Live farm working dog sales proving a popular sideshow to sheep dog trialling
10 Feb, 2021 04:00 PM
3 minutes to read
The highest priced huntaway, Tim McPherson s Greta, sold for $9500. Photo / Brenda O Leary
Iain Hyndman is a reporter for the Whanganui Chronicleiain.hyndman@whanganuichronicle.co.nzWhangaChron
The return of live farm working dog sales is proving a popular sideshow to the traditional sheep dog trials in the greater Whanganui district.
In fact, for many years, word of mouth was the main method of securing a top dog for most hill country shepherds, with only the occasional live sale held.
The East Coast has been a longtime supporter of live sales, often in Gisborne, while the regular sales in Mangamingi out the back of Eltham have not been held for seven or eight years now.
Turning 21 in 2021: Millennium babies on growing up in the 21st century
22 Jan, 2021 04:00 PM
6 minutes to read
Cousins all turning 21 this year are, from left, Oliver O Leary, Terence Wright, Isaac Milne and Jack O Leary. Photo / Supplied
Those born in the year 2000 will all be turning 21 in 2021.
Laurel Stowell catches up with local Millennium babies - including five cousins as they reach a traditional coming of age year. Whanganui and New Zealand are relatively stable, but out in the world they face a global pandemic, social unrest and dire predictions for climate and the environment.
Those turning 21 in 2021 also have to wonder how much more technology will change their lives, where the Covid-19 pandemic will end and whether they will ever be able to travel.
Whanganui s Most Beautiful Garden finalist: Anna O Leary s garden extends ever outward
8 Jan, 2021 04:00 PM
4 minutes to read
Anna O Leary would rather be out in the garden than in the house. Photo / Bevan Conley
Laurel Stowell is a reporter for the Whanganui Chroniclelaurel.stowell@whanganuichronicle.co.nzWhangaChron
Anna O Leary s garden at Fairfield Farm in the Whangaehu Valley has twice extended out into paddocks and is her happy place .
Her sisters-in-law entered it in the Whanganui s Most Beautiful Garden Competition because they thought more people should see its 700 roses, sweeping lawn and many smaller rooms .
It started when O Leary and her husband Shaun moved to the house 23 years ago. It s lush dairy farming country, with heavy clay soil and a gentle slope. The addition of topsoil and sand made it diggable . Thousands of plants and stony paths were added.