Adam Henson confirmed the death of a dog during Sunday night’s episode as he paid a visit to shepherdess Katy’s farm in Cumbria.
The instalment saw Charlotte Smith join local farmer Anne Mair-Chapman as she prepared her prized animals for the big event and met farmers hoping to buy the all-important ram that will help their flocks flourish over the next year.
She also went behind the scenes to see how the massive market is organised, including moving thousands of sheep around the sale in their very own taxis.
However, during Adam’s visit, things took a heartbreaking turn as Katy admitted it was “strange” without her beloved sheep dog.
Introducing the segment, Adam said: “Over the last few years, we’ve been following the highs and the lows of young farmer Katie Laidlow.”
As the presenter spoke, a previous Countryfile clip showed Katy speaking with Anita Rani after losing one of their baby lambs.
Don’t miss…
Adam Henson confirmed a death on the farm (Image: BBC)
He continued: “Now I’m meeting her for the first time at an important point in the farming calendar. Shepherding on the uplands in the UK is an age-old practice, and at this time of year, farmers are gathering their flocks off the Fells and bringing them down into the valleys to wean the lambs, and Katie’s going to show me how it’s done.”
When asked how long she had been farming, Katy explained her family moved when she was just four years old, and so she has been farming her entire life.
Speaking about the animals they had on the farm, Katy continued: “So we’ve got sheep, we’ve got cows, we’ve got goats and donkeys, but it’s a sheep that we’re gonna be focused on today.”
However, gathering the sheep was going to be a bit different for Katy and her family, as they were forced to do it without their beloved dog, who tragically died.
Katy suffered another loss on the farm (Image: BBC)
Adam went on: “It’s a two-and-a-half mile journey from Fell to farm, and we’re heading up with Katie’s mum and dad, Kirsten and Andy.
“Sadly, one key member of the team, Jem, the family Border Collie passed away earlier this year, and this is the first time they’re bringing down the sheep without a dog.”
As they gathered the flock, Adam asked Katy: “Are you missing the dog?”
“I am actually, it is very strange as normal she would just be there at your heel making sure everything is going well.”
Countryfile is available to watch on iPlayer.