The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine will part sponsor the 2023 International Sheepdog Trials.
The trials will take place in Blessington, Co. Wicklow from September 8-10 and will see dogs and their handlers from Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England compete, with some 190 sheepdogs taking part.
The event is co-sponsored by DAFM as well as LEADER. With the support of LEADER, it will see Wicklow being hosts for the first time in its history.
International Sheepdog Trials
The International trials are held annually on a rotation basis each summer, in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales, therefore Ireland only acts as host every four years.
Commenting on his department’s sponsorship of the event, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue said:
“As a young farmer growing up in Donegal, I trialled sheepdogs and, indeed, trained sheepdogs for farmers in the locality.
“I know first-hand of the importance of the sheepdog trials to, not only, farmers but also to the local economy.
“I am thrilled to see the 2023 International Sheepdog Trials coming to Blessington, Co. Wicklow in September and my department is delighted to help support the running of the event.
“We will see some of the best dogs and their handlers from Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales descend on Blessington for three days.”
Chairman of the Wicklow Sheepdog trials, Eamonn Connell said: “We are exceptionally proud to be taking on bringing this event to the garden county this year.
“The Irish Sheepdog Society has been actively working with and for the promotion of sheepdogs since 1906, and with the first Irish international trial only being held in Thurles racecourse in 1997, seeing this event come to Co. Wicklow in 2023 is indeed a huge honour and the excitement in the committee is indeed infectious.
“We are a community-led voluntary committee and while the task we are undertaking is certainly challenging, we are fully committed to making this an event not to be missed in this year’s calendar,” he added.
The competition trials will showcase the agility and intelligence of the sheepdog, but also organisers have said that the essence of the show in 2023 is community and family focused.
Evelyn Murray from LEADER Rural Development Programme – Wicklow said: “The LEADER Rural Development Programme (Wicklow) is delighted to be supporting this project and event.
“Not only is it an excellent opportunity to showcase the beauty and intelligence of the sheepdog as a breed, it also gives us the opportunity to highlight all the ‘Garden County’ has to offer.”