'Super proud' trainer has best sheep dogs in trial

When Ben Smith's two dogs, Roy and Winston, competed at this year's English National Sheep Dog Trials, he would have been happy if they finished "anywhere in the top 15".

So when they claimed the top two spots, beating 148 other competitors, he felt "super proud".

Smith, from Corley, Warwickshire, said: "They gave me everything this weekend on very tough testing sheep and course."

The English trials, organised by the International Sheep Dog Society, were the first of four being held across England, Wales, Ireland and Scotland this month.

Their win means Smith's dogs now automatically quality for the international trials, which will be held near the Scottish borders in September.

The sheep farmer said while it was not confirmed, it was not thought that an English trainer had ever had both a champion and second place dog.

"We've found out in 1990 somebody was first and third," he said, "but I might be the only Englishman to ever finish first and second at a national. So yeah, it's kind of a big achievement."

Smith, who trains sheep dogs, is hoping nine-year-old Roy will do well in the international competition as he finished fifth overall last year, but it will be the first time Winston will compete.

He said: "Roy's been there and done it, so he's got quite a bit of experience of that. But Winston, he's only four years old so he's still on this learning curve.

"We always go hoping we're going to do well, but it all depends on the weather, sheep, if the dog's having a good day, if I'm having a good day.

"I'm very confident with my dogs. If they get a good packet of sheep and we're all singing then we would be kind of hoping we would get one dog into the supreme final."

Joe Relph, the International Sheep Dog Society's President for England, said it was an incredible achievement for both dogs to take the top two spots in the competition.

He said: "These are the top 150 dogs in the country who are competing at the highest level, so even a top 15 finish would have been good.

"The international trials will be even more difficult as you're competing against the best in the world, but Ben is a very capable trainer with two very capable dogs."

Follow BBC Coventry & Warwickshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.