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. Support the show [https://www.patreon.com/churchmountsheepdogs] (https://www.patreon.com/churchmountsheepdogs)

I was on my way to the ISDS directors meeting and I called to collect my dog Bruce from Ian. Ian stands sheepdogs for stud at his kennels. He keeps Serge Van Der Zweep's Gary and James McGee's Sid /Seth and people bring their border collie female bitches to be mated to these champion trial dogs. Ian breeds and ships border collie working sheepdog pups all over the world. Support the show [https://www.patreon.com/churchmountsheepdogs] (https://www.patreon.com/churchmountsheepdogs)

I am fortunate in that I often find myself in conversation with Con McGarry. Last year we traveled together to the European Nursery Championship in Holland. We were due to travel again to it this year but of course, Covid19 changed all our plans. That said, I did get to travel with Con and two other directors, to ISDS meeting in Kendall in early February. It is always very enjoyable to travel with Con because he is a well of funny anecdotes and very amusing jokes. Support the show [https://www.patreon.com/churchmountsheepdogs] (https://www.patreon.com/churchmountsheepdogs)

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. Support the show [https://www.patreon.com/churchmountsheepdogs] (https://www.patreon.com/churchmountsheepdogs)

I know that I don’t need to remind you of the gravity of the situation we are facing at present with this virus. However, I think that as sheepdog enthusiasts, we are very lucky in that at least we can escape from the news into our own dog world for a while. Back in 1999, I remember being at the International and seeing Aled win Supreme Champion with Roy in Trawsgoed. In 2000 I saw him win the Supreme again in Armathwaite, but with Bob. (I was there this time myself, as a member of the Irish team!) Those were tremendous achievements and as we know he would go on later to add two more Supremes and two World Trials to the list. For me, I think the really interesting achievement was how he came back after the 2001 gap to win the very first World Trial in Bala in 2002. So it was great to get talking with Aled Owen and find out what he did 2001. How did he retain his focus or did he set new goals to get through the year? I know that when I got out of the habit of trialing that I lost my focus and I left sheepdogs in 2001. I didn’t come back until 2015. (I don’t want that to happen with me this time.) Support the show [https://www.patreon.com/churchmountsheepdogs] (https://www.patreon.com/churchmountsheepdogs)