RETIREMENT is not a word in Mr Maurice Collin's vocabulary. In spite of stepping down as secretary of the Northern Sheepdog Association after a quarter of a century, he still plans to compete regularly at trials up and down the country.

"It will be nice simply to go along and compete, then come home again," says the 69-year-old, of Skeeby, near Richmond. "As secretary, I was on the showfield from dawn until after dusk, followed by phone calls all evening."

Born in Skeeby, he has moved no futher than a few hundred yards, each time literally over the wall from his previous home. The last move came three years ago when he and his wife - originally from Bainbridge in Wensleydale - had a bungalow built in the garden of their house.

Sheepdogs played an important role in Mr Collin's life from an early age. "My father always had dogs and the first time I had a prize with a dog was at Middleton Tyas agricultural show when I was eight or nine years old and still in short trousers. That was in the best looking working sheepdog class and I was so proud when my photo was in the Darlington & Stockton Times," he said.

He started sheepdog trialling at the age of 13 and won the doubles at the international in Blackpool aged 21. "I still hold the record for the youngest competitor to have won the international," he said.

He never lost his interest and turned it into a living when the advent of the combined harvester meant a change of direction for the family business.

"We were threshing contractors years ago but the combines did away with the threshers and we went into hens and egg production," he said.

That failed to produce sufficient income and they sold the hens and Mr Collin took a job with the agricultural training board teaching farmers to train dogs. The full time job took him to farms across North Yorkshire and Humberside and, once, to Sweden, where he travelled to the edge of the Arctic circle.

He retired early, aged 63, because of hip problems but, after a replacement operation, was back on the trialling circuit. "The surgery gave me a new lease of life and I have enjoyed competing ever since," he said.

His competition career has included representing England nine times and winning television's One Man and His Dog in 1985 at Ullswater in the Lake District.

He is also a regular face at Osmotherley show, where one year, in the 1970s, he scooped all six sheepdog prizes.

Mr Collin's success is reflected in the dozens of trophies, cups and shields which spill from shelves onto the living room floor.

He has also seen competition from the judges' point of view, being called upon regularly to preside at national and international trials. Last year he was course director of the England national at Allerton Park.

He became involved with the Northern Sheepdog Association, which has members across the north of England, in 1974, becoming secretary and a director.

He also ran annual charity trials, held initially at Barningham, between Richmond and Barnard Castle, and in recent years at Northallerton. Proceeds have gone to a variety of charities including cancer research and hospitals at Northallerton, Richmond and Middlesbrough.

The Collins were also involved in sheepdog breeding, begun when they bought a dog from Wales in 1974. Over the years they have sent dogs all over the world but have no bitches at present.

"As my dogs have got older, I have been very lucky to be able to breed good young ones to replace them," said Mr Collin. "At present I have five, all from the same breeding line, who are competing."

Dogs, like humans, mature at different ages. Two of his current group began competing at between six and nine months, others have been as old as 18 months.

"It all depends when they show the right signs, when the instinct kicks in and they are old enough and fast enough to run faster than a sheep," he said. They will then compete regularly up to perhaps ten years.

"Instinct and temperament are the keys.," said Mr Collin, who keeps a handful of Swaledale and mule sheep to train his dogs. "You can think you have a good dog but when you put it in the car and take it to a competition it can be a different story. A good dog at home can refuse to perform away."

The secret of successful trialling was to anticipate what the sheep were going to do, he explained. "Then you still want all the luck in the world."

He is reluctant to pick out a favourite dog but, when pressed, admits a soft spot for Shep, the grandson of his original Welsh dog.

"It was with Shep that I won One Man and His Dog and a lot of best looking classes," he said.

Shep was also a regular at agricultural show demonstrations with Mr Collin commanding and his wife acting as commentator.

"Shep would do exactly as he was told - stay and lie down whenever we told him - and Maurice would work sheep round him," said Mrs Collin.

"One time, he left Shep sitting and came to help me in the garden. Two hours later, he remembered the dog, who was still sitting where he had been told. He hadn't budged."

Interest in trialling is growing - and not only among farmers. "All sorts of people are competing these days - plumbers, joiners and I know a chap who used to sell women's lingerie who competes," he said.

He is full of praise for his successor as secretary of the association - Mrs Jean Bousfield, from Harwood in Teesdale. "She is a competent competitor and has run dogs all her life. I feel I am leaving the post of secretary in safe hands.