A DREAM has come true for a Tamar Valley man who has worked with sheepdogs since the age of 11 – after he was named captain of the England sheepdog trial team.

Frank Richards returned victorious with his sheepdog Lola from the English National Sheepdog Trials held in Berwick Upon Tweed, Northumberland last weekend. Frank, 30, of Castlewich Farm, Callington, got a first place with his six-year-old border collie on the second day and then won the run-off to become English team captain.

He will be in action in that role for the first time at an England, Scotland and Wales contest from September 9 to 11 in York. Farmer Frank also now qualifies for the World Trial 2023 which is being held in Northern Ireland next year. Frank had his first sheepdog at the age of 11 and began keeping sheep at the age of 13, but his current success did not come easily with the covid pandemic disrupting sheepdog trials and forcing him to take a year out.

He has since been making up for lost time preparing for the trials.

As his partner Natalie Gardner, who shares his passion for sheepdog trials, explains, the achievement is one Frank has been working towards his entire life.

She said: ‘He’s worked very hard and it is certainly a dream come true for him.

‘Although I always believed in him, it is still a pretty amazing accomplishment.This is what he wanted to accomplish; some kids want to be rockstars, this was his dream and he’s done it.’

The couple met through sheepdog trials ten years ago and both have land where they keep sheep, Natalie at Bere Alston and Frank on his family farm near Callington.

The sheepdog training is a huge part of their life, explained Natalie, who is a veterinary nurse by profession. She explained that they put in many hours.

‘It has been worth all of the hard work of the past year,’she said. ‘I’m not working at the moment because I’m pregnant and Frank is working as a blocklayer as well.

‘We have seen our bank accounts go down and down but it has been worth it because we have put all our energy into this – and now it has paid off.’

Growing up on the farm, Frank used to watch One Man and His Dog on TV with his dad, and then they decided to buy Frank’s first collie.

Frank was then lucky enough to train with local respected sheepdog trainer Bill Muggeridge.

More recently Natalie has been a key part of Frank’s success as she bought him Lola from Okehampton international sheepdog judge and breeder Tony Rofe. The relationship between dog and trainer is key to the success and they come as a package – with Lola being crucial toFrank’s success.

Between them Natalie and Frank work have 12 collies which they use to train their sheep. Natalie says, though, that when she saw Lola at Tony Rofe’s she knew she was the one who could help Frank secure a title.

‘I wasn’t looking for a dog that day but I saw how stylish she was and I happened to have my cheque book with me and I thought this was meant to be. I bought her then and there. I had ony had her for a couple of weeks and I knew then that I had a special dog.

She added: ’Although I do trials myself, the nerves get to me, I haven’t got what Frank has, he has charisma and he doesn’t cave under pressure. He is a big chap, six foot six, and he’s such a gentle giant. He has such a cool-headed.

‘I saw how good Lola was and saw that if he put the time in and concentrated he would be able to get to the top.’