A farmer and his 19-year-old son from Wales have won two world titles at a sheep dog competition in Scotland. David Howells won the main world title with his dog, Wyverne Pip. His son, Jack, won the young handler title for competitors under 21 with his dog, Cydros Boss. This is the first time a father and son have won both titles at the same world event.
The family lives on a hill farm with many sheep. They use sheep dogs every day to move and control their farm animals. David explained that working with dogs on the farm every day helped them prepare for the competition.
In a sheep dog trial, a dog must run up a field to collect a small group of sheep. The dog then guides the sheep through special gates and moves them into a small wooden pen. The dog and the trainer must work together carefully to guide the animals.
Jack started training sheep dogs when he was ten years old. He spent much more time with the dogs when his school was closed a few years ago. Both father and son said they were surprised and very happy to win their world trophies together.