Sheepdog trial champion fears skills could be lost

Scott the English sheepdog champion hopes to defend his crown

A sheepdog trial champion says the skills needed to train the herding dogs are in danger of being lost.

Shepherd Philip Walton and his border collie Scott, from Hethersgill, Cumbria, hope to defend their English championship title at the national sheepdog trials in Penrith this weekend.

Farmers have worked with sheepdogs for thousands of years, but Mr Walton said he was anxious about the future.

He said it was difficult to get young people involved in sheepdog training, adding: "The dogs are there for the management of the sheep, and if that's lost, it will all be lost, and disappear."

Mr Walton said he and Scott were so close he viewed the dog as "part-human".

"He can understand what I'm thinking and sometimes he knows more than me."

Cumbrian farmer Philip Walton fears the skills of training sheepdogs are disappearing

Mr Walton said it had taken hours and hours of work to train Scott over the last seven years, but his collie had now become so good at the job that "he can take the lead".

"He's a very willing dog," he said. "He'll go to the end of the earth for me. He has a very great understanding of sheep, how to handle sheep."

He explained how the sheep respected his border collie and sheepdogs could not just be "bullies".

"Some dogs can upset sheep just going through the gate into the field. And then there's other ones."

As well as herding sheep, Scott looks after them. He often finds sheep that have fallen down holes, and those buried deep in the snow.

But they are skills Mr Walton fears will be lost, as fewer farmers have the time or need to train up the dogs.

He said the skills were disappearing at the same time as there were fewer sheep on the fells, and a lot less collie dogs were wanted to shepherd the sheep.

Philip Walton and Scott hope to keep hold of their trophy this weekend

Mr Walton and Scott became English champions at the National Sheepdog Trials last year.

The trials, organised by the International Sheep Dog Society, are one of four being held across England, Wales, Ireland and Scotland.

Handlers demonstrate their dogs' ability to control sheep in a bid to qualify for the international trials, which will be held near Wrexham in September.

Mr Walton and Scott will learn if they have managed to keep hold of their winning trophy on 17 August.