The Society’s first secretary in 1906 was James Wilson of East Linton. It is not recorded whether he continued in office until the outbreak of the First World War, but the organization of the Society remained then with that first Haddington Committee. One of their founders, Thomas Gilholm, was probably at the centre of things for the next 30 years since he appears in photographs with senior figures in the 1930’s.

When the Society resumed its activities in 1919, after the Great War and all its shocking impact, it was under the secretaryship of James A Reid, a solicitor from Airdrie. It is no overstatement to say that sheepdog trialling and today’s Society have been very much shaped by his achievements.

Thomas Gilholm and Lord Mostyn 1933

For the next 32 years, until 1946, we can see that he was the driving force for most all that was established. James Reid wrote many papers on the early history of sheepdogs and was a committed enthusiast for the collie. Many credit him with having coined the description ‘Border Collie’; whether this is true or not, he was most probably the first to have put the dogs’ breed name in print.

With all his undoubted strengths and achievements, there was some natural reluctance when James Reid left. He probably felt that the Society had been his creation in what was a wholly unpaid role and after 32 years it must have been difficult to let go.