Eryri Nan's Page

Eryri Nan, also known as "nuoo nuoo" or Nanny but now she's a Great, great, Granny. I have been very lucky to own Nan, she has taught me so much, especially how to control my temper, Nan will not tolerate me making a lot of noise or anyone else for that matter, she has her own ways of teaching me a lesson, she can blow up (get very fast and scatty), she can go very silly and says she cannot do something or she just finds a safe place to hide. She always comes running or gets back to normal as soon as she knows its safe and makes me feel real guilty.

Nan is a terrible rabbiter she will spend all day pointing down a hole but does not know what to do when one jumps out in front of her. There are millions of rabbits here on the farm but I still cannot persuade her to catch her own dinner.

Nan would never dream of hurting something but she has a short temper with other dogs and is the boss on the Farm. She hates travelling even after eight/half years and 220 000 miles, it never affects the way she runs at trials (irrespective of the drive there) where she is usually spectacular, though very strong to hold as she does like to push her sheep, despite this she is very consistant, nearly always being in the top ten in any trial.

Nan is a tremendous work dog and will gamely tackle sheep or cows, as a few broken teeth will prove, she loves nothing better (other than a trials course to show herself off) than a day on the hill gathering sheep.

At eight and half years old, Nan is still learning and improving her techniques recently she has mastered the art of Backing sheep (Kelpie style)in the yard and race, she will also bark but the Kelpie enthusiasts would not like the pitch she makes.

She has earned her right to be my constant companion day and night.

UPDATE: 16th May 2003: Nan is now a few weeks off Nine years old. She is suffering from an injury received from another bitch in July last year. Nan was bitten between her elbow and shoulder, there has been muscle and perhaps nerve damage which means that she can become lame when pressure is applied in the form of tight turns and down hill runs. I think what she is feeling may be similar to tennis elbow. Nan will still not give up her position of top dog. She is from today, 16th May 2003, under Veterinary supervision and is receiving an anti inflammatory which should allow her to keep doing what she lives to do but without any resultant pain.

Nan has has shown that she still wants to compete by doing consistantly well this spring,

Nan is still on top form having been placed three times in six trials during April/May with a first, fourth and fifth place over difficult terrain even with a bad handler(ME) !!!! She was not lame after these events but has shown lameness after working ewes and lambs through the handling pens at home, when there is a lot of work to do at the pen or shed ie: covering her sheep (this obviously involves a lot of twisting and turning).

Nan, hopefully, is now able to continue to compete in Sheepdog Trials. Time will tell.

Keep checking in to see how Nan's last year on the Trials field unfolds.

February 2004 : I failed Nan in 2003 and failed to go to trials therefore another year wasted.

Nan is still game so we are getting her fit for a last campagne on the Trials field in her Tenth year. watch this space.

Eryri Nan is a brilliant bitch who loves hill gathering more than training, but trialling is her thing, she hates travelling but if she thinks we are going to a trial she is in the vehicle like a shot. Nan loves to show off her skills and is in her element at Trials sometimes becoming hard to hold at a steady pace but she is always very consistant being very rarely out of the top ten in the Open trials.

end of 2004: Nan has been placed twice and won one trial during her tenth year. After chiropractic treatment with a mctimony practitioner she has developed an second childhood and is fitter than she has been for several years, it will be great to get a final trials year out of her at eleven as she so enjoys the thrill of showing off. Watch this space.

Nan has since been Spayed due to complications whelping her last litter born 24/02/2001

Each colour relates to a different litter, just click on the date of birth for a detailed pedigree

Astra Kit, Litter sister to Astra Meg.
Ran in Welsh National Brace with Aled Owen in 1998

Astra Meg By Eddie Humphrey's Penpell Harry (Hemp) open trial winner, (son of J R Tomas's Moss International Driving Champion x three )
Astra Meg placed well in Nurseries.
Astra Meg has also produced ASTRA DEE (by Dee Chapmans) who is ranked in the top ten agility dog in the UK during 2003 owned and handled by Adam Frogget

Born 5/04/1997
By Tecwyn Robert's Roy, winner of over 40 open Trials with Eddie Humphreys (son of J R Thomas's Moss International Driving Champion x three)

Astra Sweep
Achievements include: Placed in Nurseries with Alison Salisbury (Yorkshire)
Placed consistantly in Opens trials 2003 in Yorkshire Area
Competed in "One Man and His Dog" 2003

Astra Tweed

Litter brother to Sweep:
Achievements include: several Best outrun, lift and fetch prizes in opens. Stop Press: Tweed has just won his first Open Trail 2002.
Tweed was sold to the Isle of Coll in late 2002.

Astra Spot
Placed twice in two outings in Scotish Nurseries 2000/2001 with Jimmy Ogston and has been sold to Roy Brown in the USA. .

Astra Sue
Placed several times in two seasons of Nurseries in Yorkshire with Ron Airey.

Astra Bonnie
Placed several times in two seasons of Nurseries in Yorkshire with Ian Salter.
In January 2004, I purchased a daughter of Bonnie "Gyp" by Robin Dean's Roy to join my work and breeding team.

Astra June

has been sold (20/07/2001)to a contract shepherd who reports that she is the cleverist bitch he has owned, Astra June is due to whelp on the 15/12/2001, she was mated to Zach.
Retained one bitch pup Astra Promise (check out breeding bitches page).

Astra Queen has bred an outstanding litter of puppies by John Hadwins Mirk and another litter to Astra Taff.
Queen has been sold to a crofter on the Isle of Skye but I do still have daughters of hers. These two daughters Astra Wyn and Astra Jet are now competing with Atholl Clark in the Nurseries 2003/4. Jet has won and been placed.

Born 30/12/1999 (repeat mating)
By Bobby Henderson's International Champion Sweep

Astra Roc

shaping well to be a Nursery Dog in South Wales, now sold to the United States.

Astra Bute

is being retained as Nan's replacement, Bute is a good flock dog and is learning to back sheep in the race, she may not make a trials dog as she continues to be tight on her right flank and outruns.

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