The world’s top sheepdog handler had a starring role in a popular TV programme.
Record-breaker Aled Owen, from Tŷ Nant, near Corwen, took centre stage in the filming for the farming and countryside series, Ffermio, on S4C.
Aled was the natural choice when Ffermio wanted to film three trailers from Ifor Williams Trailers which are up for grabs in their special annual competition.
Ffermio, broadcast on S4C on Monday evenings at 9.30pm has been running its popular trailers competition in conjunction with Ifor Williams Trailers for many years and it has proved a major hit.
The 57-year-old was still on cloud nine after clinching a unique quadruple success when he was crowned the International Sheepdog Society’s Supreme Champion following the competition in Dumfries in Scotland.
He is not only the first sheepdog handler to win four Supreme Champion titles, but he’s achieved his historic success in four different countries with four different dogs, the latest with four-year-old Llangwm Cap.
The first Supreme Champion title came in 1999 with Roy and he won again the following year with Bob. He came out on top again in 2007 with young Roy.
As a four-time Supreme winner, and a double World champion, his competition record is without parallel on the modern sheepdog scene.
Back in August, Aled and Llangwm Cap also won the Welsh National title.
The duo were on hand to help demonstrate the sheep being loaded onto the first prize TA5 trailer as Ffermio filmed the sequence at his family farm where he breeds sheepdogs.
He said: “Ifor WilliamsTrailers is a local firm, just six miles from my farm, and I’ve personally always used their trailers as did my dad and brother. I bought a 12ft livestock trailer in 2008 and it’s still like new and it’s had enough sheep in it to fill the Millennium Stadium.
“It’s never let me down and they hold their price so well too. Personally I wouldn’t use anything else.”
“My job for the Ffermio cameras was to demonstrate the livestock trailer. Along with Cap we drove a number of sheep onto the trailer’s top deck.”
Also involved in the filming was Geraint Williams, from Porthmadog, a graduate design engineer at Ifor Williams Trailers.
He said: “”It’s been amazing to see Aled and Cap up-close and working in harmony too. I think I can say that everyone at Ifor Williams Trailers is delighted at their recent success. It’s fantastic for the area to have the Supreme Champion farming here.”
According to production company Telesgop, who make Ffermio, the Ifor Williams Trailers competition has become increasingly popular with viewers.
Producer Gwawr Lewis said: “It really is a wonderful competition and we see an increase in interest year on year. Whether you’re a farmer or someone who loves the great outdoors an Ifor Williams trailer will always be a superb product to win.
“It’s fantastic that the company has, once again, put up three of their best products as prizes and I know that interest will again be massively high.”
Iorwerth Roberts, the head of sales for Ifor Williams Trailers in North Wales, said they valued the partnership with Ffermio.
He said: “We were delighted to be given the opportunity to be involved with Ffermio again this year.
“We have had fantastic support from our loyal customers over many years and in return we feel it is vitally important to support the rural community – Ffermio have provided us with a great way of giving something back.”
The first prize is a TA5G 10’x6′ 175/75R16 tyres and sheep decks worth £4,105 plus VAT while the second prize is a LM85G 8′ x 5′ with dropsides, headboard and tailboard costing £1970 plus VAT and the third prize is a Q5e on road version with hinged solid sides, roof rack and stock door worth £1,110 plus VAT.
For details about the competition, go to s4c.cymru/ffermio. English subtitles are available on Ffermio. Aled’s triumph in Scotland will feature in the S4C programme, Treialon Cŵn Defaid Rhyngwladol 2015, at 8.30pm on Saturday, October 3.
