For more than 30 years, visitors to one of the most beautiful areas of the Yorkshire Dales have been drawn to an added attraction – Richard Fawcett’s working sheepdog demonstrations.

Mr Fawcett has fans from round the world, some of whom come every year from as far away as the United States, to see him working his dogs on his farm at Hardraw, near the famous waterfall, Hardraw Force.

The matriarch of his five-strong pack is seven-year-old Lola, who represented England at International Sheep Dog Trials, and whose puppies include three year-old Keef – named after Mr Fawcett’s hero Keith Richards.

An “exceptionally good” dog, he has already won open trials. The youngest of his dogs is Croft - named after his farm - who is just 13-weeks-old.

Richard Fawcett, with one of his dogs Lola, left, and her pup called Croft. | jpimedia

“I think I am the only one who does this in the country that I know of,” said Mr Fawcett.

“Some people do demonstrations and shows with dogs climbing up ladders and jumping off swings, but what I do is working sheep dog demonstrations doing work at various stages of their training.”

Some of the people who come to the demonstrations have been coming for 20 or 30 years.

He said: “They remember the names of the dogs and ask what happened to so and so.

Richard Fawcett has been giving working sheep dog demonstrations for 33 years | jpimedia

"All the dogs are different - some are sensitive, some are headstrong. You have to treat them all individually - generally by the time they are two they should be pretty well trained.

"Like us there's always new experiences which crop up. They are learning all their life."

The pandemic has thrown a spanner in what was shaping up to be a bumper year.

His demonstrations at Croft Farm on Thursdays, which usually run until October and can attract up to 120 people, are suspended, as are the 50 demonstrations he was signed up to do for tour companies. But he is looking forwards to getting them going again.

Richard Fawcett, with two of his working dogs Rafa, and Keef Picture: James Hardisty | jpimedia

He said: "Hardraw is a very beautiful area and gets a lot of tourists.

"It’s a big part of my life now. I think possibly the Thursday ones will get going some time, but I don’t think the tours, which are mostly American will be coming.

“I love training the dogs and love getting them to where I think is the highest standard. I love showing them off.

"I also like being with people, there's lots of interaction."

Meet Richard Fawcett, Dales sheepdog trainer and his working dogs

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