Just champion!

This year's International champion could easily have thought he was destined to be a 'nearly man'. For the five-times finalist and twice Supreme runner-up, the dream of winning was proving elusive. But as his dad had always told him: "It comes to those who wait". And for his followers it was just a matter of time before he added his name to the Supreme winners' shield. K9tales travelled to the South Wales village of Dyfffryn-Rhondda to talk to Richard Millichap...

Richard Millichap, of Hendre-Owen Farm, near Port Talbot, achieved his lifelong ambition at the 2009 International on the Lowther Estate in September.
Forty-year-old Richard, who was born in the farmhouse he still lives in, has worked dogs all his life and is the third generation of his family to farm at Hendre-Owen.
It was in 1980 when the passion for sheepdog trials began. His dad took him to his first International in Bala, where he saw Tom Watson and Jen take the honours.
"I'd never seen anything as refined as that and on that scale. In the Supreme the dogs could show their full capabilities," said Richard.
"The seeds had been sown - even at that young age. I thought, I'd like to be able to do that.
"It took a long time though!"
In 2003 Richard came close to the dream when he was runner-up in Stranraer with Ben (224339). The champion that year was John H. Wilson with Maid.
At the 2007 International in Kilkenny, Richard and Taddymmor Cap (248705) were beaten by Aled Owen and Roy.
The first time Richard took the number two spot he says he was delighted, but the second time he was devastated.
He recalls watching Alasdair MacRae become reserve champion twice, in 1990 and 1992, before winning the 1993 International at Armathwaite.
"Back then I couldn't imagine how he felt coming so close to winning," said Richard.
It was a feeling he would come to learn and one that would drive him to achieve his goal.
He describes winning the International with four-year-old Dewi Tweed (278783) as: "The best I've ever felt in my life."
Richard added: "No-one can ever take it from you, no matter what happens in the future.
"If someone could bottle that feeling they'd make a fortune."
A couple of weeks before the International Richard celebrated his 40th birthday. Returning home from Cumbria with a Land Rover packed full of trophies, Richard has been surprised by the number of congratulations and goodwill messages he's received.
"I've had more cards for winning the International than I did for my 40th birthday!"
Looking back on his run, he said he was calmer walking to the post for this year's Supreme than in previous years.
"The closer Tweed got to the sheep on the outrun, the more at ease I felt," he said.
"Someone once told me you'll win when you least expect it," he added.
"Ben and Cap were seasoned campaigners and they knew what it was all about. I knew Tweed was capable, but he lacked their experience. It was a big ask for him."
But Tweed was up to the job. He had a good first outrun with no commands and worked the sheep around the course well. Richard kept his lines and made good turns. In the shed they were left with one stubborn uncollared ewe that took a bit of time, but they got rid of her and finished with a good pen.
Richard added: "All week before the International, my dad had been drilling into me: ‘You've got to go with the attitude that you can match the best of them'.
"When you get to that level you've got to believe and have confidence. It's something I'll never forget."
It's clear that Richard's father, Donald, has played a key role in his success - despite not being a trials competitor himself.
Richard and his wife Lisa have two children Carly, 17, and Leah, 12 and after living in the village for a few years have split the farmhouse with Richard's parents.
Richard describes his dad as his role model. Together they farm the 800 acres of mountain land, some improved, above the Afan Forest. They have 1100 South Wales mountain ewes, plus the yearlings and around 50 beef cattle.
Lambing starts from March 20th each year and they lamb the singles out. The doubles lamb in, with around 600 to 700 ewes in at any one time.
Richard, who had his first dog at the age of 10, says he has picked up how to train dogs along the way.
His dad will often stand back and watch him training and offer advice from another perspective.
Richard admits patience isn't his strong point, "but training a young dog is a different thing".
"If he's trying I can live with it - even if he's doing it wrong.
"I can't put up with something that won't try. We can't afford that with the work that has to be done on the farm.
"I want something that is committed."
Richard prefers to work dogs rather than bitches and likes to buy dogs when they're about 10 or 11 months old. Rearing a pup can be too time-consuming and work intensive for life on the busy sheep farm.
He added: "Someone once told me: ‘With a bitch you've got trouble for six weeks of the year. A dog gives you trouble for 12 months a year but you know what you're dealing with."
His dad keeps one or two dogs at a time and Richard has about six in the kennel.
"We always needs spares and what I call the ‘labourers'," said Richard.
"One dog is always lame or needs a break. You need something to come in and take his place.
"They say work doesn't harm you, but working here is a tough life for the dogs."
Richard likes pushy, fiery dogs but says you have to adapt your training to a degree for every dog because they're all different.
"But they all have to be able to take what is required of them," he added.
"With a good work dog you can have some fun at a trial, but a good trial dog can't necessarily do the work and gather hundreds of sheep on rough ground."
He added: "We move on dogs to get the one to get the shield - that's always been the aim."
Before his reserve champion Ben died last year, Richard had two reserve champions and the future Supreme champion all in the same kennel at one time - a fact he's obviously proud of. He describes champion Tweed as ‘a bit of a handful'.
"His strong points are his general attitude. He's easy-going and has got a 100% temperament. He's also got the scope for what we want on the farm.
"Some may consider his weak point is that he'll act first and think about it later - his brashness, youth and enthusiasm.
"But I'm hanging onto him anyway."
As for the future of sheepdog trialling, Richard thinks there are going to be many changes.
"For me the International is the pinnacle and always will be, but in the future the World Trial will become much more important.
"The standard has improved - which was very evident at last year's competition - and it will continue to improve.
"My biggest fear is the future of farming in this country.
"It's a lottery when you go to a trial these days as to what sheep you are going to get. Most of them haven't seen a dog.
"There aren't enough farms with big flocks which have working dogs anymore.
"We'll have to sit that one through and see what happens," he added.
So, what's next for Richard now he's won the International?
"No-one can rest on their laurels and assume the success will keep coming in this game," he said.
"You're only as good as your last run.
"Since I was a kid I've just wanted to win the International, I don't know what other ambition to have really."
Having said that, he still believes he has the drive to try to win again.
The ‘adrenaline-fuelled stress' of the Supreme is an addiction - much like trialling itself.
"If I get into the Welsh team and get into the final I will be as driven.
"You're elated after the national when you get into the team, then a few weeks later you ask yourself ‘why am I punishing myself with the
International, and then the Supreme?' But it is an addictive adrenaline."
Obtaining his dream and becoming an International champion isn't going to dramatically change life at Hendre-Owen, Richard insists.
"I'm still going to have to work for a living," said Richard.
"There may be opportunities to judge abroad and so on, but the farm means too much.
"I won't throw away all the blood, sweat and tears that have gone into this place. There's too much work to be done at home.
"Besides, I like my own bed too much."

 Team effort

This year Richard made it into the Welsh team with two dogs, Dewi Tweed and Taddymoor Jen. It was with four-year-old Dewi Tweed that he gained a place in the final on 351 points.
However, if it wasn't for his daughter Carly, Richard may never have won the International with Tweed.
When he went to pick a service pup from Tweed's litter, Richard took Carly, now aged 17, along for the ride. There were two dogs to choose from. One was a beautiful black and white pup, just like his sire Lad. The other was "an ugly little thing".
Carly said to her dad: "He's not very pretty is he?"
So, when it was time to take one home Richard confidently turned to Carly to ask which one they were having and surprisingly she replied: "That one, the ugly one."
Since then, Tweed has got Richard into trouble on more than one occasion.
"He's always up to mischief," Richard said. "He's got a thing for clothes on washing lines and will pull them off. He's pulled up a carpet before now too.
"But he's a very laid back dog, life is for enjoying and he'll never let you down."