brought over from Scotland.
Since 1963 he has achieved seven South Island, four North Island and four national championship titles.
Mr Anderson’s father was also a keen dog man. ‘‘He was very instrumental to what has been a life passion for me, working and trialling sheep dogs.’’
Running a farm dog has changed over the years, Mr Anderson said. In the early years before ATV vehicles became popular, station owners would take turns helping each other out to muster large blocks.
‘‘We would be away for weeks at a time staying in huts.
‘‘You couldn’t have a bitch dog with you in case she went on heat and if that happened it was very troublesome trying to keep her separated from the rest of the dogs.
‘‘You near on had to bring her into the hut with you at night!
‘‘A good bitch back then was very important and she was looked after away from the rest of the mob. Nowadays it’s not quite so much of an issue.’’
Mr Anderson has a ‘‘firm but fair’’ attitude with his dogs.
‘‘I don’t beat them or train them so hard they are like a robot with their tail between their legs.
‘‘A dog still needs to be a dog and enjoy itself. They can be a good friend if you treat them right.
‘‘I often say don’t even try, unless you know you’re going to follow up and make sure they comply.’’
After 57 years of dog trialling, Mr Anderson said the highlight ‘‘apart from winning, of course’’, is catching up with good friends he has made along the way.
‘‘People you don’t see for months at a time, and then it’s just like you haven’t missed a day.’’
Mr Anderson enjoys this time of year getting ‘‘out and about’’ on the dog trial circuit.
His wife, Sylvia, he said, has been very accepting of his long stints away over the years, although, he said the older he gets, the more she seems to worry about him.
‘‘She’s a good lady — I am very lucky to have her’’.
-By Alice Scott
