Churchmount Working Sheepdogs

This is a very frank interview! Someone said to me that they have heard all the Churchmount interviews on soundcloud and that this one is by far the best. This one is where the world renowned Nigel Watkins is talking sheepdogs. Nigel is true to form with no holds barred!

Nigel tells me about how Foot and Mouth disease closed down sheepdog trials in 2001. But it was different then because trials could reopen at any time. ‘Nobody knew when, nothing was cancelled’ . Whereas this time with the Covid, everything is cancelled for the year. Nationals, International and the World Trial are all cancelled.

In this interview, Nigel goes on to talk about trialling and judging internationally. he talks about how preparation is very important now and how all the top handlers prepare their dogs for sheepdog trials. 

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Like alot of people, I know that James is a top handler. I know that he has won an International Supreme and a World Trial. What i didn’t know is that he won the second National that he ever ran in and then went on to come 2nd to Neil McVicar and Spot in the 2005 International. I didn’t know that James had won 3 Nationals and has been placed highly in many Supreme finals. I was there to see him in 2015 in Scotland when he placed in the top 5 with Silver. I was in Scotland again last year to see him place 3rd with his 17 month old Jess.

I called James McGee the day before yesterday and I asked him if he would give us an interview for our handler podcast. It was very short notice but James kindly agreed. ”Give me a call this evening after dark” he said. I had never spoken more than a couple of sentences before this with James. I am probably his opposite because I never prepare for anything, so I was feeling suitably nervous! I needn’t have been.

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In this interview Mirjam talks about how she got started in sheepdogs. To my surprise, I discovered that she was a city girl growing up. She had no exposure to livestock and didn’t even own her first dog until she was 24. Mirjam describes what it was like to start out as an Austrian sheepdog handler and explains how it came about that she followed her passion to Ireland.

This is a great example of what it is possible to achieve in this sport regardless of whether you have any relevant background experience or not. Mirjam talks about what she likes in the character of a dog. She tells me what it was like to compete in the Irish National and to almost win it. She also explains how her preparation for the International greatly helped her on the day.

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What does it take to achieve success in sheepdog training and competitions? I was lucky enough to talk to Alastair Mac Rae about qualities in successful dogs and the mindset and ambition of a top handler.

The plan was to make a 15-minute interview. however, the conversation broadened a bit and we went for nearly an hour and a half! In the end, I decided to make it a 3 part conversation.

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In this interview I asked Serge Van Der Zweep to give me some insight into how he got started. He discusses which handlers influenced him the most, what advice would he give an open handler and how he prepares for a World Sheepdog Trial Final.

Serge is one of those handlers who are not dependent on that one good sheepdog coming along and instead, for over 20 years, he has been able to keep coming up with world-class sheepdogs.

Serge’s ideas and opinions are not necessarily rules to go by, but they are definitely ideas to digest and consider. I always find it easy to follow someone who can ‘walk the walk’ in these days of talking the talk.

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I first met sheepdog trainer and handler, Mr. Tony Rofe, when we traveled together on a trip to the European Nursery Championship in Holland. The ENC is a sheepdog trial where Border Collies from all over Europe, the UK and Ireland can go to compete. In this interview, Tony tells us of the benefits to round pen sheepdog training.

The one thing that most impressed me most with Tony Rofe, is just how much he can squeeze into a training session with a young dog. Tony thinks about what he is doing before he ever puts a lead on a pup, and from the moment it goes on, that pup is in training.

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In this interview Sue shares some advice and tips for successful sheepdog trial judging with me before a judging assignment.

Sue has been involved in sheepdogs for over 30 years and has judged in sheepdog trials nationally and internationally. Sue was also very instrumental in the formation of the 1st World Sheepdog Trial.

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One Man and His Dog and the impact of Brexit on farming. Neil Gillon’s Hill Trial had to be cancelled this year because a mist came down on the hill making visibility impossible, but as we say in Ireland, “its an ill wind that doesn’t blow some good”.

The fact that the Hill Trial was postponed meant that on the Sunday myself and John Heffernan were delivering a bitch to Scotland, we also got to meet up with Neil for a chat and run a dog in his trial.

Neil was a finalist in the World Sheepdog Trials with his dog Bhoy and he got through to the semi-finals with his Bhoy son, Shweep. Neil was the Scottish team captain for the International in Tywyn after winning the Scottish National with Shweep in 2016.

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Toddy Lambe represents everything that is good about working dog trialling. Toddy has won the International Sheepdog Trial Supreme and a couple of National Sheepdog Trials to date. Toddy is not farming on big runs of ground or with big numbers of sheep. So he is all the more example of what can be achieved when you train properly with the right material.

Toddy has judged nationally, in Europe and the United States, so he has a great understanding of the type of challenges we come up against as competitors and organisers in sheepdog trials both on and off the field.

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I asked John if our course this year would be as good as England was last year. John said why don't you come up and have a look and see what you think. So that's what I did over Christmas. While I was there I asked John for a few of his thoughts.

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