Have you noticed that "The National" can mean so many different things .... A big horse race, a huge Bird show, the culmination of many sports events.

In this house it means the English National Sheepdog trials and we are off down to Devon with Shep and Jed, Bob's brace team.   Shep is also running as a single dog.

My Nursery hope, Killiebrae Belle, had her first introduction to trialling today, I was thrilled with her reaction to the sound of the Clay Pigeon shoot - Horror, but overcame it to work 3 large charolais ewes, with me off the post at hand to give her confidence.   Lovely !