20 July 1992 Sheep Dogs Showed Their Mettle in Snow Rescue Work

A tribute to the work of sheep dogs in Canterbury's stock snow rescue operations has come from Lincoln University volunteer Frank Parry who spent three days on farms in the Waiau area.

Working on Neil and Pauline Ferguson’s 461-hectare Leebrook Station, Frank reckons that each of the four dogs on the farm did the work of two or three people with their speed and mobility.

Frank says that the hardened surface on the deep snow meant the dogs simply raced over it far faster than the volunteers who were laden down with heavy winter clothing.

Pauline confirms that the dogs were "a blessing". They showed no hesitation in getting out and working alongside Neil and the volunteers in the unusual conditions. Snow on the Ferguson's property, which carries 3100 Romney ewes, was up to fence level in places, as it has been on other farms throughout the district.

The Ferguson’s dogs – Bess, a 10-year-old brindle Collie, Bill a six-year-old brindle Collie and Flojo a four-year-old black and tan Collie, all huntaways, and Meg a four-year-old black and white Collie heading bitch – have been out all day every day during the crisis, but so far are none the worse for wear, according to Pauline.

"We always keep them well fed on meat with a good fatty content and they were in prime condition before all this started," she said.

Frank, who comes from a North Island farming family and is familiar with the stock moving skills of working dogs, says that even up against this year's extreme South Island snow conditions the great New Zealand sheep dog has proved its worth.

A Master of Applied Science student at Lincoln, where he is studying pasture grasses, Frank was one of more than 160 volunteers from the University who turned out to help farmers throughout Canterbury at the start of the snow crisis.

Some classes at Lincoln were cancelled for several days to enable student volunteers to undertake the urgent work without penalty to their studies.

Ian Collins, Journalist, Lincoln University, Canterbury, New Zealand