World Final - Sunday 10th July 2005

  Well, the day dawned, 241 competitors whittled to just 16, all dreaming of lifting the trophy, but the day which had promised so much the evening before was shrouded in mist, which meant a delay to the proceedings for nearly 2 hours. When the mist cleared, the sun was soon onto its maximum heat, which created less than ideal conditions for both the sheep and dogs, with a lot of handlers retiring, both as a result of a very challenging course, and the heat, which proved too much for some dogs, and their handlers retired them for their own protection.

  L Watkins on the 4th run of the day, before the conditions got too extreme, set the standard, which not many exceeded, with a run of some distinction, and saw him end with 505 points

  Jimmy Cropper was the favourite with Sid, after putting on a scorcher of a run the previous day in the semis, but an uncharacteristic crossed outrun, which fooled most dogs, and a less than smooth lift left Jimmy with a lot of work to do. After a mammoth shedding time, stuck with just one ewe to take out, Sid and Jimmy penned with 3 minutes to spare, and a total of 409 points, to place him 5th.

  Serge van der Zweep, the only handler with two dogs in the final was on next, and a great run with Glen saw him leap up the leader board, where he finished in third place, same as at the Bala world trials, 3 years ago.

  But the day belonged to the Northern Irishman, Gordon Watt, who shepherds in Derbyshire, running for England, with York. Running in the heat, he gently and unhurriedly walked the sheep around the course and into the history books with 507 points, the winning margin double of the last world trials, a mere two!!

ISDSsun02 Dog Tired...the heat took its toll	ISDSsun05 The Holy Grail....the trophy everyone dreamed of taking home	ISDSsun06 Anna Kruger with Flip at the presentation awards
ISDSsun07 Paparazzi....photos of all the handlers at the presentations	ISDSsun09 Flying the flag for Sweden	ISDSsun11 Gordon Watts, from England, with York, winner of the World Championships 2005, taking 507 points 2 ahead of the second placed dog
ISDSsun13 Duncan Robertson, Scotland, shedding	ISDSsun15 Hats Off.....some's pleased!! Duncan Robertson shuts the ewes in the pen!	ISDSsun16 Duncan Robertson in the shedding ring, and ended a good run, and took 4th place
ISDSsun17 Duncan Robertson at the pen with Cap2	ISDSsun22 Ice Creams were melting faster than they could be eaten!	ISDSsun23 Con McGarry, one of the main organisers for the trials, tells another awful joke over the tannoy......!!!
ISDSsun24 The sun got to everyones head a little...some more than others....nuff said!	ISDSsun25 Ascot day continued on the championship day, as these guys modelled the latest fashion	ISDSsun29 Bobby Dalziel sets Del for her run, which ended at the end of the double gather, on account of the heat, they did enough to clinch 7th place
ISDSsun33 Michael Longton at the start of his run on the final day	ISDSsun34 The careful walk on of York, who carried the sheep beautifully on such a scorcher of a day	ISDSsun35 Serge gets another big well done, this time from his wife!!
ISDSsun37 Serge van Der Sweep gets a big well done from his biggest fan, after running Glen, who finished third	ISDSsun43 The pre Trials favorite after the semi finals run, probably the run of the championship, Jimmy Cropper on the drive with Sid	ISDSsun46 L Watkins Peg turns the ewes
ISDSsun47 Second Place L Watkins with Peg on the turn