IAN FLEMING, of Douglas, Lanark, a life member of the International Sheep Dog Society since his teens, has just been elected as its new chairman.

At the society’s AGM, held in Kendal at the start of this month, with more than 100 ISDS directors in attendance, Mr Fleming stood against John McCullough, of Portadown, Northern Ireland, for the post. It was a close call, but Ian won the election by 10 votes and will now hold the position of chairman for the next three years.

Born and brought up on a hill sheep farm in the southern uplands of Scotland, Mr Fleming took over the farm tenancy at the age of 22, and over the next 20 years negotiated tenancies of several other farms and his enterprise grew. His close connection and good relationship with the estate resulted in him being asked to take on the role of estate factor, a position he held until he retired three years ago.

Ian has also been appointed as a Tweed Commissioner, helping oversee the management of the River Tweed, and has been appointed to the board of the Scottish Land and Estates. He has served as an ISDS Director and has also been course director at some of the society’s major trials, including last year’s International at Brechin.

He said: “Our generation has inherited a society in very good heart from previous generations and our greatest achievement would be to leave the same legacy, or even better, for future generations.”