2025 sheepdog finals judge nominations
Jennifer Ewers
Jennifer writes:
Herding and working border collies have been a major part of my life for the past 30 years. During that time, I have gained respect throughout the US as a handler, judge and trainer. I have judged The Bluegrass Classic, The National Finals, Soldier Hollow, Kingston Trial, Zamora Hills, Tabletop , Texas State Finals, North West Championship trial (all double lifts) and many other local smaller trials. My husband and I have a 100 acre training facility in Plainview, Arkansas , where we run 100 head of Rambouillet breeding ewes. I currently have two Open dogs trialing and a string of youngsters coming up. I keep nine dogs in my kennel. Most of which have come off my personal breeding line of dogs. I am originally from California, I am well versed on range ewes, trialing and judging, which gives me a good understanding of the sheep that will be run on at the National Finals. I am well qualified and look forward to judging the National Finals.
Nominated by Gail Hromadko
Fiona McMillan
Fiona McMillan is a sheepdog trial judge and the president of the International Sheep Dog Society (ISDS). She has judged trials in many countries, including the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. She has also organized sheepdog trials, including the Scottish Nationals and Internationals. Most recently judged the CBCA National Championships in Alberta
Nominated by Amanda Milliken
Sonia Craig
Sonia writes:
My husband and I live in Payette, Idaho, where we raise approximately 300 hair ewes. Working border collies are essential to our sheep operation; without them, we simply couldn’t manage our flock.
I have been competing in USBCHA trials for over 25 years and have participated in several national finals, including both open and nursery events, competing in the double lift and the final day of the nursery. I’ve made the double lift with three different dogs at Meeker. Competed and made the double lift at Soldier Hollow. I have competed in numerous trials across the United States. I have also judged large field trials, arena trials, and a couple double lift trials, including the USBCHA Cattle National Finals.
I strongly believe in stockmanship and handling livestock in a skilled and efficient manner. My priority as a judge is to be fair and consistent.
Thank you for considering me for this important and humbling position. I would be honored to serve
Nominated by Nancy Penley
Bill Berhow
Bill writes:
Involved with Border Collies, ABCA, USBCHA, for over 45 years. Won USBCHA national finals three times. Reserve national finals placing three times. Canadian national finals winner. Several Purina Award winners. Two times ABCA hall of fame winner. Judged most double lift trials in U.S. and Canada. Judged USBCHA national finals three times. Judged Canadian national finals twice. While I am no longer competing in trials, I continue to give clinics and webinars, including judging and training clinics, around the U.S. I continue to judge regularly around the U.S. I strongly believe in fairness, practicality, consistency, and competency in our judging. Judges, ultimately, have a strong influence on the border collie going forward.
Nominated by Rhonda Lauritsen
Ron Fischer
Ron Fischer has been involved with dogs and livestock most of his life. He began trialing 40 years ago with his Australian Cattle Dogs. They competed in arena and small open field trials. He became a judge for AHBA, and traveled all over the US judging trials. He got his first Border Collie over 20 years ago, and began entering large open field trials. He was totally hooked and has had only Border Collies since. He has taken many dogs to the sheepdog finals in both Open and Nursery. After becoming successful at the post, he began judging USBCHA trials throughout Washington and Oregon. He strives for teamwork with his dogs, and enjoys the beauty of seeing them do what they were born to do.
Nominated by Donna Berotti
James Dumbleton
James and his family farm sheep and cattle in the peak district, Cheshire, England. He also contract pregnancy scans around 100,00 ewes per year in the UK. James has judged a variety of trials in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. He has also judged the Italian, Spanish and German Finals, and has been asked to course direct at many large trials. He’s been asked to judge at the next World Trial. James has competed for England a number of times at International and World level with several different dogs. Jame said that his greatest achievement is fostering a love of sheepdogs and trialing into his son, who is also very successful in trialing: he’s won many trials including the One Man and His Dog (at 12 years old)
Nominated by Haley Hunniwell
Mosse Magnusson
Mosse is a seven time Swedish Champion. He has won the Continental Championship and the Scandinavian Championship. He has been on the Scottish National team three times and placed third in the Supreme. He was Isle of Man Champion and the Royal Welsh Champion. Mosse has judged many open trials in Europe and in the UK as well as and national competitions in Europe. He has also judged the Kingston Sheepdog Trials and the Bluegrass.
Nominated by Sue Schoen
Eammon Connell
Eamonn was raised in a farming background which always had working dog and sheep, cattle and horses. He started his career in 1997, winning the Irish nursery title that year. His career continued with many wins at Open level and nursery, mostly with young dogs he started himself. Notable achievements include: three times Irish Reserve National Champion (both in singles and brace), third place in International Brace Championship, winner of the first ever European Championship, finalist at European Nursery Championship, finalist at Deerplay Hill trial, finalist and third place in International 2021, finalist at Dutch open 2023, two-time winner of Irish Nursery titles and numerous Open titles both in Ireland and on the Continent, Irish world team member and winner of team gold medal at 2023 World Trial
Nominated by Sue MacDonald
James McLaughlin
Over 100 open wins. Ireland nursery champions, two-time national champions, reserve national, Multiple supreme finalist, Reserve supreme champions, two-tie team captain for the world trial, IRELAND double gather champions, second in the world qualifier, fourth in the world 2023, two-time One Man and His Dog champions.
Nominated by Alicia Lund
Dean McAuley
Dean has been involved with border collies and trialing from the age of 14. He and his father, Eamon, shepherd on the outskirts of Larne, Northern Ireland, where their dogs have practical work and are suitable for trialing. Dean won the NISDHA Nursery Final in 2017, and the NISDHA v Clew Bay Supreme Nursery Finals in 2021. He was the 2021 Irish Reserve Champion and has represented Ireland eight times in the singles competition at the International. He has been a two-time Irish Brace Champion in 2021 & 2022. Dean has judged numerous trials in Ireland and Italy as well as the Scottish Nursery Final in 2024. Recently, he has judged the 2022 Millstone Farm Sheepdog Trial, 2024 Bluegrass Classic, the Fleming’s 2024 PLM Sheepdog Trial, and the Knox’s Ettrick Kennel-Steve Munson Memorial Sheepdog Trial. Dean would be honored to be considered to judge “the US National.” On behalf of his USA trial hosts, I nominate him to judge the 2025 National Sheepdog Finals.
Nominated by Marianna Schreeder
Matt Watson
Matt Watson lives in Yorkshire, England, with his wife, Kate, and family. They manage 550 Texel ewes and a small herd of Parthenais Cattle. Matt was the 2010 English National Champion, 2004 English Shepherds Champion, and a six-time member of the English National Team. He has also qualified and competed at five World Trials. Matt judged the 2015 English National and the 2019 English Nursery Final. In addition to several European trials, he has judged the English Nursery Championships and several end-of-season Double Gather championships. Matt judged the 2023 International Brace Competition, the 2022 International Singles Competition, the 2024 Macclesfield Trial as well as the 2024 Bluegrass Classic. On behalf of the Bluegrass Classic SDT Committee, we would like to nominate Matt to judge the 2025 National Sheepdog Finals.
Nominated by Marianna Schreeder
Linda Tesdahl
Linda writes:
I have been raising, training and trialing working Border Collies for 35 plus years. That is hard to believe. I am still as passionate about the craft as I was when I started. I have a small farm and raise Border Cheviot crosses. I usually have about 60 ewes. My sheep go back the sheep I purchased when I got my farm in 1993.
I have trialed and judged all over the country. I have run in and judged many double lift competitions, including Soldier Hollow and Meeker. I try to help people coming into the sport by giving lessons, hosting clinic, etc. Nothing gives me more joy than helping a dog and their handler reach their potential, whether their goal is Pro Novice, ranch work, or aiming to compete at the highest level. I am honored to be considered for judging the National Finals. I would give the job my best effort.
Nominated by Mike Neary
Robin Dean
Robin Dean is a third-generation livestock farmer who after watching sheepdog trials at a local county show at age five was determined to be able to train and handle working sheepdogs to benefit of his chosen life as a sheep and cattle farmer. Robin has now been involved in breeding, training, and trialing working sheepdogs for over 40 years. Still actively farming, Robin is now 68 years old and his wife Eileen runs a flock of 500 sheep at Hall Trees Farm in Lancashire, England. Also involved with the International Sheep Dog Society, he is the current Senior Vice-President for England and is a serving trustee and council member of the ISDS.
Robin has represented England at the International trials five times, twice as English Brace Champion and once as reserve Brace champion, and twice in the singles, both times qualifying for the final days supreme championship and finishing fourth overall with his dog Roy.
Alongside breeding, training and trialing Robin has judged at numerous trials from local to internationals including the International qualifying and supreme singles, the International Brace championship, the English National trials, the English Nursery Final. Grateful and honoured to have spent a lifetime working alongside border collies, Robin believes that the quote “there is no good flock without a good shepherd, and no good shepherd without a good dog” is still as relevant today as it was when written all those years ago.
Nominated by Scott Glen
Allistair Lyttle
Allistair Lyttle is based in Pettigo, Co. Donegal in the Northwest of Ireland where he farms circ. 250 acres. As well as shorthorn cattle, Allistair farms sheep including mule crosses (Lanark X Bluefaced Leicester), Lanarks, Cheviots, and specialises in purebred flocks of Bluefaced Leicester and Blue Texels. He started sheepdog trialling at the age of eight and in addition to breeding and training sheepdogs, has travelled globally to provide instruction/improvement clinics to sheepdog handlers. An avid competitor at regional, national, and international level, Allistair has qualified for the Supreme Championship at the International Sheepdog Trial on multiple occasions. Allistair has extensive experience judging sheepdog trials at all levels both domestically and internationally, including World Trial, Continental Trial, Irish National Trials, Texas State Finals, American Finals, Mississippi State Fair and most recently Tabletop 2024. Some trialing accomplishments: Irish National Champion and Reserve Champion 2017. Irish Team captain 2017, member of Irish National team 17 times to compete at International Sheepdog Trial. Qualified for International Supreme Championship on nine occasions (highest placing: fifth in 2008). Represented Ireland at World Sheepdog Trial on three occasions, also qualified for 2023, Irish World Trial Team with two dogs.
Nominated by Lise Anderson