Barking up a storm for a good cause

Balfour Young Farmers Club member Anna Schollum and her dog take on the bark up challenge. PHOTOS: EVELYN THORN

Young farmers stepped off farm to test the barks of their four-legged friends in Clinton last week.

About 70 people showed up to the Clinton Young Farmers Club Bark Up competition last Friday evening at the Clinton Rugby Club.

Farmers brought their furry mates to see which woofer came out on top in support of the Otago Rural Support Trust.

This was the second event they had hosted.

Although numbers were down this year, spirits were high as entrants worked their dogs to produce the loudest bark.

The Clinton Young Farmers Club hosted various events but their bark up was one of the newer ones.

They held an official house-dog bark, huntaway bark, teams-of-three bark and the classic human bark.

More than 20 people entered with their dogs.

Clinton Young Farmers member Abbey White takes her punishment of drinking out of a dog bowl as her dog did not bark at the Clinton Young Farmers Club at their second annual bark up last Friday.

Dogs who did not bark meant their owner dipped their nose into a dog water bowl to have a drink as their punishment.

Organising member Brianna Stanbra said the event was a good way to get rural folk off farm for a good cause.

"We’re supporting the Otago Rural Support Trust at this event because we know they are doing a lot to assist farmers currently due to the recent flooding event which drowned the paddocks for quite a few of us," she said.

"We as a group are pretty happy to be bringing farmers away from the job for a bit and socialising and catching up with their mates and other farmers who may be in a situation like theirs.

"We know times are tough for everyone and we want to help where we can."

The Clinton Young Farmers Club has a Facebook page people can check for updates on what they are up to during the year.

They host the Clinton Ball, the bark up and their annual quiz night, all of which bring in plenty of money for various groups.

"We’re looking forward to the next bark up, so hopefully people check out and watch for when it rolls around, along with any other events we’ve got going on."

For now, farmers will carry on working on farm, pick up the pieces of the flooding aftermath and see what the next chapter brings.