Wales Farmer May 2013

Wales Farmer 10

DOUBLE SUCCESS: Kevin Evans and Moss, who won both sessions at Woodbine.

SHEEPDOG TRIALS May 2013

New season springs to life

By Lisa Soar

WHILE some shepherds in Wales were still battling to rescue their flocks from snowdrifts, the open sheepdog trials season kicked off in sunnier

climes in Pembrokeshire. The county has hosted spring

trials forthe last fewyears,giv- ing handlers the opportunity to get some early season points under their caps. The first event washeld at a

newvenue in Manorbier and competitors flocked to the field, including one handler from Italy. Hosted by Stan Harden and his band of helpers,the flock of Suffolk xMules and North Country CheviotxMules, were run in packets of three. The course wasset in along,

Results

MANORBIER: Session one (judge, Rona Davies): 1, I. B. Jones (Capel Bangor), Tim 7; 2, C. Gordon (Gower), Mirk, 9; 3, S. Harden (Pembroke), Bob, 10; 4, J. Bowen (Tenby), Kit, 13; 5, B. McConnell (Robeston Wathen), Sky, 14; 6, M. Ellis (Port Talbot), Roy, 17. Session Two (Colin Gordon): 1, D. Evans (Libanus), Belle, 15OLF; 2, S. Harden, Bob, 15; 3, R. Games (Talgarth), Roy, 23; 4, M. Hall (St Clears), Cass, 24; 5, K. Evans (Libanus), Caleb, 25; 6, A. Morgan (Mwnt), Sky, 34.

WOODBINE: Session one (Sheila Lewis): 1, K. Evans (Libanus), Moss, 7; 2, D. Meek (Maesteg), Mirk, 12; 3, M. Ellis (Port Talbot), Roy, 14; 4, Ll. Harries (Crymych), Groesfaen Jet, 15; 5, B. McConnell (Robeston Wathen), Jan, 16; 6, A. L. Daybell (St Davids), Spud, 17. Session two (Kelvin Broad): 1, K. Evans, Caleb, 13OLF; 2, I. Morgan (Aberystwyth), Scott, 13; 3, J. Bowen (Tenby), Kit, 14; 4, M. Ellis, Roy, 15OLF; 5, E. Hope (St Davids), Straid Mick, 15; 6, G. Kennes (Belgium), Grimm, 18.

MADOG &

LLANYSTUMDWY: Open: 1, G. Owen (Llanerchymedd), Moss, 7; 2, J.R. Griffith (Talysarn), Rob, 14; 3, E. Jones (Gwytherin), Kirk, 19; 4, P. Williams (Treuddyn), Sweep, 20; 5, G. Owen, Ross, 21; 6, C. Humphreys (Pennal), Roy, 24. Second Class: 1, E. Jones, Kirk, 19; 2, C. Humphreys, Meg, 21; 3, C. Humphreys, Bet, 38.

2013 major trials:

• English National: July 19th-21st. South Molton, Devon.www.englishnational sheepdogtrials.org.uk

• Irish National: August 1st-3rd, Roscommon. www.irishnation alsheepdogtrials.org.uk

• Scottish National: August 8th-10th, Kintore, Aberdeen. www.scottish nationalsheepdogtrials.org.uk

• Welsh National: August 15th-17th, Penybont, Powys. www.welshnational sheepdogtrials.org.uk

• International: September 6th-8th, Stoneleigh, Warwickshire. www.internationalsheepdog trials.org.uk

WORKING WONDERS: (Right) Second-placed David Meek, of Maesteg, and Mirk, competing at Woodbine.

rising field and the yearlings were trickytohandle.The out- run measured 300 yardsand nearly all the dogs were sent on the left-hand gather. The driveswereset to the left, measuring 290 yardsintotal, and therewas the added chal- lenge of asingle after the pen. This led to anumber of handlers running out of time beforethey could complete the course. Thereweretwo sessions,

judged by Rona Davies,of Lampeter,and Colin Gordon, of Gower. In the morning session, I. B.

Jones,ofCapel Bangor,and his all-Wales nursery champion, Tim, continued their winning ways.They lost sevenpoints, four of which were from the driveswhen ayearling just slipped past the second drive gates.

IN THE POST: I. B. Jones and Tim turn the sheep around the post at Manorbier. The afternoon sawBrecon’s

David Evans,running Belle,nar- rowlybeatStan Harden and Bob.They tied on 15 points,but David had the better OLF (out- run, lift and fetch) score. The following week John

Bowenhosted atrial near Cresselly, whereitwas double success forKevin Evans,of Brecon, when he wonboth ses- sions. Kevin ranMoss in the morn-

ing competition, judged by Sheila Lewis.North Wales nurs- ery champion Moss is atwo- year-old dog, by Kevin’s interna- tional champion Mirk. They lost sevenmarks in total, and were givenaclean outrun and lift, with one point taken offthe fetch. In the drivesthey lost six points,caused by ayearling pulling offline,back up the field towardsthe setting-out pen on

the first drive,and afew wobbles on the cross-drive.They finished with clean at-hand work,beating second-placed Dai Meek and Mirkbyfive points. The sheep used were amixed

flock. Runinfours,they needed adog to takecontrol, butalso needed to be taken around gen- tly. They areused to being worked by dogs,but some of the mixed packets didn’t settle together,leading to some of the moreheadstrong yearlings caus- ing afew problems. They could also be abit

touchyunder hand, although some handlers were luckyto have abunch whowould see the gapand walk into the pen. Both gathers were used and

the time limit in the morning was nine minutes,with the drivesset to the left. The second session was

judged by Kelvin Broad and the course wasaltered, with the fetch gates brought further down the field, and the driveschanged to the right. The time limit wasalso reduced to eight minutes. Once again Kevin wasgiven

the best score, this time working another young dog, Caleb. The three-year-old wasanother suc- cessful nursery runner last autumn and is by Serge vander Zweep’sGlen. Losing 13 points, they narrowly pipped Idris Morgan and Scott to the top spot with their better OLF score. Improving on his sixth place

with RoyatManorbier the week before, Malcolm Ellis placed in both sessions –thirdinthe morning and fourth in the after- noon. And avisiting handler from Belgium, Gene Kennes, came sixth in the second session running Grimm.

HARD AT WORK: (below) Sophie Holt, of Libanus, and Roy in action at Manorbier.

ALL PICTURES: k9tales.co.uk

For more information about joining the North Wales Sheepdog Society visit www.northwalessheepdog society.org.uk or to join the South Wales Sheepdog Trials Association visit www.southwalestrials.com.

Upcoming sheepdog sales:

•Saturday, May 4th, Sennybridge, start 10.30am.

•Saturday, May 11th, Bala. •Friday, May 17th, Skipton.

See next month’sissue for sales reports, more trials news, pictures and results For the latest Wales farming news: walesfarmer.co.uk

Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3 | Page 4 | Page 5 | Page 6 | Page 7 | Page 8 | Page 9 | Page 10 | Page 11 | Page 12 | Page 13 | Page 14 | Page 15 | Page 16 | Page 17 | Page 18 | Page 19 | Page 20 | Page 21 | Page 22 | Page 23 | Page 24 | Page 25 | Page 26 | Page 27 | Page 28