A BUSY mother will fly the flag for England in next month's International Sheepdog Trials in Ireland.

Kim Gibson, from North Yorkshire, is the only female handler in the team of 15 - and could find herself competing against her mother, Sandra Gibson, who hopes to represent Wales.

Ms Gibson, 42, of Winksley, near Ripon, won her place in the national team at the 2007 English national sheepdog trials, held at Busby Hall, Carlton-in-Cleveland, at the weekend.

She has juggled bringing up daughters Kate, four, and Alex, two, while working her dogs, writing about trialling and, until recently, working as a haematology nurse at St James' Hospital, Leeds.

She was thrilled to make the national team with five-year-old border collie Rob, which was trained by the late triallist Maurice Collin, from Skeeby, near Richmond.

Ms Gibson, whose partner, Simon Poulter, farms at Brimham Rocks, near Pately Bridge, said: "To get into the national team is the ultimate in the sheepdog world.

"It's what every handler works for, it's the whole aim when we train a dog."

Rob had qualified to compete in the England trials under Mr Collin, but Ms Gibson and Rob had to compete against 150 triallists to gain their place in the team.

Apart from next month's international against Ireland, Scotland and Wales, the pair will also represent England in the 2008 World Trials in Wales.

Ms Gibson entered her first competition 14 years ago and enjoyed success with Del, which she trained and worked with from being a pup until his retirement last winter, at the age of 12.

It was Mr Collin's widow, Roz, who said Ms Gibson should have five-year-old Rob because his temperament was ideally suited to her children.

"I have only had him six months, but he has worked for me right from the start," said Ms Gibson, who is proud to have kept her dogs working while bringing up her daughters. Few, if any, other triallists have had such success while bringing up a young family.

"The kids are really good, they have been brought up with it really," said Ms Gibson, who will travel without them for the first time next month when she represents England