Young Dog Handler Focus – Izzy Davies: "We hope to encourage more young people to get involved in trials"

Background

Growing up on my family's beef and sheep farm in South Shropshire, I wanted to further my studies and so I completed a Level 3 diploma in agriculture at Reaseheath College. Following this I have returned home to work on the farm full time and milk on a local dairy farm down the road. 

I have always had an interest in animals and I especially enjoy showing sheep and working dogs. 

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Influence  

With sheep dogs on the farm, I was soon keen to have my own and was lucky to have the help from a good friend, Pauline Thomas, who gave me the chance to have one of her bitches. 

Pauline has been my biggest influence in getting into trialling dogs, and following her gift of my first bitch, Peg, this really kickstarted my passion for working dogs and trialling. 

My experience has grown through competing with Shropshire and Herefordshire nursery trials.

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Future 

I currently have a 5-month-old bitch, Tess. She is the first dog I have trained myself from a puppy, so I am very excited to see us both develop together. 

Away from the farm, I am a keen Young Farmer and have been a member of Dorrington YFC since I was 13. It is a truly valuable community to be a part of. 

We have lots of upcoming events, one of them being the Shropshire Young Farmers' Dog Trials on June 7, 2025. We hope events like these will encourage more young people to get involved in dog trialling, and all the information about the event can be found on the Shropshire YFC Facebook page.

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