FUR-MIDABLE!
Schoolgirl Erin, 16, wins One Man And His Dog – beating first female winner of show
AS most of her teenage peers while away their time on social media, she can be found out in all weathers training the family’s sheepdogs.
Now all those hours of hard work and dedication have paid off for schoolgirl Erin McNaught – after she lifted a coveted One Man and His Dog trophy.
And in doing so the 16-year-old beat the first woman to win the competition.
Erin, representing Wales with shepherd Kevin Evans, 38, won the junior-and-senior team contest along with her dog Sam, five, pipping England, Scotland and Ireland to the trophy.
England were represented by Katy Cropper, 58, who won One Man and His Dog in 1990. The much-loved series, which features competitors rounding up sheep with their dogs, ran from 1976 to 1999 and has been revived for annual specials since.
Since 2013 it has been part of BBC1’s Countryfile. Last night viewers saw Erin, from Bala, North Wales, and Mr Evans triumph in the contest held on the Bowhill Estate in the
Scottish her works She A-levels, told on borders. her the trains grandfather’s Mail: Erin, her ‘I’m dogs who really farm. every is studying involved day as she for in the day. farm I love and the sport hopefully so much. taking I’m it the over fourth one generation now on both sides of the family – so I didn’t have much of a choice!
‘Since I was a small child, I’ve been going to sheepdog trials every weekend. I’ve been brought up doing it. It’s very physical and tiring but it’s worth it in the end. I enjoy it so much. It’s a way of life really.’
For the One Man and His Dog competition, senior shepherds teamed up with promising young talent. Each nation’s combined
champions. puppy scores and her Erin’s determined mother family trained who bought was him. Sam crowned He as was a a late replacement for her other dog which fell ill in the summer.
Erin was already a star in the world of sheepdog trials, having won the International Young Handlers contest last year. She said: ‘I train my dogs every night and I do lots of farm work with them so they’re used to me. On trial days, the nerves build up but once you go to the post it’s fine. The dogs are part of the family, they understand you.’
Her partner Mr Evans helped Team Wales to victory with dogs Doug, four, and Bec, three, in windy and challenging conditions.