Why Elin would be an effective mentor

  • Agriculture graduate Elin was just ten when she first developed an interest in working sheepdogs, taking a keen interest in watching and learning from an experienced dog handling neighbour, happy to share their skills and encourage her enthusiasm and determination to learn.

  • Thirteen years, on she’s now found a role for herself on the international sheepdog circuit!  Elin finds time every day to train and work with her own dogs, and she also regularly competes at sheepdog trials with many notable successes. In the summer of 2022, she qualified for a place in the Welsh team for the World Sheepdog Trials, which will take place in Ireland. In 2018, she qualified with two dogs for the All-Wales sheepdog nursery final, and went through with one dog to the Four Nations nursery final in Staffordshire. She also won the young handlers’ competition in the Royal Welsh Show in 2019. Elin is now in demand to help train dogs for other farmers, and she also gives one-to-one lessons to other handlers.  

  • Elin has a local office job away from her family’s beef and sheep farm, but she spends every moment she can working with the flock of 650 improved Welsh breeding ewes and 150 replacements.  She enjoys helping out with all areas of the farm business but says that shepherding and working with dogs is her main passion.

  • Elin describes herself as dedicated, compassionate and ambitious. She is a skilled and confident communicator in both Welsh and English, and you’ll find her mature and responsible approach helps you improve your dog handling skills. She’s very keen to offer support and share her experience, knowledge and expertise in sheep dog training to help others learn and progress in this rewarding field.  

  • By adapting her training techniques to suit the personalities and needs of both trainers and dogs, she finds it hugely rewarding to see them progress.  Expect to be inspired by this award-winning young sheepdog handler and mentor! 

Current farm business

  • 300 acre beef and sheep farm 
  • 650 improved Welsh breeding ewes with 150 replacements

Qualifications/achievements/ experience 

  • Currently providing 1-1 lessons for handlers with their dogs
  • Member of Felinfach YFC
  • Regular competitor at sheepdog trials with numerous awards/placings

Education:

Sept 2017- May 2021 – Coleg Sir Gar, Gelli Aur Campus

  • BSc and Foundation degree in Agriculture 

Other Qualifications

  • Qualified as an allergy therapist with The British Institute of  Allergy and Environmental Therapy.
  • Qualified as a microchip implanter for dogs, cats and small animals.

Employment:

  • 2017 to date: Natural Therapy Centre – Receptionist, including telephone, computer skills and dispensary work 
  • To date: Farm worker at the family beef and sheep farm, helping out with day-to-day general livestock husbandry tasks as well as driving tractors, operating machinery etc. 

Top tips for business success 

“A well-trained, reliable sheepdog is a huge asset to any sheep farmer; it will save you time and stress and can help get you out of tricky situations.” 

“Whatever you put in you will get out. The more work, time and patience you put into training a dog, the more results you will get from it.”

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