May 010

May 10

Triallists in the south west have been wondering if there ever was to be Spring this year, but it has arrived and the daffodils have raised their heads. The garden here has a multitude of cowslips that do not pay any attention to the weather and have been coyly emerging for some time now.

The Nursery season is almost at a close with just two Trials left in the programme. Despite the appalling weather in the South West this season only three Trials were completely lost, others being rearranged at different venues. Looking through the results, Jed Watson has dominated the Maltese Cross with a variety of dogs. The many lady competitors are all making their mark and it looks as if the Judging evening of last year is paying off.

Nursery contenders were out of their usual geographic area on 14th March when the trial was held at Cheselbourne in Dorset and where Maureen Capes and Mist were delighted to take the Driving. This team also won the driving at the Morthoe Trail on 14th February.

Regular competitor Roderick Hayes has been out of action this season following a particularly nasty break to his hip and John Carter has kept a lower profile than is usual as he has not been well but is now back on his feet.

Numbers have fluctuated but are usually in the high twenties for both Maltese Cross and Driving. Altogether 10 out of 13 proposed Trials will have been completed.

The race between the two young handlers of the Nurseries seems equally divided and the final result may well hang on the numbers of trials the boys have attended!

Maybe it should be said that many people compete in these trials in order to put a young dog through its paces and gaining a place in the final six is a bonus rather than the aim.

Before moving on to other matters a word about the organisation behind these Nurseries -
The ladies who arrange these Trials in the South West tell us that due to the framework that has developed, running the trials is not a headache. The cascade system allows everyone to be part of the trail process.

All these arrangements – securing venues, creating a list of dates, starting the cascade system for contacting the list of regular triallists in the event of alteration and making decisions - has been in the hands of Julie Tucker and Lesley Lock. The south west report this time we would like to mark their achievements with a few words from the ladies about how it all happened in the first place.

Julie’s story

My addiction to trialling started by pure chance. I moved from the north east of England in about 1990 and planned to take a year out and escape the pressure of corporate life so took a job in a riding stables on Dartmoor, it was also a moorland farm, the job and my interest developed more towards sheep and soon became more or less full time shepherding. There were several good black and white farm dogs there so I went out and bought a brown & white collie bitch so I could see which was mine in the pack of black & white when we were out on the moor.

She became a very good farm work bitch by luck & repetitive work rather than dedicated training. After 10 years I decided my “year out” had to come to an end and so went back to the world of business but cemented my farming links by marrying a farmer. As the old brown bitch approached retirement I bought a young pup and decided that it was only fair to her to learn to train her properly so enrolled on a Wool Board course with Jed Watson.

During the winter of 2005 I spent many very cold and wet mornings at Postbridge and met a bunch of like minded enthusiasts. With Jed’s patience, guidance and encouragement we all made progress and it is testament to his skills that several of those on that course have gone on to become competent handlers and are regularly seen on the trial field.

It was on that course I met Lesley who had a young dog of similar age to mine, we became good friends and together we ventured towards nursery trials. As one dog was never going give me enough experience at the rate I wanted it the number of dogs has now increased to 5. This has been aided, abetted and guided by Jed, who even after moving away has remained a great mentor and inspiration as well as a very good friend.

Lesley’s story

Although I have attended many sheep dog trails, I was always a German Shepherd fan, competing in Obedience classes for years. I watched and learned at the Trials. On being told that as I had no sheep then it was not worthwhile for me to get a collie. Being stubborn I bought Moss

Then I went to Hilary Jones who is marvelous with the intrepid new handler. After a while I heard of a Wool Board course being run at Postbridge by Jed Watson that Caroline Woolley had organized. This is where I met Julie Tucker and an instant kinship was established.

It happens that I keep horses on Dartmoor and I was lucky in begging, borrowing, but not quite stealing, sheep for the purposes of training Moss. So I combined my two hobbies on Dartmoor – while riding out I could also access the sheep and put Moss through his paces. After Jed moved away I started going to Ian Bickle for support and guidance. So naturally I started trialling Moss and Julie started too.

There have been nurseries in the West Country for many years, started we believe by Roy Goutte, John Carter, Ian Bickle and Ian MacKay and run on an informal club basis by many others over the years.

Julie and Lesley take up the story together - We cannot recall how we got volunteered into organizing the nurseries but somehow it just happened. For the 2007 /8 season with great support from sheep & land owners we arranged venues and published a schedule, wrote down a few basic rules and persuaded some experienced handlers to judge. The Schedule we made ‘fun’ by downloading a cartoon for the front page.

With our recent experience as new handlers with young dogs we could see what was causing us some concerns so we changed the Maltese cross class to make it a gradual build up of skills over the season, starting with a Outrun, lift and fetch, Shute & pen. This progresses as the weeks go by to one way through the cross, then later introducing a shed and for the last few weeks the full course of 2 ways through the cross, shed and pen. The driving has remained a full course.

The feedback from our approach to the MX was very positive as it is felt that it gives both young dogs and new handlers a greater probability of achieving completion of the course.

By popular demand for the 2008/9 season, we were back and once again produced a schedule but this time included an extra class for young handlers with any dog. This has given our local young handlers the opportunity to gain valuable experience during the winter months and equipped them with the skills and confidence to compete in open trials during the summer.

For the 2009/10 season in addition to the schedule, we have developed a Website; this has proved to be a very valuable communication tool this year to keep everyone informed of the many postponements and changes caused by the lovely British weather.

The West Country nurseries are only possible due to the generosity of those who allow us the privilege of running our dogs over their land and the use of their sheep over the winter months, as well as those who have been kind enough to give up their time to judge, also everyone who has let out sheep, taken off sheep, taken entries and done time keeping.

We have had many positive comments about the way the nurseries have been run however our roles have been made very easy by the huge support and good will of all mentioned above.

And in order to further the popularity of the south west nurseries, they have created a Website that some of you may have contacted – www.bearwoodfarm.co.uk Here you will find has a comprehensive list of Trials, results and photographs, a market place for shepherding items – including puppies - and any other news of benefit to West Country triallists.

These ladies have successfully conducted three seasons of Nurseries and have overcome a lot of obstacles on the way but with everyone’s help they now have a formula that is working. And in large part, thanks to Julie and Lesley, Nurseries have been revitalized in the south west!

Other Trials

In late February, Gloucester and Gwent Sheepdog Association held a ‘Club members only’ Trial at Coedkernew, Newport, where Colin and Mary Evans kindly hosted the trail on a course well known to the competitors.

The assembled company enjoyed the day with its fine, if sharp, weather which was a welcome break in the cold winter. The sheep were well presented – Welsh lambs – and they were cooperative and worked consistently. As mentioned the course was familiar to competitors and the ensuing results are a good reflection on the abilities of handlers and dogs.

The Trial proceeds and numerous donations raised £175. Subsequently it was decided to give this princely sum to the work of the local MacMillan Nurses in memory of Club member Del Baker, so sadly taken last September.

Jeff Hudd took the Honours for both the Nursery – losing only five points and the Open – losing 10 points with Tysswg Ben and Tysswg Nell respectively.

With Tysswg Queen he came second in the Novice to G. Jones and Nan who came first losing 10 points. P. Best with Kep (points lost 12) came second in the Nursery and Richard Montgomery second in the Open with Ollie losing 11 points on OLF.

All these results have been posted in the Farmers Guardian

Somerset have had several Training Days all supported with Funding by Duchy College. This year’s Trials should be more competitive as a result! The last Training day was hosted by Richard Stock. The Charollais X lambs included Richard’s con Connor’s pet lamb in a bunch of thirty that ran twice. Just a small field of 4 – 5 acres and where 12 people were able to practise with no pressure at all. There will be another one on Sunday 9th May at John Whiteley’s training field – please contact STTC Secretary Alex Whiteley(01963 240618) if you would like to take part. There will be a Club Trial on Sunday 23rd May – again, please contact Alex Whitley for further information. There is also the possibility of a Club Trial at Tom Besant’s in Dorset later in the year.

The Lydthorpe Trial – hosted by John and Alex Whiteley will be held on Sunday 7th August.
FFI contact Alex on 01963 240618 or whiteleyja@yahoo.co.uk

The Bishopstone Charity Trial this year is over the weekend of 2nd and 3rd October – entries to Anna Hawke on 01722 718228 or hawke@ontel.com

Devon & Exmoor have their usual packed programme of 6 D&E SDS and 12 private trials for 2010 together with the annual Devon and Cornwall match and Novice Championship. All Club Trials are posted on www.devonandexmoorsds.co.uk this is a new site and carries information about the club, results and there are some classic photographs. Entry forms can be downloaded. These and other Trials in Devon also appear in the excellent new D&E Trail Dates brochure (thank you Jill Cobbledick) – contact Aeron Jermyn (01837 810562) Membership Secretary for both membership and a copy of the brochure.

As is traditional the first Club Trial will be hosted by Nigel Cowling at Ralegh’s Cross on Saturday 19th June. Nigel will host another Club Trial – Open Driving - on Saturday 3rd July at Brendon Hill – Trials Sec. Jane Harper for Entries (01837 810562)

The Season in the South West opened with the Chillaton Barton Trail on 25th April and it continues with the Sanduck Cross Farm Trial on 5th June – entries to Julie Tucker 01822 810276 by 22nd May and the Sanduck Cross Farm Charity Trial on 6th June – entries to Ian MacKay 01647 440287 by 15th May.   Both have an 0830 hrs start and the venue is Lustleigh, near Bovey Tracey. The Sunday Trial has a Brace Class.

Sunday 4th July Mr. D. Pyle is hosting the Kentisbury Down Open Driving Trial in North Devon, Jane Harper (details above is the Sec) - entries close 19th June.

Saturday 24th July is the Ashwater Trial (Driving) to be held at Chillaton Barton – Sec. Bill Evans 01409 211486 – entries on field.

A new Rule has been introduced for the Novice Championship on September 26th – Competitors must not to have featured in the first 6 at any Trial as at the date of the Trial.

All the above Trials appear on the South West section of the Trials dates on www.isds.org

With the Cornwall Sheepdog Society where you see a space in the Devon & Exmoor calendar is where you will find a Cornwall Trial or is it the other way around?

Kicking off with the Weekend of 8yh and 9th May with the Trethern Trial at Delabole – well known for having two Trials on each of the two days, running at the same time. Loads of Trialling!

The following weekend sees the Tyringham Arms Trial on 15th May and the West Rose Trial on 16th at the same venue as above.

For all these trials contact John Carter on 01840 213339. 2nd May close for first weekend, entries on field for second.

The weekend of 30th and 31st May with two separate trials at Tregony, Truro. Secretary H. Ross on 01872 501705   Entries on the field.

Sat 12th and Sun 13th June if the Roughtor Trial at Camelford sec. Trevor Hopper 01872 501886. Entries by 1st June.

Sunday 20th June Tremeer Trial at Polzeath Sec. Claire Parnell 01208 880990 Entries on field

Sunday 27th June Roseland Trial, venue TBC , Sec Miss Delgarno 01872 530571

All of these Trials are on www.ISDS.org website

And, finally, talking with a group of Triallists about the weight reduction programme my bitch has been following someone remarked that feeding her every other day would help. Quick as you like someone else pointed out that 'how else d'you think we get streaky bacon!'