Kevin Evans and Preseli Ci claimed the Supreme International Sheepdog Championship after a dramatic and nerve jangling finish to the supreme final which concluded three days of superb trialling at Sandilands Farm, Tywyn, Wales.

Kevin and Ci (R Games’ Roy, L Harries Groesfaen Jet) were the first pair to run in the supreme and set a standard that was unmatched until the final run of the day from Ireland’s James McLaughlin and Dan (D Scrimgeour’s Laddie, J Dyke’s Killiebrae Lyn) ran it close with a run that was awarded 613, a single point behind Kevin and Ci on 614. Both dogs were level on merit points, indicating the probability that two of the four judges had ranked Ci in top place and two judges had rated Dan in poll position.

The course was set on a vast, flat plain near the sea, with a range of ‘pudding bowl’ mountains providing a graphic backdrop to the event. The weather was fair, the Welsh mountain ewes generally well behaved and the organisation first class.

Scotland made the brace section its own, with Julie Hill’s Mac (RB Henderson’s Bill, J Hill’s Tess) and Ban (RB Henderson’s Lad, J Hill’s Socks) taking the championship and Peter Martin’s littermates Jill and Jen (R Dalziel’s Joe, N McVicar’s Nikki), the reserve.

Scotland did not fare so well in the individual class, with only two of fifteen Scottish team members qualifying to run in the supreme after the first, two day, heat. Michael Shearer’s Jim (M Shearer’s Cap, J Ogston’s Tess) and Mosse Magnusson’s Myllin Davey (HJ Francis’ Moss & Lyn) eventually finished in eighth and ninth places, respectively.

Kevin and Ci’s success consolidated a memorable international for Wales, with the nation taking the team trophy, with seven dogs in the supreme. Aled Owen and Llangwm Cap (A Owen’s Mac and Gael) kept the flame of glory blazing when he claimed a home win on Welsh soil in the driving competition. Caolan Byrne and Dan won the young handlers’ competition for Ireland.

The supreme final saw the top 15 dogs from the qualifying trial sent out 800 yards to the left to gather ten sheep, fetch them toward the handler and through a gate. The dog was then instructed to leave the sheep and to go back to the right hand side of the field to lift another packet of ten, waiting 800 yards distant and fetch them through the gate.

The two groups were to be united, brought to, and turned around, the handler. They were then driven left, 200 yards to another gate, driven through and turned round to run across the course to a second drive gate, driven through and turned back to the shedding ring, near the handler’s post; the combined drive covered 600 yards. In the shedding ring, 15 unmarked sheep were shed from the group and five red collared ones remaining to be taken to the pen, where they were to be enclosed.

The high standard of Preseli Ci’s winning run started the day on a bright note. Ci ran out well and brought the first packet to the fetch gates. She turned back on command, ran to the fence and took further guidance to keep her on line on the long way out to collect the second group. Ci united the sheep brought them to Kevin, drove them neatly round him and away on the first leg. The cross drive went well and the ewes returned to the shedding ring. Kevin and Ci shed off five ewes, one slipped behind Kevin, but stayed in the ring where the ewes were peeled off in small numbers until five red collars remained. A successful pen followed and spectators immediately understood that they had seen what was potentially, the winning run and applauded accordingly.

The long outruns and the turn back tested some dogs but the standard was high although some dogs ran out of time at the pen, or even the shed.

Even before the points were announced, there was a dramatic moment during the final run, from James McLaughlin and Dan, when a collared ewe had broken away from the second packet of sheep at the top of the course, before Dan reached them.

Before that, he had a good first outrun, kept a good route on the second but needed three whistles to keep him on track.

Once the shortfall in the sheep was noticed, Dan lifted and fetched the nine available, and the clock was stopped while the absentee was replaced and the sheep were returned to the positions they held when the clock stopped.

The run resumed with the two packets being brought together. A good drive followed and but the last plain ewe in the shedding ring was an awkward customer. Once shed, she ran back to join the collared sheep heading into the pen, but James and Dan secured the five red ewes, with seconds to spare and a volunteer at his back and the spectators responded with a rousing cheer.

International supreme – 1, K Evans, Preseli Ci, Wales, 614 / 720 (judges), 58 (merit); 2, J McLaughlin’s Dan, Ireland, 613, 58; 3, R Games’ Roy, W, 577, 50; 4, M Evans, Mac, W, 574, 50; 5, A L Jones’ Spot, W, 543, 41.5; 6, K Evans, Kemi Ross, W, 538, 40; 7, K Broad’s Kinloch Levi, W, 532, 36; 8, MC Shearer’s Jim, Scotland, 523, 34.5; 9, M Magnusson’s Myllin Davey, Scot, 499, 25; 10, R Hutchinson’s Jock, England, 498, 24; 11, J McCloskey’s Sweep, Ire, 494, 22.5; 12, B Smith’s Ben, Eng, 485, 15; 13, R Hutchinson’s Sweep, Eng, 484, 13.5; 14, M Feeney’s Jack, Ire, 356, 8; 15, M Evans, Meg, W, Ret, 4.

Brace – 1, J Hill’s Mac & Ban, Scot, 411 /480; 2, P Martin’s Jill & Jen, 370.