The UK's SheepDog Resource
May 09
South West Bulletin ISN May 2009
Apart from several Nursery Trials in Devon, not much has been happening in the south west recently – BUT – there is a packed programme for the 2009 Season with the English National, in August, being the icing on the cake.
Following hard on the heels of the end of the Nursery season, the Open Season has begun with a Driving Trial at Ian Bickle’s Chillaton Barton on April 26th.
Following Ian’s trial the action moves to Cornwall during May opening with the double Trial at John Carter’s on 9th and 10th May at Trethern, Delabole.
Trethern is the venue for another two trials – Tyringham Arms on 16th May and West Rose Trial on 17th May. Sec. for all these trials is John Carter 01840 213339.
Moving to South Penquite, Blisland for 23rd May, Sec: Bill Muggeridge 01579 370725
Tregony for the Trewarthnick on the 24th and again at Tregony for the Tregony Trial on the 25th.
Details from Sec: H Ross, 01872 501705
Sat/ Sun 13th/14th June is the Roughtor Trial – Sec. Trevor Hopper 01872 501886 Entries close 1st June.
Sunday 21st June is the Tremeer Trial at Carruan, Polzeath. Sec: Claire Parnell 01208 880990.
Sunday 5th July, the Roseland Trial at Ruan Highlanes near Tregony Sec: Miss M Delgarno 01872 530571. Entries close 21st June.
Please note: Tuesday 9th June is the National Sheep Association (NSA), ‘Sheep 2009’ to be held at North Alfordon Farm, Okehampton (signed from the A30, Okehampton East Junction). A Sheep dog Trial is being hosted prior to the Dog Sale. Dogs intended for sale can be put through their paces before-hand. Please contact Miss M Delgarno on 01872 530571. Entries close 24th May.
Devon continue their programme on Sunday 7th June with a Charity Trial at Sanduck Farm, Lustleigh Secretary, Ian MacKay on 01647 440287. Entries close 16th May. Included is a Brace competition and the event includes a Family dog Show.
Open Trials are to be held at Kentisbury Down on Sat 27th/ Sun 28th June. (Saturday to be confirmed) Sec. Chris Dapling 01271 882274/07974 112089
Saturday 20th June Devon & Exeter opening Trial at Ralegh’s Cross, Exmoor –Entries close 6th June
The D & E Brendon Hills Trial will be held on Saturday 4th July. Entries close 20th June
Trials Secretary for all D & E Trials is Jane Harper 01837 810562
Postbridge Sheepdog Trial to be held at Middle Merripitt on Sunday 19th July. Sec: Wendy Watson 01822 880215. Entries close 5th July.
Reference the above – except where stated all Trials entries are on the field, on the day.
Nursery Trials
March 1st at Delabole, kind permission of John Carter saw J Nicholls of Buckland Brewer take 1st and 5th (Dan and Kim), in the Maltese Cross, Ian Bickle with Paddy 2nd, Tom Besant 3rd with Molly, Dick Montgomery and Meg 4th with Ian Mackay and Slip 6th. Marie Delgarno was the Judge.
Kim Scott judged the Driving, results were as follows: Mavis Backhouse and Polly, Bill Evans and Luke, Dick Montgomery and Joe, Fiona Davies-Russell and Finn with Trevor Hopper and Bess 5th.
Messrs Carter Jnr and Hopper Jnr with Blue and Jack were the young handlers of the day.
March 15th at Ian MacKay’s, Sandcock, Lustleigh. Chris Roe judged that Jed Watson and his trio of Gell, Craig and Bill saw off all challengers in the Maltese Cross. Ian MacKay with Lyn was 4th; Rob Hawke and Lad were 5th and Philip Davies-Russell and Gust were 6th. 34 ran.
Jenny Holdsworth oversaw 17 runners in the Driving where Angie Blackmore was 1st with Taff; Mavis Backhouse 2nd with Polly and 4th with Nell; 3rd Bill Evans and Luke; Gordon Martin with Mist 5th and Roderick Hayes with Ned 6th.
Matt Carter with Blue was the only junior competitor although Annabelle Bickle went to the Post.
Congratulations to Annabelle for effort!
This Trial was held on about the best day of the year. Weather was fantastic, the turn out from competitors was extremely good. The sheep were Border Leicester/ Swale mules and were pretty even. The field is small, reasonably level and dogs can take easily a left or a right outrun to suit.
March 28th at Dave Lewis, Launceston saw Trevor Hopper as judge for the MC and again Jed Watson made swift work of the top three places with Craig, Gel and Bill; Dick Montgomery was 3rd with Meg; Jenny Holdsworth and Disk were 5th with Ian Bickle and Paddy 6th.
The Driving was judged by Julie Tucker and she placed Angie Blackmore and Rosewood Ben in 1st position with G Coombes and Jock 2nd ; J Simmons and Chesney 3rd followed by Bill and Luke in 4th.
Bill Muggeridge gave a description of the day as “weather not good, my joints are telling me about it now, driving rain made the sheep spook and the terrain of the field led to challenges about placing sheep”.
Trials Information
Together with information of many other trials in the south of England, you will find notice of all Devon and Exmoor Sheepdog Society Trials on ‘The South of England Sheep Dog Trials’ page on the Sussex Sheep Dog Society website. Google ‘Sussex Sheep Dog Society’ to find the page. At the moment access to this page is only through the Sussex site.
This site is very comprehensive and is building up to include results, adverts, news, dogs and puppies for sale etc. etc. Independent trial organisers are encouraged to avail themselves of this facility. Please phone Jane Harper 01837 810562 or jane.harper20@virgin.net for further information.
On the current Sussex Sheepdog Society site is a comment about the recent newspaper report that a Buyer of Lamb for Tesco in New Zealand banned the freezer works (abattoir) drovers from using sheepdogs because ‘they stress the sheep’ too much. A three column piece appeared in the UK Saturday Telegraph of 4th April alongside a letter from a chap in Canterbury NZ announcing that instead of dogs, men with rattles and waving their arms about would drive the sheep!
With the proximity of the date being so close to the 1st of April one is left wondering if this was a bit of a ‘wind up’! Especially as in the 11th April edition of the same newspaper there was an assertion from Tesco that they none of their Buyers or suppliers had been instructed not to use sheepdogs. “They are part of traditional farming the world over and long may this continue” a spokesperson from Head Office in Hertfordshire confirmed.
On the subject of ‘clever beggers’, this following email arrived recently ……..
Dear David
I understand that you’re (sic) the chairman of the Englich (sic) national sheepdog trials. As such I would like to congratulate you in your achievements. I think dogs are very intelligent animals that know the difference between right and wrong and therefore should have trials for their crimes in the same way as us humans. If I stole a biscuit I would expect to be reprimanded let alone if I tore a small lamb apart with my bare teeth.
I fully endorse your ‘dog trial’ system and would like to know how to get involved and possibly extend the idea to include other intelligent animals such as pigs, dolphins and raccoons.
Is there are way I can donate to the cause?
Thanks
Yours sincerely
M P
We think a suitable reply might include comments about the progress that has been made with the trial and prosecution of other animals. Recently there was the prosecution of an octopus on 8 charges of entanglement and that was duly fined fifty squid. Currently here are four rhinos that are held on charges. Sadly a case against two Zebra had to be dropped as the evidence against them was not black and white!
We rest our case! (Thank you to the contributor of this nugget)
Returning to the business of this coming season’s Trials –
John Whiteley will host the Club Spring Trial at Babcary, in the big field on 17th May.
John Whitely (01963 240618/ 07802 749925) will host an Open Trial at Babcary, South Somerset on Saturday 1st August. On Sunday 2nd August is a Somerset Members trial at the same venue.
Tom Besant (01258 837918/ 07766 733515) Cheselbourne, Dorchester, Dorset. Sunday 16th August.
Rob and Anna Hawke (01722 718228 or email: hawke@onetel.com) Bishopstone Charity Trial Weekend 3rd/4th October. Entries to Anna Hawke.
News from Somerset – As a result of the AGM , John Whiteley was unanimously voted in as new Chair. Ron Fouracres has kept this seat warm for a fair number of years and decided that it was time for him to take a lesser role in the Club. John’s wife, Alex – no stranger to Trialling – is looking after both secretary and treasurer roles. Anne Maclean Williams is Vice Chairman and members of the committee include: Ron Fouracres (retiring Chairman); Phil Rabbitts; Martin Groves; Brian Clarke; Di Clarke; Barry White and Richard Stott.
The Club would like it to be known how indebted they are to all the time, effort and total commitment that Ron has given this little club. That it maintains its friendly atmosphere, welcoming air, and encouragement of young handlers and for those who want to find out more, is mostly down to Ron! Without him there were many times the club would have folded. That he feels confident of its continuation and future has helped him take this breather. In the next issue of ISN there will be news of other trials than the ones already mentioned at John’s place in May and August. Training days will continue – dates to be announced.
Everyone from Somerset Training and Trialing Club would like to say a very big thank you to Ron Fouracres!
We also thank June who as Secretary has so ably assisted Ron throughout this time.
Another person to whom we give thanks is our outgoing Treasurer Sue Ackerman.
There is a new Book called, simply ‘SHEEP’. It is the work of Kate Lynch, a Somerset based artist who spent three years gathering her inspiration.
“In her latest collection of beautiful atmospheric paintings Kate Lynch follows sheep through the seasons, finding farmers and craftspeople working in related trades from the Mendips and Exmoor down to the Levels and the sea. Her work forms a fascinating picture of rural life”
- Louise Elliot, Country Living Magazine.
Some of the shepherds and dogs depicted in the book are familiar to the Somerset Trialling Club - there is a compelling portrait of Andy Wear (profile ISN July 2008) using his blade shearing skill. Ron and club members helped with the ground work for this book and it is obtainable from the Publishers at £18.00 – Tel.01458 250367 or email furlong.fields@virgin.net
In tandem with the publication of the Book is an exhibition entitled “From Lamb to Loom”
Having been in Somerset during April, the entourage moves to Cirencester, Glos to the New Brewery Arts form 9th May until 21st June. From there to the Museum of North Craven Life, The Folly, Settle, Yorks from 27th June to 4th August. Returning to Somerset – Black Swan Arts, Frome, 27th August until 3rd October and finally to Exmoor, Dulverton to the Guildhall Heritage and Arts Centre from 5th to 17th October.
Other news
Ian MacKay of Lustleigh makes sticks. They are very good. He uses apple, oak, blackthorn, ash and holly among other wood with horn from Jacob, Hebridean, Scottish Blackface and Buffalo, to name but a few. He is also a member of the British Stickmaker’s Guild (Hope that is the correct name!)
For further information contact Ian on 01647 440287. These sticks have class!
Mentioned with his photograph in ISN March 2009 – CAP – is still missing. He was taken from Malpas, Newport Gwent on February 14th. Del Baker is still seriously ill and it would make a positive difference to his health if his dog was returned to him. As a reminder, he is black and white, rough coated with drop ears and has just the one ball! He is micro chipped – 968 000 002 767 345.
Contact Del on 01633 857068 or 07723 531224
Saw a funny thing the other day – neighbours wayward collie turned up for a chat with my bitch who was not having any and chased him off. He then made the mistake of joining farmer Brinson’s’ bunch of energetic hoggs in the field adjacent and was last seen being hunted with all 15 in hot pursuit and gaining!
Cerne Sheep Group and the Rare Breeds Survival Trust – Dorset Branch – continue to produce an interesting programme for their members. In February this year they had a talk about psychology related to dog training – what would your ‘die hard’ shepherd have to say about that then! This group has a lot of jollification in amongst the serious business of livestock keeping – feasts and barn dances and the like! And the farm walks are just that – none of your trailer rides in Dorset!
Sue Wreford is Secretary and can be reached on 07976 9681susan@wreford626.orangehome.co.uk
BBC Countryfile has shifted to a sensible 7pm time of a Sunday, so I got to see it recently. Young Mr Henson, one of the presenters, who farms with his Dad in the Cotswolds had a few things to say about his sheepdogs – Kelpie, elderly collie and collie/kelpie. He said that they are an ecological engine, are very ‘green’, do not need much maintenance, can do the work of three men working without dogs, they are cost effective and a dog wants to work for their ‘alpha’ person.
Still there are plenty of farmers out there who are of the ‘get in behind’ variety and still lack basic handling skills. The dogs are OK – it is just the handlers who need the training! Rather liked one of the outcomes of a series of meetings that Defra are promoting about ‘what farmers are looking for in the way of skills training’. One of which I attended last week. Bring back the Agricultural Training Board (ATB) seems to be the clarion call!
Training Booklet
In looking at simple training for uncomplicated people we are proud to announce the arrival of the new ISDS Training Booklet ‘Training a Sheep Dog’ – a Guide for the New Handler.
Some of the concepts in this 20 page booklet are similar to the ATB ‘Blue’ book that was so successful many, many years ago. This edition compiled and edited by Caroline Woolley, has friendly illustrations by Katy Cropper and includes all the basic skills that you need to ensure that you and your dog are working together as a team. It will be available free of charge to those who are running bone fide sheepdog training classes and will be on sale for about £2.00 at all the National Trials throughout the summer. Included is information about the ISDS and the ISN.