PROFILE OF NATIONAL JUDGES NOMINATIONS
Faansie Basson, South Africa
Faansie began working with dogs and sheep in 1993, and in 2005 he opened his sheepdog training center. In his native South Africa, Faansie has been competing in trials since 1996, winning the South African National Championships seven times, the South African Brace Competition thirteen times, and the Dog of the Year award twelve times. He has competed in many trials in the United States as well. Faansie has judged the USBCHA National Finals in Klamath Falls, Oregon, as well as trials in Lostallo, Switzerland; Shaunovan, Saskatchewan; and Maple Creek, Saskatchewan.
Hefin Jones, Wales
Hefin has represented Wales ten times in the International and won the Welsh National four of those times.He has competed on One Man and His Dog twice. Hefin has a great deal of experience judging internationally: he judged the International Sheep Dog Championship two times, the Welsh National two times, the International Brace two times, the Welsh team qualifier for the World Trial for 2014, and the Bluegrass Classic two consecutive times, as well as trials in Sweden and Holland.
Lyle Lad, OH
Lyle began training Border Collies about thirty years ago, starting with her dog Jock to help with her flock of sheep. She has been training them professionally for twenty-five years, doing training clinics and giving lessons around the country. She has competed and placed in the top seventeen at the USBCHA National Finals many times, placing fourth with both Mick and and Jace in different years. She has won a number of double lift competitions over the years, most impressively winning the Bluegrass Classic three years in a row with Cap. In 2011 she competed in the World Trial held in Penrith, England (with Shep), placing thirteenth of 240 dogs (as the only woman competing in the final sixteen). In 2012, Lyle won the USBCHA Nursery Finals with her home-bred bitch, Lucky. Lyle has judged the National Finals in 2009 and the North Carolina State Championship trial.
Alan MacDonald, Scotland
Judge Alan MacDonald grew up in the North East corner of Scotland right next to the famous Glenlivet Whiskey Distillery. He got his first sheepdog when he was twelve years old and since then has been dedicated to good working sheep dogs. Alen has judged many trials in Europe and in the United States including the International Sheep Dog Society’s Scottish National Sheep Dog Trial, the International, the African National, the Ettrick Open, Midwest Regional, Meeker Classic and the USBCHA National Finals.
Alan lives in a small cottage 45 miles North of Inverness and has retired from sheep work. He is currently working a two year old male on friends’ sheep since retiring from working in the field.