Countryfile - The Supreme
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00:00For weeks now, hundreds of shepherds and sheepdogs have been competing in national trials across
00:14the UK, with just one aim, to get here.
00:18The International Sheepdog Championship, where the cream of the crop have been selected from
00:23the very best of the four nations, and then whittled down to just 15 competitors.
00:28But to be crowned international champion, they first have to face the ultimate test,
00:34the supreme.
00:58This year's International Sheepdog Championships are being held here at Side Farm in Biggar,
01:16about 30 miles southwest of Edinburgh.
01:18The southern uplands of Scotland have a rich history of farming with sheepdogs, and it's
01:23a spectacular location for today's championship final.
01:27But we are not here for the views, and there is a real air of tension and anticipation,
01:32as 15 competitors take on this course, all hoping to become supreme champion.
01:41We follow four competitors from Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, as they tackle the double gather.
01:47So they have to get one group of sheep, bring them down, leave them, and then go up the
01:52hill to that other group of sheep, and then put the two together.
01:55It just seems like an impossible task.
01:57And witness some extraordinary skills.
02:00So this is where a dog shows such power, tail down, head down, a thing they call eye.
02:05The dog is mesmerizing those sheep, getting into their heads.
02:09We catch up with one young handler from England.
02:1290% of the time, the dog knows more than us.
02:15We like to be in charge, so yeah.
02:17Sure.
02:18You're certainly very, very good at this.
02:21And we reveal the supreme champion, 2024.
02:25Now for the winner of the supreme champion.
02:52Hundreds of people travel from all over the world to the supreme.
02:57Competitors, fans, even dignitaries come to see this very special event.
03:02The event in the trialing calendar.
03:08To find out more about how these trials began, and the dogs that take part in them,
03:13I'm meeting Ian Fleming, who's chairman of the International Sheepdog Society.
03:18He's been involved in sheepdog breeding and trialing for around 60 years.
03:23Ian, this competition, where did that all begin?
03:26Well, it would begin when the shepherds used to gather together in the valleys in the rural area for shearing.
03:33They would be in at lunchtime, and they would be having their lunch, and they would start boasting about their dogs.
03:37And eventually it became, oh, well, we'll need to have a wee trial and compete against one another.
03:42And that's basically where it all started.
03:44And the first official trial, I understand, was at Ballor.
03:47I've been there, to the spot.
03:49Right, yes. The society was formed in Haddington in Scotland,
03:53and there was sort of trials between England and Scotland for a while.
03:57But the first sort of international trial would be in Ballor in Wales.
04:04This first trial took place in 1873, and since then it's grown and grown.
04:10Today, 32 countries are members of the society.
04:15This is a fantastic course we've got here, and quite a difficult course.
04:19And we're running on black-faced sheep, which can be quite tricky.
04:22They're a mountain breed, and people think that sheep are stupid, but they're very, very far from stupid.
04:27And they can read the dog very quickly.
04:30It's a great social event, too, isn't it?
04:32And getting dogs that are up to scratch for sale is quite a lucrative business as well.
04:37It is.
04:38Going all over the world.
04:39All over the world. There's a big export market.
04:41And so for you, the breeding of those dogs to get them right for this job is very important,
04:47and something that you have sort of all sorts of checks and measures in place.
04:50Yes, yes, we do.
04:51If you've got a registered dog and you breed with it, the pups are eligible to be registered with the society.
04:58And if we go way back to the beginning, the original dog, way back in 1895, was a dog called Hemp.
05:06And he had a style of working that they all admired, and they started using him as a stud dog.
05:12And the sons and daughters were good workers.
05:14And he's actually the basis of most of the good collies that are working today.
05:19Incredible, isn't it?
05:20It is.
05:21Well, it's lovely to meet you, and it's fantastic to be here.
05:23What a privilege.
05:24And I'm just in awe of these handlers.
05:26It almost sounds impossible. Incredible, isn't it?
05:29I would say for me it probably is impossible.
05:31That's definitely for me.
05:33But the top handlers sometimes make it look easy.
05:37It really is a sight to see, and it's amazing what these dogs can do.
05:49With events spanning more than six weeks, involving 600 competitors,
05:54this is the final day of the International Sheepdog Society's calendar.
05:59Today, the 15 remaining dogs will face one of the toughest challenges in the trialling world, the double gather.
06:06This competition is notorious for being one of the most difficult of the sheepdog trials,
06:13and only the very best who can navigate this really tricky course can be crowned supreme champion.
06:20The double gather course covers the entirety of this Scottish hillside,
06:25with the sheep starting at the top and the handler and dog at the bottom.
06:30The sheepdog will first be sent on their 800-yard outrun to gather a packet of 10 sheep from the top of the course
06:38before fetching them down the hill through a set of gates, leaving them at the marker pole.
06:44The dog is then directed on a second outrun to lift a second packet of 10 sheep.
06:51All 20 must then be brought to the handler before being driven through two more sets of gates 200 yards apart.
06:59The sheep will then be placed in the shedding ring.
07:02Without touching the sheep, the dog and handler need to separate the five wearing collars.
07:08The five collared sheep will then need to be moved into the pen with the gate shut in order to complete the course.
07:16Here to talk me through the intricacies of the double gather is sheep farmer Julie Hill, who won the supreme back in 1996.
07:25So just explain the idea behind the double gather, what's happening?
07:29Well it's a test of the dog's skills as a shepherd's dog or a farmer's dog.
07:34They're having two big gathers, one out to the left at approximately 800 yards,
07:39and then they have to come in a diagonal line through the fetch gate to that post.
07:44So they have to get one group of sheep, bring them down, leave them and then go up the hill to that other group of sheep way at the top,
07:52bring those down and then put the two together.
07:54Yeah, but they've got to try and keep a nice line so that it's less stressful for the sheep.
07:59So they bring them through the gate and then what, to the post?
08:01Yeah, now they've got to regather, so now they've got to regroup both groups together
08:06and then before he brings them around the post and start the drive.
08:11Then we've got to bring them nice and quietly around and as straight a line as possible through the middle of the gates on the drive.
08:17And the method of how the dogs work in and how the sheep are moving is all taken in account.
08:25So once he's got them through the gates, then what?
08:28Well then he brings them into this shedding ring and contain them in that shedding ring
08:32and there's five with collars and 15 without.
08:36And so he's got to let out all the ones without collars and hold back the ones with collars
08:41and he'll be judged on how he does that.
08:43That's one of the most difficult bits of the course, especially if the sheep are tricky.
08:48If you've got a collared sheep and one that's not collared and they're pals, they're very hard to get away from each other.
08:54And is that it?
08:55No, once you've got your five collars, there's a little bit more before we finish.
09:00If you're lucky enough to get your five collars off, then you have to go directly to the pen and pen them and then it's finished.
09:07And how long have you got to do all of that?
09:09You've got 30 minutes.
09:10That just seems like an impossible task, to be honest.
09:13Yeah, well it is a difficult one, but it's meant to be tough because you've got the elite dogs running.
09:18It's not just enough though, is it, to finish the course, which seems such a massive achievement in itself.
09:23You start off with a load of points and you're trying not to lose them. How do you lose points?
09:28You've got invisible lines, if you like, between the gates and you need the flow.
09:33If the sheep come right down and the dog turns them and goes back up the course, you're losing points for being offline.
09:40You're losing points for how the dogs work in the sheep as well, or if the dog doesn't take that command and the sheep go offline.
09:48Each competitor starts their run with 170 points.
09:53The outruns, fetch and drive, each contributing 40.
09:57The lift and shed, 20 each, and the pen, 10.
10:01The winner is the dog and handler who lose the least amount of points.
10:06It's quite easy to lose points, isn't it?
10:08It's very easy. It's hard to keep a hold of them, that's for sure.
10:12How important is the relationship between the shepherd and the dog?
10:16Very important. You've got to be able to trust your dog at that distance.
10:19And this is built up over time when you're training.
10:23It is an ultimate test, but you're not coming to this kind of event without the dogs being prepared.
10:28You've got 150 dogs from each nation and then the top 15 from there go forward to this.
10:33Then you've got your two qualifier days to bring out the top 15 that then does the Supremes.
10:39You're going through 600 dogs to get to this stage.
10:42So even just getting here is pretty impressive, isn't it?
10:44Yeah, very.
10:45You have been incredibly successful over the years.
10:48Just put your modesty to one side and list all the things you've won.
10:52Oh my goodness. I've had six Scottish National Championships with braced dogs.
10:57I've had two single National Championships.
11:01Won the Supreme title, International Supreme singles.
11:05The only woman to do so.
11:07So far, yeah. Two International Supreme in the brace as well.
11:11What's your secret?
11:13Good dogs.
11:15And you train them? You train them from the get-go?
11:18Yeah. The ones I've won with, I've bred and trained all myself.
11:22So that's the bit I really like. I like that connection between me and the dogs.
11:27Let me put you on the spot. Who's your money on today?
11:31Oh gosh. I wouldn't like to say really.
11:34Proven pretty difficult today, the test right enough.
11:37But as they say, Mrs Sheepy will sort it out.
11:41So your money's on the sheep, basically.
11:43Yeah, that's it. They'll dictate who wins today.
11:47So everybody's got as good a chance as everybody. It's a difficult one.
11:55Of the 15 competitors and their dogs tackling the course today,
11:59five are from Scotland, five from Ireland,
12:02four from Wales and one from England.
12:09One of the first to take to the field is Michael Glynn
12:12and his dog Marshall from County Mayo in Ireland.
12:16What's so special about him? What's got him here?
12:18He has that little bit extra.
12:21You must start off with a working dog.
12:23But to get them to this level, they have that little bit extra.
12:28Yesterday I came first in the qualifying.
12:31Pretty tough course with very powerful sheep.
12:34You want a dog with a bit of power that could push them around
12:38and hold them for you and get finished. That's what it's all about.
12:46Michael and Marshall start well with good outruns.
12:49Watching this becomes completely addictive.
12:52It's really fascinating watching how different shepherds and dogs tackle the course.
12:57But one thing I have worked out, it's really, really hard.
13:06After a nail-biting amount of time in the shedding ring,
13:10Michael and Marshall don't quite manage to pen the collared sheep
13:14before the 30-minute bell goes.
13:18But with the judges keeping the scores to themselves until the end of the day,
13:22we can only guess at how he's done.
13:25How did that go?
13:27Better than what I expected. It was a very tough course.
13:32Both his outruns were quite good.
13:34He wouldn't be familiar with that type of ground, but he handled it quite well.
13:38Didn't finish, but I'm reasonably happy.
13:41It's a really difficult course, isn't it?
13:43The way it undulates, so the dog can't necessarily see the sheep all the time.
13:47Oh, no, no, no. He must use his brain.
13:50How big a deal is the Supreme?
13:52Wow. It's really, it's humongous, if I could use that word.
13:58Getting here is pretty difficult. It doesn't happen often.
14:02It's a great achievement.
14:04Proud day. Yeah, proud day. Proud day, yeah, that's true.
14:08High drama already, and there are still plenty of competitors left to go.
14:16One of the next handlers to step up to the course is someone hoping for a local advantage.
14:21Ian Brownlee, a shepherd from nearby Fife, and the organising chairman for the event,
14:26has qualified twice for this year's Supreme, with two different dogs.
14:31So Boyd's five and a half, Brad and myself.
14:34He's from a line of dogs I've had for a long time.
14:37A great dog at home, but not necessarily the best trial dog I've ever had.
14:41And Lark is just too butter as a pup, and she's always been quite charismatic, shall we say.
14:47She's a real attitude about her.
14:49Everybody wants to benefit from a good run, but I think I'll probably have more points for Lark.
14:54Ian and Boyd are third to run.
14:57Boyd has a tricky time trying to bring the two packets of sheep together,
15:02as each group keeps wandering off in the opposite direction,
15:05which means precious points and minutes are lost.
15:09Soon after bringing both groups together, he loses control of the sheep, bringing their run to an end.
15:20That didn't go entirely to plan.
15:22No, no, no, no. It seldom does, to be fair.
15:25The sheep are really testing, and Boyd's patience got a little bit short, but these things happen.
15:31Do you, of course, have another chance with another dog?
15:34I do, fortunately, but I'll make my excuses just now, because she is young.
15:39She's no three until December, but we'll see how it goes. Give her a whirl.
15:43Put the Supreme in context for us. How big a thing is this?
15:47It's the biggest sheepdog event of the year.
15:50When you're in the UK and Ireland, which is the home of Sheepdog Trial Inn, this is the one everybody wants.
15:55Well, good luck for the next run.
15:58Cheers.
15:59Not everyone competing here comes from a traditional sheep farming background.
16:04Originally from New Zealand, but living in Carmarthenshire since 2008, is Angie Driscoll, competing for Wales.
16:12Talk me through how you got involved in this world in the first place.
16:16I just said to my husband one day, I was working really hard, I had my own consulting company, I needed a hobby,
16:22and I opened up a tertiary education calendar, and there was agility, and I sort of went, oh, shucks, you need a dog.
16:28But in my heart, I was thinking, I really would like to try and train a sheepdog,
16:33and I don't honestly know where that came from. It just popped into my head.
16:37Angie and her dog, Kinloch Taz, were fourth in the qualifying stage, so will luck and the sheep be on their side today?
16:45You still have work to do, though.
16:47Absolutely. I've got the biggest job to do yet.
16:50What time are you on, roughly?
16:51Probably just after lunch.
16:53And how are you feeling about it?
16:54What will be, will be. You know, we'll go out to the post and we'll see what happens.
16:58It's a huge accomplishment just to be in this company with these other 14 men.
17:03It's a tremendous honour, is what it is.
17:06I don't really feel pressure, because at the end of the day, it's me on the post with my dog and the sheep,
17:11so, you know, you're so focused on that.
17:14I want to represent my country well, I want to showcase my dog well,
17:19and if I can beat the course, all better, but if it doesn't happen, that's OK, I was here.
17:25Very good luck. And to you, gorgeous.
17:30With Angie and Ian running in the last five of the day,
17:33there's still plenty more to come from the International Sheepdog Trials.
17:38For many competing here today,
17:40they've been using dogs to herd sheep in a working environment all of their lives.
17:45But there's plenty of young talent coming through the ranks,
17:48and four youngsters have been selected from each nation to take part in the Young Handlers competition.
17:54And I caught up with the English representative to see how he's preparing for the competition.
17:5916-year-old Oliver Watson is a pedigree Dutch spotted and badger-faced Texel sheep farmer from Cumbria,
18:05who's been trialling dogs since he was 12 years old.
18:08Smart-looking dogs, who have you got here?
18:10This is Roy, and that's Gary.
18:12And where did you get it from, then, that love of sheepdog trialling?
18:16It's been in the family for a long, long time,
18:19and I think it's a good thing, because I've got a lot of sheep,
18:22and I've got a lot of dogs, so it's a good thing.
18:26It's been in the family for a long, long time.
18:29Like I say, the great-grandfather was big into dog trialling,
18:32my father's been big into dog trialling, so it's kind of in the blood, I would say.
18:37And how well have you done?
18:38Probably my favourite achievement was coming second at Deerplay Hill Trial.
18:42It's well-known all over the world, an absolutely massive course,
18:45and people come from all over. That was very good.
18:49And so, can I watch you working one now? Which one are you going to take out?
18:52Roy.
18:53OK.
18:55In previous big competitions, Oliver's relied on his experienced dog, Gary,
19:00but for the Supreme, he's leaning towards Roy.
19:03Roy.
19:04They've only been working together for about three months,
19:07but Oliver's already excited by the younger dog's potential.
19:11Just talk me through the different strengths, then,
19:13because you're using different power in your whistle.
19:16When the dog's listening to me and everything's going well,
19:19you can just keep letting him paddle on like he is now,
19:22so you just keep reminding him, I'm in charge, like...
19:27But when he's really starting to get annoyed at the sheep
19:30and the sheep aren't doing as they're told,
19:32I want the dog to know, at the end of the day,
19:34whatever you're thinking, I'm better than you,
19:36so you listen to me, sort of thing.
19:38Even though 90% of the time the dog knows more than us,
19:41we like to be in charge, so, yeah.
19:43Sure. You're certainly very, very good at this.
19:46You've been well taught and you've got the skill.
19:53I can see why Oliver fancies running Roy for the Supreme.
20:00He's really sharp at responding to commands.
20:04That'll do, Roy.
20:06Roy, that'll do. Good boy.
20:08Roy, that'll do.
20:09Training session over.
20:11He's so keen, isn't he?
20:13How's Oliver feeling about the Supreme
20:15and is he sure about choosing Roy over Gary?
20:18I've never been at a major event with Roy yet, so...
20:21Sure. How do you feel?
20:22Well, I've not had the dog very long,
20:24so it's my first major event with him.
20:27So there could be parts of the dog
20:29that I don't fully understand yet
20:31and it could surprise me on the day whether it be good or bad.
20:34Just have to wait and see.
20:36When we go to the International,
20:38before you go out, you're a nervous wreck.
20:40But as soon as you set your dog off from your feet,
20:42it's very strange in dog trialling, everything goes.
20:45Until you shut the pen gate and then you look back
20:47and you see all the people, you think,
20:49oh, I forgot about them.
20:51That's a very strange thing about dog trialling.
20:53That's why I do it, cos I just love being in that moment.
20:56And then how do you fancy your chances on the day?
20:58The Welsh, very good. Irish, very, very good.
21:02Good friend of mine.
21:03But you can't control what the sheep do on the day.
21:06Sure.
21:07Things like that.
21:08Well, it's been great to spend some time with you.
21:10Cheers.
21:11I'll see you at the Supreme.
21:12Yeah.
21:13Come on then, Roy.
21:14Roy.
21:16Back at the Supreme in Biggar in Scotland,
21:19the young handler competition gets under way shortly
21:22and I'm catching up with Oliver to see which dog he chose.
21:26Oliver, how are you?
21:27Hi.
21:28Good to see you.
21:29So you've got Roy with you?
21:30Yeah.
21:31Is Roy on form?
21:32He was, but if he'll perform today, I don't know.
21:35It's a big challenge, isn't it?
21:37It is, it's very challenging out there
21:39and the sheep seem to be tough today.
21:41Competition will be hard, but give it a go.
21:44Well, best of luck, Oliver.
21:45I'll be watching you around.
21:47Cheers.
21:48Cheers, yeah.
21:50Cheers.
21:51The young handlers take on a smaller course than the seniors.
21:54With just the one group of sheep,
21:56they have ten minutes to complete their runs.
21:58Oliver is the third run and it's proving to be a tough competition.
22:03First up was Team Scotland's Donny McDermid,
22:06who struggled after a last-minute dog swap.
22:09The Welshman, Andrew Davis, completed the course
22:11but lost a few points on the way.
22:14Next up, it's Oliver with Roy,
22:16after a rocky start where Roy wasted precious minutes locating the sheep.
22:23So the sheep are by the post right in the middle of this field
22:26and the dog is 200 metres around to the right
22:30and just can't see the sheep.
22:33Oliver managed to get Roy back on track with a great fetch,
22:37bringing the sheep back into line nicely.
22:40Some tense moments in the shedding ring followed.
22:43There's one drifting out, that's good.
22:45Get one to follow it.
22:46Now, there.
22:48But the clock sadly ran away from Oliver and Roy.
22:54Run out of time.
22:57So, as a gent, you know, he's raised his cap
23:00and thanked everybody for watching
23:02and now he's coming back, I suspect he'll be quite frustrated.
23:06So, Oliver, can you speak?
23:08Yeah.
23:10Take me through it.
23:11Dog just being stupid at the start, to be fair.
23:13It saw the sheep and it just wasn't going to mess around.
23:16After that, the outfield work was fine.
23:19Sheep in the shed, they just wouldn't stop together.
23:22Anything you would have done differently?
23:24Not run this dog.
23:26Poor Roy, you tried your best, mate.
23:28That's how it goes, that's trialling, isn't it?
23:30Yeah, well, great effort.
23:32And just see how the others go now.
23:34That's it.
23:35All right, well done, Oliver. Cheers.
23:40The final runner is Team Ireland's OisĂn McCulloch.
23:44And despite just missing out on the pen at the end...
23:51It's seconds from closing that gate!
23:55OisĂn McCulloch, run 4 is now 5.
24:00..he just nicked it on the judges' scorecards
24:03thanks to scoring highly on the rest of the run,
24:06leaving Andrew, Oliver and Donny as runners-up.
24:09Those young men must be all so proud of their achievements,
24:12winners or losers.
24:27It's the afternoon of the Supreme.
24:30Ten competitors have already run, with five left to go.
24:34The judges' scores are a closely guarded secret,
24:37so the results so far are anybody's guess.
24:40But it's all going down well with those watching.
24:43Rory, why have you come here today?
24:45My cousin is playing for the Young Handlers.
24:49Really? How did your cousin get on?
24:52He won the Young Handlers.
24:54And how proud are you?
24:56Very proud.
24:58And would you like to do this one day?
25:00Yes.
25:01Yeah? Why?
25:02It's a fun experience and it'll just be fun one day.
25:07Have you had a go at doing this?
25:09Yeah.
25:10OK, so tell me what it is about it that you like.
25:13It is quite hard, but you've got to learn and get the dog to trust you.
25:19And what do you think watching the really experienced people today in the Supreme?
25:23Looks tricky.
25:26Back on the field, Angie with Kinloch-Taz and Ian with Lark
25:30are the next two competitors to go.
25:33This is Angie.
25:36There's an awful moment in this course, on the outrun,
25:40when the dog disappears.
25:42And I don't know how the shepherd kind of copes with that,
25:45because you've honestly got no idea where he is.
25:48So to my inner expert eye, this is going to be a bit tricky.
25:53So to my inner expert eye, this is going quite well.
25:56She's got them down off the hill beautifully, honestly,
25:59and then going round here,
26:01and then they've got to head up to the gate, across to the gate,
26:04and then it's the shedding path.
26:06It's brilliant to watch. Honestly, it's brilliant.
26:08So Angie's got them now into the shedding ring.
26:11This is where she needs to separate out the five with collars.
26:15And from what I can gather, you do want some to just wander off,
26:18because they will take the others with them.
26:20But obviously the trick is that they don't take the ones with collars.
26:24I think this is impossibly difficult, to be honest.
26:27That took a bit of time,
26:29but she's managed to separate out the five with collars,
26:32and now she's just got to get them in the pen.
26:37Oh, come on, Angie.
26:40Yes!
26:42APPLAUSE
26:45Listen to that!
26:47Oh, well done, Angie.
26:49That was brilliant. Well, that was fantastic.
26:52Everything seemed to go kind of right.
26:54Took a bit of time in the shedding ring,
26:56but got them into the pen in the time.
27:01A massive round of applause, not surprising.
27:04From my novice viewpoint, that was an impressive run,
27:07and the spectators seem to agree.
27:09Well done. I finished. That was fantastic.
27:11I can't believe it. You must be so chuffed.
27:13Oh, I'm like over the moon. I can't believe it.
27:16It just seemed to go right.
27:18Yeah. I don't know why. Just a nice wee dog.
27:21The shedding took a long time.
27:23You were very patient there, not to sort of panic.
27:26No. Well, I was sort of panicking.
27:28Really? OK, well, you did that well.
27:30I was very nervous.
27:32You know, I just tried to stick in and get the job done.
27:35Because it's important to get that gate finished at the end of a trial.
27:39Yeah, well, you did. Yeah, I know. I can't believe it.
27:43It's hard enough qualifying for the Supreme once,
27:46but Ian Brownlee has qualified twice this year,
27:49with two different dogs.
27:51Earlier this morning, he ran with Boyd.
27:54So this is Ian about to start his second run.
27:56The first one did not go according to plan,
27:59but this second run is with a different dog.
28:01This is Lark. And we're off.
28:04Ian sends Lark out to the left for her first outrun.
28:07Picking the packet of sheep from high up on the hill,
28:10she confidently drives them down through the first gate.
28:13Now, Ian said that this was a young dog,
28:15but honestly, it seems to be going quite well.
28:17Just got to get them to go round here now,
28:19and then up through the gate.
28:21Hope I haven't just jinxed it.
28:28They've got them into the shedding ring.
28:30This is the tricky bit, isn't it?
28:32I think Ian's just having a look.
28:34He's just working out where the sheep with the collars are.
28:37This bit in the ring where you've got to shed some of the sheep
28:41takes so much time,
28:43and of course time is the one thing by this point in the course
28:46that you probably don't have.
28:48So right now, Ian is a bit up against it.
28:51He's still got to separate out two sheep,
28:53the two without collars.
28:59And the one that really, really wants to get out
29:02is the one with the collar.
29:05And the one that really, really wants to leave that shedding ring
29:08is the one with the collar.
29:12Ah, just as I say that, he's done it.
29:15So here he goes, towards the pen.
29:18So Lach held the sheep,
29:20and now bringing them towards the pen
29:22while Ian opens the gate.
29:25Come on, turn around, turn around.
29:28Oh, oh, oh.
29:30That's the sheep that really wants to leave.
29:34Oh, and that's time, that's time.
29:37How frustrating.
29:43How was it for you?
29:45Eh, easy for me, I didn't need to do any running.
29:49Aye, they were just chucking off, just running out of time at the last minute.
29:52Shedding a lot of time up.
29:54It's unbelievable watching the shed,
29:56because you have to be so calm
29:58in such a pressurised moment at the end of the run.
30:00It's either your luck's in or you're not.
30:02There was one really big ewe that didn't have a collar in.
30:05Every time she thought about going to the end,
30:07she just tucked in and I couldn't get her out.
30:09And you were so close when you were getting her on the pen.
30:12Yeah.
30:13So frustrating.
30:14Could have been there a while, I think.
30:16But for a young dog, you must be really chuffed.
30:18I'm pleased with her.
30:19She acquitted herself really well.
30:21Yeah.
30:22Lach and Ian have put themselves in contention
30:25with 12 runs done.
30:27But in the remaining three,
30:29there's a four-time supreme champion
30:31wanting to retain their title.
30:36Now for a challenge of a completely different kind.
30:39This year's Ramble Weekend is fast approaching.
30:42Here's John with the details.
30:47Well, very impressive, Putsy.
30:49You're doing your bit.
30:51But you don't have to do aerobics or even betterobics,
30:54because we're all going rambling.
30:57Putsy, save your energy for that.
31:00This year's Countryfile Ramble for BBC Children in Need
31:04is next weekend, on the 12th and 13th of October.
31:08If you'd like to get involved, head to the Countryfile website,
31:11click on the link to the Ramble Hub,
31:13where you'll find everything you need
31:15to set up your own sponsored ramble.
31:18A huge thank you to all of you who've already signed up.
31:22But if you haven't done so yet, there's still plenty of time.
31:26No matter the distance of your ramble,
31:28each step counts and every penny raised makes a real difference
31:32to children facing incredibly challenging times.
31:35Children like Ruby.
31:38Swing yourself over there. There we go.
31:41Nine-year-old Ruby lives in Inverurie
31:44with her mum, Denise, her dad, Taron, and her two brothers.
31:48But when she was just 2½, her life changed overnight.
31:53She got up and we didn't recognise her.
31:55Her face was so swollen, she couldn't open her eyes.
31:59Denise took her down to the GP, and then I got a call later in the day
32:03just to say that maybe something serious was going on
32:06and to go into the hospital.
32:09Ruby was diagnosed with FSGS,
32:12which is focal segmental glomerular sclerosis,
32:15this incurable disease.
32:19It was really hard news to hear.
32:23Our world fell apart.
32:26FSGS is a term for a family of diseases involving damage to the kidneys.
32:33Scar tissue develops on the tiny filters in the organs,
32:36stopping them from working properly.
32:39In the worst cases, it can lead to kidney failure,
32:42resulting in the need for dialysis or even transplant.
32:46FSGS is extremely rare.
32:48The consultant that deals with Ruby has only seen three cases in a 30-year career.
32:54You don't want anything to happen to your kids,
32:56so to be told that she had an illness which was not treatable, not curable,
33:02was highly likely to result in dialysis and kidney transplant
33:06and up to an 80% chance of returning after transplant,
33:11it was bleak.
33:14Ruby immediately started treatment,
33:17which saw her in and out of hospital and on high doses of steroids
33:21to try to keep her kidneys from failing.
33:24The disease also affected what she could eat and how it tastes.
33:28We were in a real tricky position
33:31where she was actually refusing to eat anything.
33:34Kidneys, when they're failing, produce a metallic taste,
33:37so everything has a horrible taste to it.
33:40It was a really difficult decision to have her feeding tube put in,
33:44but looking back, it's one of the best things that we did
33:47because she wouldn't be where she is now if we didn't have that.
33:51What the button is for is because I don't eat or drink a lot
33:55because of my kidney problems,
33:57so that just gives me, like, an extra lot of fluid and food.
34:01I clip something into my button
34:03and then I put a syringe on the little clip
34:08and then I put a special milk in it and it goes through
34:11and then I'll put water in it just to flush out the milk.
34:15Over the past year, Ruby's condition has declined
34:19and her parents know it's only a matter of time
34:22before she will need a transplant.
34:24We were initially told when she was diagnosed
34:27to expect dialysis and kidney failure in less than two years.
34:31We did have some testing done.
34:34I was initially a perfect match,
34:36but unfortunately I was diagnosed with cancer last year,
34:39with breast cancer.
34:43You don't expect to deal with one serious illness in your family,
34:46let alone two.
34:48Really devastated.
34:50I think for me the hardest bit was knowing
34:53that I couldn't give my kidney to Ruby.
34:57You know, just having to deal with that.
35:01BBC Children In Need doesn't directly fund medical treatments,
35:05but it does help in other ways.
35:08What we want for Ruby more than anything is a normal life,
35:11is to do normal things and is to experience things.
35:14Ruby never got that opportunity just because of the illness
35:17and the amount of support she needed.
35:21The charity Over The Wall, part funded by BBC Children In Need,
35:27offers residential camps all over the UK
35:30to disabled and poorly children.
35:33Her disease is so rare that she's unlikely
35:36to meet anybody else with FSGS.
35:39It seemed like a great opportunity
35:41where we could be happy that Ruby's medical needs
35:44were being taken care of.
35:46A week after Denise's diagnosis,
35:48Ruby and her siblings went to their first Over The Wall camp.
35:52First time at camp, Ruby was super, super nervous.
35:56She had never actually been away from home at all overnight.
36:00I was extremely nervous, but once I got on the bus
36:04and we were a few minutes in on the ride,
36:07I just chatted the entire way there.
36:10When I got there, I was fine.
36:12Ruby did get to meet children with other similar conditions.
36:15The support, like, they give me is incredible
36:19and the friendships are just amazing.
36:21At Over The Wall, Ruby was given the chance
36:24to try all sorts of new and fun activities,
36:27something she continues to do in her day-to-day life.
36:30I really like gymnastics or dancing
36:33and I love trampolining and horse riding.
36:36I try not to worry about Denise's activities.
36:39I just want her to go out and try everything that she can try.
36:43Sometimes it's a bit scary, especially learning new things,
36:46but then when you get to learn it, it's really fun.
36:49I want her just to experience life
36:53and not be cocooned away and not wrapped up in bubble wrap.
36:58The grant from BBC Children In Need
37:00helps Over The Wall fund their campaign coordinator,
37:04a vital role for supporting families like Ruby's.
37:08If charities like Over The Wall didn't exist,
37:10it would be very, very difficult for us.
37:12We wouldn't have anybody there to help support us.
37:15There's a charity called Over The Wall,
37:18There's a sense of inclusion.
37:20We're not on our own, there's other people going through the same things.
37:23And there's help, there's support, and there's positive experiences.
37:28The best thing about Over The Wall is meeting new people.
37:31There was a girl that had a button just like mine,
37:34so meeting people like that.
37:36Yeah, button people!
37:42Charities like Over The Wall have really helped children like Ruby
37:46step outside their comfort zones.
37:50To support young people like Ruby,
37:53you can donate any amount online
37:55by scanning the QR code on your screen right now
37:58or head to bbc.co.uk slash countryfile.
38:02Or to donate ÂŁ5, ÂŁ10, ÂŁ20, ÂŁ30 or ÂŁ40,
38:06text the word ÂŁ5, ÂŁ10, ÂŁ20, ÂŁ30 or ÂŁ40 to 70705.
38:13Text will cost your donation amount
38:15plus your standard network message charge
38:18and 100% of your donation will go to BBC Children In Need.
38:22You must be 16 or over and please ask the bill payers permission.
38:27For full terms and more information,
38:29go to bbc.co.uk slash countryfile.
38:33Remember, the Countryfile Ramble is next weekend,
38:36the 12th and 13th of October,
38:38so go to the website and get yourself all set up.
38:41And then, like Patsy and me, get ready to ramble.
38:52If you're heading out on a ramble, then you'll need one of these,
38:55our 10th anniversary BBC Children In Need bobble hat.
38:59To order yours, go to the Countryfile website for more details.
39:12As you can probably tell, here it has been wet, windy and cold
39:17and I'm really wishing I'd packed my thermals.
39:19Will we need thermals next week?
39:21Here's the Countryfile forecast.
39:33Hello. Well, it certainly looks and feels like autumn
39:36this early Sunday evening
39:38and it's our first weather for the week ahead this October.
39:41So I want to look back at September,
39:43just remind you how wet September was
39:46across some central and southern parts of England.
39:48We had upwards of 350% of normal rainfall through the month.
39:54Are we going to get more rainfall in the coming days?
39:56Well, you know what the answer is to that.
39:58Yes, we are. And it is going to be quite soggy.
40:01So this is the outlook for the next few days.
40:03The rainfall accumulation across the UK.
40:05Where it's blue, you'll get rain
40:06and the darker blues there indicate
40:08rainfall of about 40 to 50 millimetres.
40:11That's a couple of inches of rain.
40:12Now, low pressure is close by
40:14and that, of course, means heavy showers
40:16for many of us this evening.
40:17Not everywhere. There's a bit of brightness in some spots,
40:20but it's not going to last very long.
40:21The heavy showers will be moving from the south,
40:25northwards and eastwards through the course of tonight
40:27with some big gaps in between as well.
40:29So it won't be raining all the time.
40:31And in fact, some of us could even escape
40:33most of the rain tonight with some clear spells.
40:36Not cold around double figures.
40:38I think for many of us early on Monday morning.
40:40I think on Monday, the gaps between the clouds
40:42will be quite large.
40:43So there will be plenty of sunny spells around,
40:45but there will also be frequent showers.
40:48Some of them could be heavy.
40:49There could be some cracks of thunder.
40:50And actually, at some point,
40:51there could even be some longer spells of rain,
40:54for example, in southwestern parts of England.
40:56Now, low pressure is close by.
40:58It's moving very, very slowly.
40:59Here it is just to the southwest of us on Tuesday.
41:02Generating the showers.
41:04So Monday and Tuesday, it's sunny spells.
41:07Occasional showers.
41:09Be prepared for a downpour.
41:11And I think in the north of the UK,
41:12it'll probably be fairly overcast.
41:14So that's Monday and Tuesday.
41:15Now, middle of the week could become interesting.
41:17We're watching this interesting feature.
41:19It's a hurricane out there in the Atlantic.
41:21Hurricane Kirk.
41:22As it moves northwards, it'll become an X hurricane
41:25and then get caught in the jet stream,
41:27which will push it towards western parts of Europe.
41:31Now, we're fairly confident
41:32the storm will go quite far south,
41:34but then it's going to make a very sharp turn
41:36to the left northwards.
41:38And just how close will it get
41:40to southeastern parts of England?
41:42Let's have a look at the forecast then
41:44for early on Wednesday morning.
41:45So we have a north easterly breeze
41:47bringing showers to north sea coasts in Scotland.
41:50The edge of the rain you can see here in the south,
41:52that's Kirk moving across France,
41:55delivering heavy rain and some very strong winds,
41:58possibly damaging winds by this stage.
42:00We're to the north.
42:01It's 17 in London with some sunshine.
42:04And then the thinking is that Kirk will drift
42:07northwards and eastwards slowly
42:09and then start to make that turn to the north.
42:13So damaging winds, I think,
42:14developing across northern France
42:16into Benelux, eventually Germany.
42:18We're just on the edge here.
42:19And the thinking is that there'll be some gale force winds
42:21around the south, southeastern England,
42:24East Anglia coastline.
42:25But I think the worst of it should miss us.
42:27But, you know, the air at this stage
42:29got to flag that up.
42:30I think in the wake of Kirk,
42:32as it pulls away towards eastern Europe
42:34and brings damaging winds to perhaps Germany,
42:36we'll see a northerly developing,
42:38a northerly wind.
42:39So that means colder air from the northern climes.
42:41Sunshine, yes, but barely into single figures
42:43across Scotland and maybe nine to 13 further south.
42:46And then I think that chilly air stays with us into Friday.
42:51So, yeah, an interesting week of weather on the way.
42:55Relatively typical, I think,
42:57for autumn for our neck of the woods.
42:59That's it from me. Bye-bye.
43:09Right, we've got some amazing pictures to look through.
43:12A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of helping judge
43:15the Countryphile photographic competition.
43:17And now John is ready with the highly anticipated result.
43:22That's right.
43:23The time has finally come to announce
43:25the overall winner of the Countryphile
43:27photographic competition for 2024
43:30and to reveal the Countryphile calendar for 2025,
43:34which you can buy in any BBC children in need.
43:39We were sent thousands of submissions
43:41from all over the country.
43:43And it was a real challenge to narrow them down
43:46to just 12 that will start in the calendar.
43:49So a huge thank you to everyone who entered.
43:53The theme this year was natural wonders,
43:55and our beautiful countryside
43:57certainly provided lots of inspiration for you.
44:01It was no easy task, but after a long day of deliberation,
44:05Charlotte and I, alongside Radio 1 presenter Vic Hope,
44:09managed to choose our final 12.
44:12From these, we asked you to vote for your favourite.
44:17And we judges between us chose our own favourite photo.
44:21Now, the quality was so extremely high this year
44:24of so many entries that it made our decision
44:26very, very difficult.
44:28But the judges' favourite photo is
44:32King of the Quarry by Carl Evans.
44:35So huge congratulations to you, Carl.
44:39The judges loved the composition of his photo
44:42and the clever use of light.
44:44Carl will receive a ÂŁ500 gift voucher
44:48for photographic equipment.
44:50So Carl's picture was our favourite,
44:52but which did you at home like best?
44:57With very great pleasure, I can reveal
45:00the overall winner is
45:03Seal of Approval by Ursula Armstrong.
45:07Not only will Ursula's lovely photo grace the front
45:11of the 2025 Countryfile calendar
45:14and represent the month of November,
45:16she'll also receive a gift card worth ÂŁ1,000.
45:22Ursula, hello. Can I stop you for a minute?
45:25Yes, of course you can. Hello.
45:27Well, congratulations.
45:29Because out of nearly 20,000 photos,
45:33our viewers chose yours as the best.
45:35How about that?
45:37I still can't believe it. It's absolutely incredible.
45:40And it's such a happy picture, isn't it?
45:42And tell me, how did you take it?
45:44Well, I'd gone to Horsey.
45:46I'd gone in the winter with my parents.
45:48That's on the Norfolk coast, isn't it?
45:49Yeah, on the Norfolk coast, yes, to see the grey seal pups.
45:52I came back in the summer and he was just right in the middle,
45:55a mixture of greys and commons all around him,
45:57rolling around, enjoying himself.
45:59And he was just so full of character.
46:02And have you been taking photographs for a long time?
46:05No, actually, I've always been passionate about nature.
46:08It was only during lockdown I had to isolate a lot
46:12because of my arthritis.
46:14So I thought, do you know what?
46:15I'm going to pick up a second-hand camera and see how I like it.
46:18And I've been completely addicted since then.
46:21Well, you're going to be the first now to see your photograph
46:26on the cover of the 2025 calendar.
46:31How about that?
46:32That is absolutely amazing.
46:33In my family, we've had this calendar up in my home,
46:36you know, since I was little.
46:38So I feel very privileged.
46:40I think it's fair to say that Ursula is a very deserving winner.
46:44But we'd also like to thank everyone who sent in their entries
46:47to this year's competition because without you,
46:50we wouldn't have this wonderful calendar.
46:52And if you'd like to have one, this is what you do.
46:56It costs ÂŁ10.99, which includes UK delivery.
47:01You can go to our website, bbce.co.uk slash countryphile,
47:06where you'll find a link to the order page.
47:11Or you can phone the order line on 0330 333 4564.
47:18Standard geographic charges will apply to both landlines and mobiles.
47:24The line will be available from Monday to Friday, 9am to 8pm,
47:30and Saturdays from 10am to 4pm.
47:35If you prefer to order by post,
47:37please send your name, address and a cheque
47:39to BBC Countryphile Calendar, PO Box 25, Melton Mowbray, LE13 1ZG.
47:50Please make your cheques payable to BBC Countryphile Calendar.
47:54A minimum of ÂŁ5 from the sale of each calendar
47:58will be donated to the BBC's Children in Need appeal.
48:02Countryphile Calendars have raised more than ÂŁ30 million
48:06for BBC Children in Need since we started selling them.
48:09So let's see how much we can add to that total
48:12with the calendar for 2025. It's up to you.
48:27This week, we're in Biggar in Scotland
48:29for the International Sheepdog Championships.
48:33Fifteen competitors and their dogs have been taking part
48:36in the double gather, shepherding 20 sheep
48:39around a challenging course in less than 30 minutes.
48:43The competitor deemed by the judges to have made the fewest mistakes
48:47will be crowned the Supreme Champion,
48:50the highest accolade in sheepdog trialling in the UK.
48:54It's time for the last competitor to enter the field,
48:57representing Wales, previous four-time Supreme Champion
49:01Kevin Evans and his dog, Kemmy Jack.
49:05Are you suitably impressed?
49:07I'm very chuffed.
49:09You're absorbed, aren't you? I am.
49:12I've been all over the shop. Have you?
49:14But watching this with the crowds, people love it, don't they?
49:18You can see why. It's completely absorbing.
49:21It is quite extraordinary.
49:23No sheep at the top of the hill. You can hardly see them.
49:26I know. It's amazing.
49:28This isn't going quite according to plan to me.
49:30No. Well, he missed the first gate.
49:32Yeah, exactly. I saw that just now.
49:34So he's got to try and get this lot through.
49:36The first lot that didn't go through the gate then ran off.
49:39Luckily. Luckily.
49:41Totally focused, aren't they? It's incredible, really.
49:44Oh, look, they came through that gate. Brilliant.
49:46And Kevin Evans is renowned for this, isn't he?
49:48Oh, really? He's like one of the best.
49:50Right, OK.
49:52He's won this, I think, four times with four different dogs.
49:55Wow.
49:57How much of this could you do?
49:59So where the dog is now, I could just about work my sheepdog there.
50:03All this fancy stuff through gates and into pens...
50:06No. Really? You can't do that?
50:08No. Rubbish. Rubbish on you.
50:10Very... Call yourself a farmer.
50:13With the drive completed and both gates navigated smoothly,
50:17the shedding ring is next.
50:20For many today, the most time-consuming part of the course.
50:26OK, so it's game on. He's got five.
50:29He just needs to get them in the pen.
50:31And those five are going to want to go back and join those now.
50:34Yeah, join these ones. They've run away.
50:36Right, OK. So...
50:38What do you reckon he's got? Four, three, four minutes?
50:41I reckon he's got two minutes.
50:43So this is where a dog shows such power.
50:45Tail down, head down, thing they call eye.
50:48The dog is mesmerising those sheep, getting into their heads.
50:52Now they're turning.
50:54What? They're so nearly in.
50:56That's it, that's it. Go on, turn again.
50:58It's quite exciting, isn't it?
51:00Who'd have thought we'd be standing out on a windy, rainy Scottish hill
51:04getting excited about getting some sheep in the pen.
51:07Brilliant.
51:09Yes!
51:11APPLAUSE
51:13Told you. I think I told you.
51:15I think that was mainly our willpower.
51:18I genuinely think so.
51:20Kevin should thank us.
51:22That's Kevin Evans, last one of the day, representing Wales.
51:26Have we got any idea who the winner is?
51:28Well, no, because obviously you would think the people who penned
51:31would naturally be, you know, one, two, three, but no.
51:34Because of the points system,
51:36someone who didn't quite make the pen might still be the winner.
51:39So there's lots of maths to do.
51:41MUSIC
51:44It's awards time,
51:46after an exhilarating day of the finest sheepdog trialling,
51:50with 15 of the best giving it their all to claim the ultimate prize.
51:56Earlier, we followed handler Michael Glynn from Ireland
51:59with his dog Marshall,
52:01who had a great run but didn't manage to pen the sheep in time.
52:05Ian Brownlee from Scotland trialled both his dogs,
52:08Boyd and Lark.
52:10Boyd had a tougher run, and although Lark was more successful,
52:14the bell rang for time before the sheep were penned.
52:17Angie Driscoll, representing Wales,
52:20managed to complete the course with her dog, Kinloch Taz.
52:24And Kevin Evans, also from Wales,
52:26had a stormer of a run with Kemmy Jack.
52:29All that's left is to see how they've placed.
52:32This moment is the pinnacle of sheepdog trialling for 2024.
52:37In eighth place, run 49, Ian Brownlee for Scotland.
52:42After a disappointing run and 15th place with Boyd,
52:46Ian Brownlee improved it to eighth with youngster Lark,
52:49who went on to win the youngest dog.
52:54In sixth place, Ian Brownlee for Scotland,
52:59In sixth place, run eight for Ireland, Michael Glynn.
53:06Michael Glynn and Marshall were a very respectable sixth.
53:12But it was the Welsh contingent who filled the top three spots.
53:16In third place, run 46, Angie Driscoll.
53:21Angie Driscoll and Kinloch Taz were third.
53:28Some familiar faces.
53:302023 Countryfile one-man and his dog winners,
53:34Robert Ellis and Todd, came in second.
53:37And the only thing left is to crown 2024's Supreme Champion.
53:42In first place for Supreme Champion 2024,
53:48David Kevin Evans with Kemmy Jack.
53:54First place goes to someone well-known to those here today,
53:57Kevin Evans and his dog, Kemmy Jack.
54:01Kevin, congratulations. Thank you.
54:03My word, what a huge array of awards and cups. Incredible.
54:08It's the pinnacle of trialling.
54:10This is the one everybody wants to win, so it's a great honour.
54:13But not the first time for you?
54:15No, this is the fifth time now. Incredible.
54:17I think they get harder to win every time, but just a great honour to win.
54:20I know you're a modest man, but what is it that gets you to where you are?
54:25A lot of work. No, it's hard work.
54:27Of course you need good dogs, and you need to put a lot of time into it.
54:30It's a time-consuming thing, but it's so enjoyable.
54:33You meet so many people, and it's just a great way of life.
54:36How special is this one?
54:38He's been a lucky dog for me. He's four years old now,
54:41and I've won a lot of big competitions.
54:43He was Welsh nursery champion, he went on to be European champion,
54:46and now Welsh Open champion, and now Supreme Champion, too.
54:49Wow, he is a superstar, isn't he?
54:51Lovely. Well, congratulations. Thank you.
54:56Countryfile viewers might recognise second-placed Robert Ellis
54:59from winning last year's One Man and His Dog.
55:02Oh, well done. Thank you, Adam.
55:04Absolutely brilliant. Yeah, yeah.
55:07And so you've won One Man and His Dog, second in the Supreme,
55:11and how many points were in it?
55:13To be honest, I'm not quite sure, because when we had the cheer,
55:16I wasn't listening. I was just so happy.
55:20I wasn't expecting second. It was a nice surprise.
55:23Have you won the Supreme before?
55:25No, I've been second, third, down the list many times,
55:29but no, I've never won it before, no.
55:31And it's being hosted by Wales next year, so maybe that's your moment.
55:34Well, we'll try again. Yeah, that's the joy of this sport.
55:36You've always got another chance, and you've always got to keep trying.
55:39It does seem like dog trialling people are very humble and very relaxed.
55:43Is that part of the skill of the job?
55:45Well, yeah, because when you're working with dogs and sheep,
55:48you can be easily disappointed.
55:51You know what it's like?
55:52They say don't work with animals or with children,
55:55but we're working with two kinds of animals.
55:57No, it's a skill, but you've got to have a little bit of luck.
56:00It was such a big course today, tough sheep.
56:02It pulled the best out of everybody, I think.
56:04It really did, yeah. Congratulations.
56:07Thank you very much, Adam.
56:09Angie Driscoll and Kinloch Taz not only got third place in the Supreme,
56:14but earlier in the week had won the brace,
56:18involving running two dogs at once.
56:21Angie, my word, congratulations.
56:23Thank you very much.
56:24Lots of prizes, lots of cups.
56:26Well, yeah, yeah, the van's pretty packed.
56:28But the Supreme is so challenging, isn't it?
56:31Yeah, it's fabulous, isn't it? And I love those sorts of courses.
56:34And a lovely camaraderie between you all.
56:36Absolutely, especially on the Welsh team, yeah.
56:38But, yes, with the other countries as well.
56:40And working the brace, I mean, what a skill.
56:43Well, it's just something I've picked up this year.
56:46You've only just started doing it this year?
56:48Yeah, this was my fifth competition ever.
56:50What? Amazing.
56:52What's in you that can just grasp the course?
56:55You know, they're two lovely dogs. They work nice together.
56:58And you just go out there and you do your best and see what throws up.
57:02And most New Zealanders will be running around with a Hunterway.
57:06No, thank you.
57:08Sorry, Border Collies all the way for me.
57:10And really gorgeous, aren't they?
57:12And will you just keep coming back into Wales next year?
57:15This dog might retire this year.
57:17So I don't know whether I'll be able to run brace next year
57:20because I don't have another dog coming on for Taz.
57:23But maybe I'll get another year out of him. I don't know.
57:26And the Supreme?
57:27Well, you always want to have a bash at that, don't you?
57:30Fantastic. Good luck.
57:31Let's hope you make it.
57:32And I'd love to see your name on the plaque. It'd be amazing.
57:35Oh, I don't think that's ever going to happen.
57:37All the best. Take care.
57:41It has genuinely been a great day, hasn't it?
57:44It really has.
57:45I mean, the skill and talent of the dogs and the handlers.
57:47I'm just in awe of them.
57:48Are we going to see you here next year?
57:50Probably not.
57:52That's it from us here at the Supreme.
57:54But do join us next week when Joe will be at a competition
57:57of a completely different kind at the Stranraer Oyster Festival.
58:04To my absolute amazement, not only did we have an oyster bed
58:07less than two miles from where I was standing,
58:10but we're the last wild and remaining oyster bed in all of Scotland.
58:15Mm.
58:16There you go. That is perfect.
58:18Pam, you've awakened me in some way. This is amazing.
58:22Three, two, one.
58:25Shutter off.
58:26And they're away. They're away.
58:28OK, so we're off to a fast start here.
58:30That's next week at 20 past five.
58:32Hope you can join us then.
58:34Bye-bye. Bye-bye.
59:05.