News > 2009

14 October 2009

FARPAISEAN CHON-CHAORACH - SCOTTISH SHEEPDOG TRIALLING ON BBC ALBA

Sheepdog trialling will soon be returning to our screens with BBC ALBA’s second series of ‘Farpaisean Chon-chaorach’/Sheepdog Trials.

The series kicks off in the New Year with the Scottish Inter District Nursery Finals, from Campbeltown, Argyll. Handlers will be hoping their young dogs will be the future International Supreme Champions, testing their abilities during the winter’s nursery trials.

The nursery trials are a very important part of the trialling year, giving handlers a chance to assess how well younger dogs under two and a half years, who have not received points in open competition, are responding to training and whether or not they will be able to handle the pressures of trialling.

For featured trialist and sheep farmer Bobby Henderson of Carcant Farm in Heriot, who ran in Campbeltown with his sheepdog Tag, it’s a good opportunity to assess a young dog without putting them under too much pressure and also keeps handlers on their toes.

Bobby said: “It’s an apprenticeship for the dog. It gets them ready for open trials and there’s not too much pressure. They’re not up against experienced dogs. It gives them a chance to get going, get started. Also it motivates you, as a handler to put more work in with a young dog and put more time in with them.”

Alec McCuish from Skipness, Argyll who was also running in Campbeltown with his dog Mirk, knows what kind of dog he needs at this stage. Alec said: “You want a dog with a good temperament, one that enjoys being with other dogs and other people, that’s crucial. It can be good at home but if it’s not when it’s away from home it will be no use for trialling. You want a good out-runner, one that can collect the sheep to start with, the rest you can work on.”

Bobby Henderson; Bobby is a trialist in Campbeltown
Bobby Henderson; Bobby is a trialist in Campbeltown

The Campbeltown course proved to be a good challenge for the young dogs who were the best runners from the districts competitions that took place previously across Scotland.

Bobby Henderson, who ran with Tag, said: “The outrun was a bit of a challenge for some dogs, but once the sheep were picked up it was a nice course. It wasn’t the best of days weather wise, it was windy but the course was good and the sheep were good which makes a difference.”

As well as meeting competitors and their young dogs, the first episode of the new series also sees presenter Donald MacSween getting the lowdown on Nursery Trialling with Alec McCuish on his farm in Skipness. Also in the programme, presenter Catriona MacPhee introduces us to farmer and shepherds crook maker Philip Roskell from Moffat.

Alec McCuish from Skipness featuring in the Nursery Trials
Alec McCuish from Skipness featuring in the Nursery Trials

From the wilds of Kintyre, Farpaisean Chon-chaorach will also bring us trials and tribulations from an idyllic Hebridean Circuit, an uphill scenic trial from Atholl & Weem and a big hill trial from the Inverlochlarig Hill Trial, near Balquhidder.

The series will also feature competitors at the Scottish National Sheepdog Trials in Dumfriesshire which saw 50 dogs and their handlers take part on each of the three days for one of the 15 places in the Scottish team, as well as following the Scottish team to the International Sheepdog Trials, in Cumbria.

Viewers will also get the chance to access Catriona and Donald’s skills at dog handling, tutored by expert dog whisperer Julie Hill. Their lessons will feature throughout the series taking us on a journey of sheepdog discovery.

The first programme of the new series of Farpaisean Chon-chaorach is on BBC ALBA on Tuesday 5th January at 9pm.