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The Early Sheepdog Trials Project: Trials 1910 - 1914
 NB Each trial is listed here under the first year in which it was held Back to Early Trials Index page TRIALS FROM 1910 - 1914 (See separate section for the 1910 - 1914 International Trials) 1910: SHEEPDOG TRIALS IN ENGLAND, WALES AND SCOTLAND by Walter Baxendale, published in Adelaide Gosset: Shepherds of Britain (1912)
Ben, a rough grey merle with his owner, Thomas Gilholm, one of the founders of the International Sheep Dog Society. When eight months old, Ben won third prize out of twenty entries, and was never out of the prize list, winning many firsts.. For steadiness and style he could not be beaten. Many improvements in the management of sheepdog trials have been introduced since the institution of these very interesting competitions by Mr Lloyd Price of Rhiwlas, near Bala, in 1873, but the actual tests have remained almost the same; whether the meeting is at Tring in the south, or in Caithness, the highly trained sheepdog is expected to collect his little flock, drive the sheep through various obstacles, and finally pen his charges. During the past ten years the trials have become wonderfully popular; and though Lord Leconfield did not persevere with the meeting he established in connexion with his tenants’ agricultural show at Petworth in 1908, yet other southern fixtures at Tring, and also in connexion with the perambulatory show of the Bedfordshire County Agricultural Society, have flourished, and the trials are certainly among the popular features of either show. For real enthusiasm, however, you must go to the north, or to one of the several good meetings held in Wales during the season, though at the last named the southerner is puzzled to hear the shepherds yelling directions to their dogs in a mixed jargon of Welsh and English. Courses for trials vary; but the ground should not be too level – it is far better for the purpose if undulating, while the task of the dogs is made more difficult, and they are called on to exercise greater care in the driving and collecting of their flock if there is a little stream or burn to be crossed. Gaps can be made in hedges, or rows of hurdles arranged so that an opening is left for the sheep to be driven through, while at most of the first-rate meetings an obstacle known as the Maltese cross is introduced before the pen is reached. It is at this puzzle that the shepherd is generally allowed to leave the spot from which he has directed the work and assist his dog at closer quarters, for no obstacle requires more careful negotiation, and many a trial has been won or lost at the cross. Hurdles are arranged in the shape of a Maltese cross, the dog having to drive the flock through the two strands or rows, and then up to the pen, before his task is completed. The almost perfect understanding existing between man and dog is the most remarkable feature of a sheep-dog trial, and no sporting dog of any kind answers so well to the call of his handler as the little unkempt working collie. He may have no beauty to recommend him, some of the best workers being mongrels, though such men as Barcroft of Bury and Akrigg of Sedbergh, who have gained scores of honours in competitions all over the country, have succeeded in establishing a certain strain. “Handsome is as handsome does”, however, and watching the work of the dogs one marvels at their intelligence and admires the patience of their handlers. The sheep may be released six hundred yards or even more away, but at the words, “Go to ‘em, Jess” the dog – if well trained – makes a bee-line to where they are grazing, and ranging almost like a setter, she gets a good distance behind her sheep before beginning to drive them. “Closer in, lass,” calls the handler, or he whistles in a key which is understood by the dog to mean the same thing, and then the task begins. The sheep may be inclined to “split”, but Jess is prepared for that, and reaching them she gets them together again, and on being motioned by the handler, changes her position so that the sheep can be driven once more. She seems to understand that the flock must not be too closely pressed, and one by one the obstacles are safely negotiated and the pen is reached.
From c1910: ABERGWESYN, LLANWRTYD, POWYS Barbara Collins in her 1994 'Guide to Sheepdog Trials in Britain & Ireland' tells us that this trial, held in the middle of the Cambrian mountains, was established in 1912, and has continued ever since. However, Our Dogs for October (day uncertain) 1910 careies a report of the annual trial at Aberwessin, Llanwrtyd Wells. There were 55 entries, judged by C F Davies, JP; D Jones and W Protheroe, who considered the work equal to to any in former trials in the district (indicating perhaps that this was only a recently established event). The winners were: Open Mr William's Bonnie, Local: R Griffiths (Builth) Towser. The Our Dogs index for 1913 lists a report of a trial here. More details to follow. 1910: BEDDGELERT Our Dogs for September 16th 1910 gives the result of the trials held the previous Saturday. There were 114 entries "from many counties". The winners are: Class 1 (Open): Mr Roberts Cymno; Class 2 (Open to Wales): D J Williams; Class 3: R Hughes. From 1910: BRAMPTON, CUMBRIA Barbara Collins in her 1994 'Guide to Sheepdog Trials in Britain & Ireland' indicates that the Brampton trial was first held in 1910 and was still in existence at the time of writing at Hallbankgate. c1910: CEIRIOG VALLEY Our Dogs magazine for September 16 1910 reports that the trials were held at Talygarth on August 27. The Open was won by J Moses' Pink, which Lord Ancaster had recently declared to be the finest sheepdog in England. Class 2 (Ceiriog Valley) was win by J T Jobes, Glyn and Class 3 (Ceiriog Valley novice) J D Lloyd, Nantyr. J Moses also won the Brace. Our Dogs magazine for September 12 1912 reports that the annual trials and horse show took place on August 31st. Class I (Open) was won by Alfred Jones, Tregeiriog, with Fan; S E Batty, Rotherham, second with Flosse. Class II (Local) was won by J R Dempster, Selatyn; Class III (Local Novice) by Peter Sharpe, Selatyn; and Class IV (Brace) by S E Batty with Laddie and Hemp. From 1910: LLANDRINDOD Our Dogs for September 2nd 1910 reports the result of the trial held on August 24 under the auspices of the Development Association and judged by Alderman E Button and W M Jones. The trial was won by Rees Evans with Fly. The index to Our Dogs for July to December 1911 lists a report of a trial here. More details to follow. 1910: US STATE FAIRS
An ISDS pamphlet issued in 1930 to commemorate the reelection of John Johnstone as Scottish National President gives details of a party of three, William Robertson, James Scott (1908 and 1909 International winner) and John Johnstone, (shown in that order in the photo above), who toured the US twenty years earlier, ie in 1910, with six dogs to give Exhibitions at US States Fairs. Although not strictly trials, these deserve to be remembered as an important milestone in taking the Border Collie message to the other side of the world. 1910: WELBECK TENANTS' AGRICULTURAL SHOW Our Dogs for August 12th 1910 includes a report of the first trial at this Show on the Duke of Portland's estate in Nottinghamshire. held on August 2nd, it was judged by James Scott and Thomas Dixon, both noted International competitors. The trials took a rather different form from the usual - first representatives from England, Wales and Scotland were invited to set their own course and run the sheep round it; then in the Open, which was won by Joseph Tagg's Bet, one of the elements involved sending four sheep away fifty yards whilst a fifth sheep was held by an assistant. The dog had toprevent this sheep, when released, from joining the other four. At the end of the trial, the visitors expressed the hope of seeing another trial the following year. From 1910: WILTSHIRE & GLOUCESTERSHIRE SHEEPDOG TRIALS ASSOCIATION (NEWNTON LODGE, TETBURY) Our Dogs for August 5th 1910 includes a report of the first annual trial of this Association, held at The Duke of Beaufort's Newnton Lodge near Tetbury on July 28th and judged by R S Piggin. The Local class was run first, the ten local shepherds "having much to learn", sending their dogs straight at the sheep rather than in a proper outrun. T Robin's Nell was the winner. In the Open Singles class, J Moses' Pink was the winner, with George Barcroft's Ken, a rough grey Scottish beardy, third. In thre Open Brace, the honours were shared between J Moses Bran Pink & Jock and S Batty's Hemp & Laddie. The index to Our Dogs for July to December 1911 lists a report of this trial. More details to follow. 1911: ADDINGHAM (ILKLEY) BEATTOCK GROESWEN LLANAFAN FAWR LLANDRINDOD MARROW (IOM) PONTARDDULAIS PORTMADOC RAMSEY (IOM) The index to Our Dogs for July to December 1911 lists reports of trials at all these locations. More details to follow. 1911: ESSEX AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY SHOW 'Our Dogs' for June 16th 1911 carries a report of the trial held on June 7 and 8 at Southend. As with the Suffolk Society Show (see under 1906), R S Piggin arranged a display cum competition with some of the top handlers and their dogs from "the North Country and Wales", with singles and doubles during the day. From 1911: NORTH ISLAND CHAMPIONSHIP, NEW ZEALAND New Zealand Sheep Dog Trials Association archivist, Margaret Vickers, has compiled a listing of all the New Zealand Championships from the beginning up to the present day. The earliest date for the North Island Championships is 1911, when they were held at Maharahara, Dannevirke, with three classes: Long Head, won by R Pollock's Sharp; Short Head and Yard, won by H G Water's Scott; and Huntaway, won by P Patterson's Bruce. Trials in a similar format at Takapau in 1912, at Te Ore Ore in 1913, and at Wanganui in 1914. They continued throughout the first world war and beyond; the full listing is avialable in PDF format from the NZSDTA website here. 1911: OLD COLWYN & DISTRICT AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY SHOW 'Our Dogs' magazine for September 13 1912 reports on the second annual trial of this society at Plas Parciau. There was a W"considerable increase" in the number of entries, including a number of handlers from the sheffield area. The Colwyn Stakes (open) were won by J B Bagshaw; the Llanelion Stakes (25 miles radius Novice) by William Jones. The Brace winner was S E Batty (who also took home to Rotherham a special prize of an automatic sheep feeding trough), with William Jones second. 1911: ROYAL LANCASHIRE SHOW George Barcroft competed in the Royal Lancashire Show trial at Bury in 1911. See the Barcroft chapter. 1911: TENDRING HUNDRED SHOW (MISTELY) A report in Our Dogs for July 28 1911 indicates that The Tendring Hundred Farmer's Club held a demonstration of six runs in the large show ring, organised by R S Piggin. Although not described as a competitive trial, this appears to be one the first trials of any kind in Eastern England. 1912: CROSBY (IOM) DINAS MAWDDWY LLANBRYNMAIR The index to Our Dogs for July to December 1912 lists reports of trials at all these locations. More details to follow. before 1912: BELLINGHAM Our Dogs for September 13 1912 carries a report of the 1912 Whitfield trial (qv), stating that in previous years Bellingham has "occupied the first place in the North of England for Sheepdog trials". No other details are yet known. 1912: NEW MONKTON (GLASGOW) Our Dogs for June 26th 1914 carries a report of the third annual trials "in the beautiful policies of Rochsoles" on June 10. The winners of the trial since its beginning are listed: T P Brown in its first year, 1912; William Wallace's Moss in 1913 and the winner at the 1914 trial A Millar's Risp, who was awarded the full compliment of points, namely 50. There were thirteen entries in all, judged by Adam Telfer, junior. The report notes that "a feature of the trial was the adoption of the 'open points' system of judging". This might refer to a system not dissimilar to that in use today. before 1912: ST GEORGE & DISTRICT (ABERGELE) Our Dogs for September 13 1912 carries a brief report of the St George & District trials held on August 27 near Abergele, where the Welsh dogs held their own against the English dogs which had in the past swept the board. The earliest date for this trial is not yet known, but it must have been before 1912. See also under Abergele 1885 for a 1910 Oswestry trial held at Abergele. 1913: BIGGAR CAMBO CRAWFORDJOHN DOLWYDDELAN GORLESTON ON SEA HAYDEN BRIDGE LORD LONSDALE'S MEETING MOY NOTTINGHAM RHYDYMYN (MOLD) VALE OF CONWAY WEST BALDWIN (IOM) The index to Our Dogs for 1913 lists reports of trials at all these locations. More details to follow. From before 1914: LLANELWEDD, BUILTH WELLS, POWYS Barbara Collins in her 1994 'Guide to Sheepdog Trials in Britain & Ireland' tells us that the Builth Wells Trial was established "before 1914". It continues to the rpesent day. 1914: ALLENDALE BINGLEY FENWICK HEXHAM LONDESBOROUGH STANHOPE The index to Our Dogs for July - December 1914 lists reports of trials at all these locations. More details to follow. There are (at least) three places called Fenwick; in Northumberland, South Yorkshire and East Ayrshire. From 1915: LLANFYLLIN, WELSHPOOL, POWYS Barbara Collins in her 1994 'Guide to Sheepdog Trials in Britain & Ireland' tells us that the Llanfyllin Trial was established in 1915, an interesting date given that all other indications are that sheepdog trialling did not taker place during World War I. The trial continues to this day. 1915: AUSTRALIA - VENUE UNKNOWN Archive footage of a Kelpie penning at a trial somewhere in Australia (possibly Sydney??) can be found here.
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