The 100th – and likely final – Te Teko Cattle Dog Trials attracted a good number of two- and four-legged competitors, and plenty of onlookers.

About 100 spectators watched as excited huntaways and stalking border collies did their level best to herd groups of heifers into the pens prepared for them at Trevor Potham’s farm on Tahuna Road on Sunday.

It was soon clear that the cattle beasts hadn’t received the memo.

The fun event lived up to its reputation as dogs persevered against the odds to control groups of three heifers, with the unruly beasts breaking and running at every turn.

A few nips and kicks were exchanged in the ensuing confusion; one heifer made a break for it and jumped over a fence to get away. Most efforts to pen the animals timed out before they could be successful.

But none of this mattered in a day designed more for rural fellowship and meeting old friends than serious competition.

Long-time organiser Beryl Gow said the event was a great success with 37 dogs competing alongside their owners.

With Pete Davies as judge and Rod Kennedy as timekeeper, the dogs had 10 minutes to successfully herd their cattle into pens. Of the 37 dogs, only five succeeded in completing the course.  

With cattle dogs being superseded on most farms by 4x4s and quad bikes, and no-one putting their hand up to take the cattle dog trials into its next century, this will likely be the final trials held at Te Teko.

It has been a staple of the surrounding rural community since Charlie Eivers and his mates returned from World War I and decided the Rangitaiki Plains needed something similar to the gymkhanas, hunter trials and sheep dog trials that were welcoming home fellow soldiers in other parts of the country.

With a lack of sheep locally, they decided to use cattle instead.

The trials have survived the Great Depression of the 1930s, World War II, the Edgecumbe earthquake, severe flooding, cyclones and Covid.

Having run the event for most of the past 37 years, Mrs Gow will be sad to see it go.

However, if it had to wind up, she said it was great for it to do so having reached the 100-year milestone.

Results

Overall male: Rex Vickers; overall female: Alisha McCormack.

Best dog under command: Brett McCorkindale

Fastest head: Brett McCorkindale

Fastest pull: Matt Barr with three-legged Flash

Novice dog: Gerard Bradley.