J.D

Hearty congratulations Geri Byrne. Thats four times Fleece has won a place in the English team. Good handling, but good breeding too. I've seen her many times and have a son of her, what a bitch.

John

First off, don't believe everything people tell you as most of it will be a load of old rubbish. Tall dogs, short stocky dogs, hairy ones, ears up down or sideways. If the damn thing works and you like it end of story.

Derek Scrimgeour 1st with Laddie, Jim Cropper 2nd with Dan, and R.D. Roper with Tom 3rd. Derek also had 5th with Fleece.

John

Good on yer Bill, just goes to show you can't keep a good man down for long. Glad you've got access to a computer cos I do like your train of thought and views on life and dogs and things. Take it easy for a while and get well soon.

John (from North Wales)

Yeah, you're right guys. Sorry. That was a mean-spirited comment and I regret it. <note to self: think before you post, think before you post!>

Here's the UK nominees:

Thomas' Don

Dalziel's Wisp

Van der Sweep's Roy

Davidson's Star

Aled Owen's Roy

Henderson's Sweep

Think we could take them on? ;-)

A

Well if we're talking about Aled Owens 2007 supreme champion young Roy, I've seen him in competition twice and I'll second that. That dog is really special! Saw this dog do something at one trial that I think even surprised Aled. One of the obsticals was to guide the sheep into a chute and from there into a aluminium livestock trailer, no real problem usually apart that this day the sun was really glaring off the aluminium tailgate so much you had to squint your eyes to look at it. Well of coarse if sheep can't see where they're going they wont go, the only chance you had was if the sun went out. Well competitor after competitor failed time out and then it was Roys turn and boy was the sun shining. It got to be such a joke that the handlers were trying to push them instead of the dogs it got to the stage of anything goes and it was good entertainment to see some of these old boys late 70s & 80s hallooing and leaping around with the best of them. As I said it was Aled and Roy and Roy brought them into the chute and pushed them up to the front and then Aled walked in front of Roy and did everything inclueding I think a rather nifty samba to try and push them in, NO WAY. And then one got by him and leaped over the top of Roy and that was it we thought it was all over. BUT NO, Roy turned them all back into the chute again and Aled started a repeat performance together with waving his hat and thrashing his stick against the gates (nice stick but has never looked as good since) but in the end had no option but to admit defeat and turned round laughing to the crowd and shrugged his shoulders to say 'Well What Now'. At that Roy moves forward and Aled says well go on then. They beat back past Aled but they could not beat that dog he was where the sheep were going to be before the sheep were themselves. And he broke there sphirit and they decided to face the trailer and never once did he look to use his teeth. Needless to say he won.

You mention wet wrap, I would advise against this as this will cause shrinkage and tightening of bandage and could cause blood flow restriction, but otherwise sounds fine.

John

Hello Andrea, Glens looking very nice bet your pleased with him, but I gotta know, who's the kelpie. Boy is that smart, is it a boy or girl, whats its breeding, is it any relation to a dog called Crow cos it sure looks like him. Very nice lucky you.

John

So are y'all saying you don't use concrete because the frost will push it out of the hole? Or is there some other reason? Just wondering as I always set my posts in concrete. But my fence has to hold up to the ponies as well as sheeps.

Another reason is when the posts are set in concrete when they take a good knock from something and there is no 'give' to the post they will sometimes snap off at the ground like a carrot.

John

Aled Owen first with Roy, and R.Millichap second with Taddymoor Cap. So one and two for Wales.

With age comes wisdom. She is learning to stay off her sheep keeping them calm and not spooking them, and therefore asserting her power of control more easely. You will probably find she will learn quickly now.