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The young competitors who took part in the eighth young handlers' sheepdog trial should be praised for their efforts, but I can't help feeling a little disappointed that there wasn't a better turnout.

Is it because other young handlers didn't know about it, or was it too far to travel for some, or maybe they just had other things to do.

As the trial organiser Colin Pickford said: "They've got to want to do it."

It creates a conundrum about the future of sheepdog trials in the UK. I'm currently working on a feature about young handlers including what can be done to encourage them and what they themselves think.

Talking to International driving champion Tom Lawrenson following his trip to Sweden to judge its first young handlers' championship, it's obvious that the future is looking brighter elsewhere in Europe than here.

He commented that the overall standard was high, plus there's a real enthusiasm to learn.

Handlers are also importing good dogs - why go to the trouble and expense of importing a dog if it didn't have real promise?

The situation the UK agriculture industry finds itself in must also be contributing to the diminishing next generation. There's a serious lack of new blood taking on family farms and the numbers of large sheep flocks in some parts of the country have all but vanished.

If something isn't done about it, and soon, sheepdog trials may be consigned to the history books.

If you are a young handler, or if you have any thoughts on the subject, email k9tales with your views.