Champion sheepdog handler to judge national competition

A NESS sheepdog handler is set to judge national trials next week after winning three competitions in three days at home.

Brendon Smith will cap off a superb week by stepping into help judge the Scottish national sheepdog trials at Glenfarg from 19 to 22 August.

The event in Perth is the premier sheepdog trials in Scotland, bringing entrants from across the country to compete for titles.

It comes on the back of a great week for Smith and his sheepdog Lass, who made it a clean sweep of Shetland trials.

The pair were both open and championship winners at the Tingwall trial last Wednesday, at what is the oldest trials in Shetland.

A day later Smith and Lass were championship class winners at the West Side trials in Skeld, and then repeated the feat at the Shetland South sheepdog trials in Dunrossness on Friday.

The Scottish national sees around 150 dogs running over the course of three days.