Four days of competition, currently taking place on lands located close to the Co. Tyrone village of Stewartstown, will determine the outcome of the 2026 Irish National Sheepdog Trials.

The trialling year got underway in April with the current season fast coming to a climax.

A key outcome of the Stewartstown event will be the selection of the Irish team that will participate in the 2026 international trial, involving shepherds and their dogs from England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland.

This event will take place later in September at the Cotswolds’ estate, owned by the Bamford family: owners of the world renowned JCB business.

Ireland has a long history of success in sheep dog trials, a point confirmed by Pat Murphy: the Irish national president of the International Sheepdog Society.

The Co. Kildare man further explained: “Irish competitors have been very successful in trials’ events held in countries around the world. It is part of our heritage.

“Trialling has a truly international footprint, one which continues to grow.

James P Magee, from Ballybofey in Co Donegal, is taking part in the competitions scheduled for Stewatrtstown.

He is a former world champion handler and widely expected to be a key member of the Irish team heading for the Cotswolds in September.

He told Agriland: “Trialling has allowed me to travel the world. My interest in the sport was sparked when watching the television programme, 'One Man and His Dog'.

“That was many years ago. But I have been totally with the world of trialling ever since: the challenge of working with dogs and the opportunity of meeting up with so many wonderful people.”

The sheepdogs

So, what makes a good sheepdog?

According to Paddy Fanning, from Glenealy in Co Wicklow, it is all about identifying a young animal’s willingness to work at the earliest possible stage.

He is competing at Stewartstown with his three-year old bitch, Pink.

Fanning continued: “The first requirement is to let a young dog work with quiet sheep.

"After that it’s all about spending the time required to develop that all important relationship that must exist between dog and handler.”

This year’s sheepdog trial event has also attracted large numbers of the public, including cousins Alastair and Tom Keown, who both live in the Stewartstown area.

They both believe in communicating the benefits of Ireland’s rural way-of-life to the general public.

Tom said: “The site looks like an absolute picture. It is a great advertisement for the Mid-Ulster area and the farmers who work in this locality.

Alastair agreed, adding: “It is tremendous to see the dogs and their handlers working together so well."

How are dogs assessed?

Sheepdogs competing in a trial event start with a maximum point total and lose points when judges dock them for errors across a structured, timed course.

Judges score the team based on precision, control, smooth handling, and how well the dog responds to whistle or voice commands.

A standard trial tests everyday working skills through distinct phases.

'The outrun' sees the dog run in a wide, pear-shaped arc from the handler to a spot behind the sheep without scaring them.

This is followed by 'the lift', in which the dog gently connects with the sheep and starts them moving.

Courtesy of 'the fetch', the dog guides the sheep in a straight line toward the handler and through set gates.

This is followed by 'the drive', during which the dog pushes the sheep away from the handler along a precise triangular or angled path through more obstacles.

'Penning' sees the dog guiding the group into a small enclosure while the handler manages the gate.

And finally, the 'shedding' process requires the dog to separate specific sheep from the main group under strict control.

Reflections on the event

Every county in Ireland was represented across the various classes of the 2026 Irish National Sheep Dog Trials, with a total of 150 dogs put through their paces.

But it is only when one sees these animals in action and up close that one gets a real sense of their innate intelligence and the bond they have with their accompanying shepherds.

Sheep have an image of being quite timid animals. In reality they are not. Ewes have a mind of their own.

When grouped together, it can take some persuading when it comes to moving them in a certain direction and at a certain pace.

Dogs have been used to muster cattle and sheep in Ireland as far back as Celtic times.

The sheepdogs of today cone in a range of sizes. But those that can really do the business have one thing in common: an inexhaustible desire to work.

They also have a tremendous ability to think for themselves.

Ask any shepherd and he or she will tell you that, for the most part, dogs on farm are out of sight and out of ear shot from their accompanying handler

This is particularly the case in a hill farm setting.

So, the dogs have to work out issues themselves when it comes to getting flocks of sheep to where they need to be.

Sheep sector

Recent years have seen a significant drop-off in breeding ewe numbers across the island of Ireland, leading some people to suggest that the sector is in terminal decline.

But this is far from the case.

By far the most competitive events now taking place at local shows the length and breadth of Ireland are sheep young handlers’ classes.

In fact, such is the demand to take part in these competitions that show societies are having to expand their competition rings to cater for the entrants that turn up in such numbers on the day.

It is these same young people that are establishing their own flocks and committing to work with sheepdogs proactively, building a sustainable future for the sector.