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"When I first got word that David Kennard had produced a video depicting the typical year of the Working Sheepdog I instantly became very interested and wanted to know more. I knew David well as a local and international triallist and also knew that he lived in a most enviable part of the country recognised for its breathtaking scenery and wildlife.... the rugged North Coast of Devon, so I just had to see a copy. I must admit that what I saw I was not prepared for, for David, along with cameraman Alan Tibbets and narrator Christopher Timothy have put together a masterpiece!
To witness the terrain, coupled with the Atlantic Ocean backdrop that David and his main work dogs Swift and Greg work in daily, brings words such as ?breathtaking? and 'spectacular' instantly to mind. This is no exaggeration. Watching his dogs gathering in the teeth of an Atlantic force ten storm in midwinter on precipitous cliff-tops where one slip could spell disaster for both dog and sheep is quite frankly awesome! And their journey home along narrow paths that teeter on the edge of cliffs with horrendous seas immediately behind is something I just watched over and over! This was winter, but of course as the video points out, for David, the shepherding year begins in the early Autumn. Beginning with the introduction of his dogs Greg, Swift, their daughter Gael, and the three year old Pip, narrator Christopher Timothy...well known for his acting in All Creatures Great and Small...leads us gently into a most enjoyable and often humorous year in the life of a full-time shepherd. David has shepherded Borough Farm and the adjoining National Trust land for some fifteen years now and called on his wealth of experience to offer us this most informative and very watch able video of the typical year of both man and dog. A nice balance is shown between the sheer hard daily graft interspersed with the raising and initial training of his young pups Ernie and Merc and is a joy to see. David is at one with his animals and surroundings and with the support of his wife and children; many would be envious of the quality of his lifestyle. The Year of the Working Sheepdog is easily the most informative and watchable video of this type I have ever seen and exposes the rigours and often repetitive life of the full-time shepherd, but in a most superbly filmed and narrated manner. All lovers of the Border Collie/Working Sheepdog in whatever discipline can settle down into a comfortable chair and let David and his canine work mates enthral us as they routinely dag out, trim feet, battle with rams at loading time, scan the pregnant ewes, oversee the lambing season, gather flocks in all weathers over what for many would be vast distances and....almost as a rewards for all the hard work put in, attend and compete in a sheepdog trial at a local agricultural show with Swift and Gael.
The Year of the Working Sheepdog is an absolute MUST for your video shelf and I have no doubts that it will become the benchmark for all future videos of this type. It is outstandingly brilliant and David must be congratulated, while at the same time thanked, for giving us the opportunity to witness firsthand the skills of the full-time working sheepdog in this most spectacular of locations. Superb!"
Roy Goutt? - Working Sheepdog News
www.workingsheepdog.org
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| © 2003 David Kennard / Design by geoffbanks.com |
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