A legendary win
Real talk: family achievements don't get much more wholesome than this. David Howells and his 19-year-old son, Jack, just became the first father-son duo to ever win world titles at the same Sheep Dog World Trial.
Representing Cymmer, Neath Port Talbot, the pair traveled to Lauder, Scotland, last weekend to compete against about 300 handlers from 34 different countries. David secured the top world title with his Border Collie, Wyverne Pip, while Jack snagged the Young Handler world title alongside his dog, Cydros Boss.
More than just a hobby
For the Howells family, working with dogs is literally the grind. Living on a hill farm means sheep dogs are a daily necessity for their work, and they’ve clearly turned that labor into high-level skill. David mentioned that Jack really caught the bug during the pandemic, when school closures allowed him to spend more time working the farm.
The technical side
If you're wondering how these trials actually work, it's pretty intense. It’s not just letting dogs run wild; the process involves precise tasks like gathering sheep, navigating them through specific gates, and performing complex splits. As David explained, it takes a mix of hard work and straight-up luck because, well, sheep don't always want to cooperate.
Jack is already looking ahead to the International Championship next year, saying he plans to "stick at it." It’s safe to say the Howells family had an absolute W weekend in Scotland.
Why it matters
This win marks the first time in the history of the event that a parent and child have won both major titles at the same time, turning a humble family farm practice into a world-class legacy.
