06/10/2025
Zen came 2nd in the Pink Ribbon Novice Sheepdog Trial yesterday in some very strong competition.
The very same little dog who came 2nd in the New Handler class three years ago at our first ever sheepdog trial.
I’m so proud of my first sheepdog. She’s been the cause of plenty of frustration, tears, and tantrums over the years. I’ve lost count of the times I’ve wanted to throw in the towel with her. Zen wasn’t the easiest choice for a first sheepdog; learning together as a puppy and a beginner handler was far from straightforward.
She’s not a first-timer’s dog, I now realise that 😆. She’s got too much eye, she’s not easy to read, and she’ll never be a world-beater. But because I’ve poured my heart and soul into her, I know her inside out, and that’s why we’ve become a proper team. When a lot of people would’ve given up on her long ago. Zen hangs off my every word and whistle now, and I’ve learnt how to put her exactly where she needs to be when reading the sheep around a trial course.
Like all my dogs, Zen hasn’t been an “easy” one, but I’ve always been determined to make something of each puppy that comes home, whether it’s the hard or the easy road.
We haven’t trialled since the beginning of December, as we’ve been focusing on agility, so it took me a bit to get back into the swing of things this weekend. I also ran Faith unjudged as she's eligible for nursery. She gave me a lovely outrun and lift, tried twice to move the sheep away onto the fetch, but on the third attempt the sheep decided nope and went straight through her to the pen.
How did she react? Like a young dog who hasn’t yet learned to read lots of different sheep or adjust her actions to their behaviour. But because her work ethic is so strong, she was determined not to give up. She wasn’t leaving those sheep, she was bringing them to me no matter what! And honestly, that’s not a bad quality to have. She’ll need that grit and determination when she’s older and dealing with tougher sheep.
Faith I am yet to fully understand and know how to handle on sheep. She’s a very different dog to Zen, and it’s going to take time, practice, and patience to work out exactly what she needs from me.
Yes, I did the walk of shame, but that’s nothing new for me! Zen and I have done it plenty of times before. There are so many variables out there on the trial field, and it certainly won’t be the last time it happens. It’s just part of the process. Faith simply needs more experience under her belt, she’s only 15 months old, after all. You have to put them in these situations to find out what you’ve got, because they always seem to behave perfectly on the training ground.
Faith is my nursery project for next year, so this season is all about building experience and confidence. I’m not worried, she’s showing way more natural ability than Zen ever did at her age. She’s got the forward momentum and power that Zen doesn’t have, and if she turns out half as good as Zen, who I trained when I had no idea what I was doing, I’ll be more than pleased.
She’s a work in progress, but that’s what makes it so rewarding. Failure and disappointment are what make the successes even sweeter, they teach you resilience, growth, and how to make a comeback.
Zen is living proof of that. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve had to pick up my crook out the ground and call it a day on the trial field, but every one of those moments has shaped the dog she is and the handler I've become.
So I’ll keep doing whatever sport takes my fancy with my dogs, seeing where it leads us. I’m grateful, as a non-sheep owner or farmer who’s only three years into working sheep and now three collies deep to have even made it this far. A massive thank you to the people who’ve been part of my journey and given me the opportunities to make it all happen and I hope they continue to support us on this mad quest.
Finally, a big thank you to Just for Friends Dog Food for keeping the pack fuelled and full of energy to keep chasing these dreams.
