Reports that the Southern Hemisphere’s only cattle dog trials ended on June 29 have turned out to be an exaggeration.

Due to waning interest in recent years, last month’s Te Teko Cattle Dog Trials were to be the 100-year-old event’s last hurrah.

But last week, event organiser Marion Eivers said widespread publicity and an outpouring of nostalgia drew 38 contestants and about 100 spectators to Trevor Potham’s farm in Tahuna Rd.

This big turnout astonished her and her fellow committee members, who have since made the decision to keep the event going.

“We were told it was a great day out with all the food and entertainment provided. We were touched at the response as we’ve just been keeping it going for years. Cattle dogs are fewer than they used to be as motorbikes are often used instead these days.

“This kind of event is the sort of thing we need to bring people together in this rural area, but you can always improve things. Having seen many dog owners waiting around before their run, we decided to make some changes,” Ms Eivers said.

“The first is that registration will no longer be by phone – it will all be online. When you register you can express a preference when you and your dog have a run.

“This year the winner was from Pirongia, but though he arrived at 8.30am he didn’t get his run till 2.30pm. Having contestants tell us when they would like to have a run will streamline things a lot.”

The action on June 29 was excruciating to watch at times as dogs did their best to herd uncooperative cattle around the course and between the final gates.

Dogs more accustomed to working sheep had 10 minutes to herd their cattle into pens but despite plenty of canine enthusiasm the task proved too much of a tall order.

Only five dogs succeeded in completing the course.

The fun event 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 like the gymkhanas, hunter trials and sheep dog trials that were welcoming home fellow soldiers in other parts of the country.

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

The Te Teko Cattle Dog Trials have survived the Great Depression of the 1930s, World War II, the Edgecumbe earthquake, severe flooding, cyclones and Covid.

“Now it looks like we live again,” Ms Eivers said.

“And who knows, somebody out there may decide to keep our Te Teko Cattle Dog Trails going for another 100 years,” Ms Eivers said.