Musterers gather for last high-country dog trials

The high-country dogs are ready for their last run.

So, too, are the dwindling number of musterers who work the tussock country up the Ashburton Gorge in Mid- Canterbury.

Tomorrow night, when the last event is over and the last dogs come off the hill at Hakatere Station, the gorge dog trials will be at an end, save for the storytelling and celebrations.

Musterers' dog trials have been held at Hakatere since 1946, introduced by Leo Chapman and Sam Chaffey as a way of getting musterers to hold on to their dogs. MORE>>