Ashburton Courier: July 23, 2020

14 Ashburton Courier, July 23, 2020
RURAL/LIFESTYLE
www.ashburtoncourier.co.nz
Big crowd, high prices at dog sale
TONI.WILLIAMS
@ashburtoncourier.co.nz
Valued farm tools of the canine
variety wentunder thehammer
in Mid Canterburylast week and
peoplefrom around the country
came to buy.
The top selling dog, atwo­year
heading bitch named Spring,
fetched $13,200.
She was touted as ahardrunning,
well­mannered
mainstay who workedreally
well under good command.
She also had experience with
sheep and cattle.
Spring was one of 38 dogs up
for saleinthe 64th PGG
Wrightson annual sheep and
cattle dogsale at the Mayfield
A&P Showgrounds.
The dogs, of varying ages and
stages, all got to show their stuff
to potential owners in atwominute
dummy sheep trial.
Among those out to buy were
NorthIsland farm manager
StruanCurrieand Grace Pettit,
of Kumeroa, near Palmerston
North.
The couple had driven down
to Mayfield especially for the
sale following the death of their
mainstay heading dogSparkie.
The six­year­old, who they
had owned since he was two,
had died the week earlier dueto
an injury. He wasone of afew
dogs used on the farm to move
stock around, butmost were
mature in age.
They were looking for one or
twofarm dogs to take home.
The couple are on a700
hectare sheep and beef farm
running 3000 ewes and around
150breeding cows.
One of their buys was Ted, a
four­year­old huntaway,who
took their attention as he wasa
younger version of their beardie
dogGus,aged 11.
Ted was touted as apowerful
huntaway in need of an
experienced stockman owner.
Also on site was North Otago
dogtrainer Stuart Barnes with
his children Eva, 11 and Max, 8,
and the Innesfamily, of Levels
Valley, near Timaru, who had
‘‘come over for alook’’.
The Barnes trio were
checking over dogs of interest
prior to the auction as Stuart
was on the lookout forany deals
to be had buying agood dog.
Mayfield dairy farm manager
Innes brothers Matthew, 8, and Tom, 6, of Levels Valley, get up
close to Rangi, asix month huntaway male.
Mayfield's Andrew McLeod and Warwick Bell, of Methven, enjoy a
day out at the annual sheep and cattle dog sale.
Andrew McLeod wasalso at the
sale. He had10huntaways and
an old heading dogonfarm, but
was on the lookoutfor ayounger
dog.
Mr McLeod, who manages a
1400 dairy cow herd, had
particular interest in three dogs
in the sale, acouple of twoyear
olds and athree year old but
noted there had been alot of
interest in the sale.
‘‘The price mightput me off,’’
he said.
On averagethe dogs soldfor
$4200; while thetop selling dog
went for $13,200,the next top
heading dog went for $9000 and
the top huntaway sold for $8500.
AuctioneerGreg Cook saidit
was aseller’s market with some
‘‘verygoodprices’’ with buyers
from Southland to North Island.
The sale drew abig crowd and
saw arecord number of
registered buyers.
The good dogs werereally
sought after, he said.
Just one young pup was not
sold.
Ted takes the attention of Struan Currie, of Kumeroa.
Fraser McKenzie of Montalto with heading dog Ben.
Tim Turner of Fairlie with huntaway Rose.
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