Simon Mosse and Dark to lead Ireland’s bid to retain their team title

Simon, of Co. Kilkenny, has been competing at sheepdog trials since 1980 and this is his first National win and second appearance in the Irish team.

“I wasn’t expecting to win,” he said. “I was hoping to get in the team but to win it is really something. It’s everyone’s dream to win a National.”

The weather may have been miserable at times but there were some fine runs to be seen during the three-day competition in Co. Tipperary.

The overall standard was high with handlers needing a score of 188 to be in with a chance of getting into the 15-strong team.

The trial, held last weekend near Cahir, was the first of the four home nation’s Nationals. The team will now go on to compete at the International sheepdog trials being held in Cumbria next month, where they will be hoping to retain the team shield they won last year.

At first glance the course looked fairly straightforward with the shedding ring and pen on flat ground before the field rose gently upwards. But, on closer inspection, there were a number of undulations and hollows with patches of very wet ground.

It was the sheep, however, that proved to be the real test for dog and handler.

Brian Casey’s flock of Scottish Blackfaced ewes and hoggets had been gathered from the mountain they graze beyond the trial field.

Unpredictable

The majority worked well but were unpredictable and very tricky when worked close at hand. Most packets came down the fetch at speed and the dogs needed to stay in contact with them. On the drives, they seemed to settle and flow better.

After the first day, Allistair Lyttle was in the lead with Moss on 200 points. He had decided to run his alternate dog Moss at the last minute – a decision that seemed to pay off.

Allistair, who competed in last year’s International final with his other team dog Spot, only bought Moss in May but the relatively new partnership is already working well.

Toddy Lambe and Sam then took the lead on day two with 202 points. Sam is a home-bred dog and worked well around the field. On the second drive Toddy looked to be pushing the sheep below the gates and needed a couple of quick whistles to get them through.

Difference

Toddy, 2004 International champion, said: “I misjudged the second drive a little bit myself. It cost me and it has made all the difference at the end of the day.”

Spectators then had to wait until run 127 for a new leader when Simon Mosse took to the field. Dark, bred by V. Hebeler – by Don, out of Sidney – was given a clean outrun and lift by judges Dennis Birchall and David Lyttle.

Two marks were taken off the fetch and four on the drives. In the shedding ring they lost 10 points when a first attempt was unsuccessful before they finished well with a clean pen and single to win with 204 points.

Simon was delighted with his effort and says Dark is easy to stop, a natural flanker and a free running dog. “She’s a good bitch and I like her a lot,” he said. “We’ve won the National and now we’re on the next step.”

Brace winner

In the brace competition, Sammy Long put on a good show with his dogs Sam and Moss. It was the first time he had run them together in a brace competition and they won on 244 points.

Giving them a close run was singles judge Dennis Birchall with Flash and Mossie, who completed his run on 234 points.

Sammy was brace runner-up at last year’s International and is looking forward to the challenge again this year.

He said: “The biggest thing about running brace dogs is getting them used to working together and getting each dog to do what he’s asked every time.

“I’m very pleased with the way Sam and Moss worked together. Hopefully they’ll do well at the International.”