One of the North’s best-known sheepdog trialists and farmers was remembered with a special presentation at the English National Sheepdog Trials at Castle Howard last month (August 2016).
A one-off trophy, a silver plate, in memory of sheepdog secretary for Thornton-le-Dale, Ryedale and Malton shows and member of Ryedale Sheepdog Society, Jack Hollows, who died aged 80 in 2013, was presented by his daughters, Gena Douglas, who farms with her husband near Malton and Linda Pepper, operations director of York insurance brokers PB Curran, a main sponsor and stand holder at the event.
The plate, inscribed “English National Winner 2016 In Memory of Jack Hollows” was awarded to the sheepdog with the most points overall, Gwydr Zac, and his owner, Jed Watson, from Devon, who was National Champion at the end of the three-day trials from August 5-7th which were attended by 150 competitors from throughout the country. Winners competed for 15 places in the national team. It was the first time that the event had been held in Yorkshire for nine years.
Jack Hollows, who was also a bantam and ferret breeder and had his own smallholding, was a well-known figure throughout the UK where he visited regional, national and international sheepdog trials for many years.
Linda Pepper said:
Ryedale Sheepdog Society, which was responsible for organising the national event, suggested to Gena and I that we could commission the one-off trophy in memory of our father.
“We thought that this was a lovely idea and we bought the plate and had it inscribed in Malton as many people who were at the event remembered him with affection and, of course, he would love to have been there.
PB Curran Insurance Brokers was founded 50 years ago by managing director, Ed Curran’s father, Patrick Curran, in York city centre and moved to Osbaldwick in 2008 as part of an expansion strategy. The firm provides all types of private and commercial insurances and has a strong presence in agriculture and agri-business throughout the North as well as property management portfolios and SMEs in and around York.
