Preparations are well underway in Co. Wicklow ahead of the International Sheepdog Trials later this year.
Thousands of visitors are expected to descend on the town of Blessington which has been successful in its bid to host the prestigious event from September 8-10.
The competition will see 60 of the top sheepdogs from Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales bidding to take home the overall title.
The dogs have qualified for the international competition by being placed in the top 15 in their country’s national trials.
A further 16 dogs will take part in the exciting brace competition where a handler runs two dogs together over the course at the same time.
Chair of the organising committee, Eamonn Connell, who is originally from Westmeath, told Agriland that it is a great honour for Blessington to host the trials.
“This is an event between the four nations, Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales, held yearly. It travels around between the four nations.
“When it comes to Ireland, one year it is in the north and one year it is in the south. So really, it’s only in the south of Ireland about once every eight years.
“We were selected to run it in Wicklow this year for the first time ever. It’s being run on Ian Hamilton’s farm at Threecastles, just on the outskirts of Blessington,” he said.
Connell said that the amount of people that have offered to help in advance of the event has been “staggering”.
“There’s absolutely massive support in Blessington from the local community, local councillors and small businesses. The community spirit is very, very strong.
“We have a wonderful landowner as well. Ian Hamilton is top class, he cannot do enough for us.
“We’ve been working on this since last October. We’ve received great help from the local enterprise board in the form of LEADER funding. We’re getting great help from Wicklow County Council,” he said.
“The amount of people that have weighed in behind this in the last three weeks has been unbelievable. But there was a lot of work going on in the background since last October.
“We have a very strong committee, a really good committee. Our last committee meeting, there was 25 people at it from all walks and all ages. Everyone is keen to dig in.
“You cannot run an event like this without a good committee, it is a real giant group effort,” the committee chair said.
Sheepdog trials
Connell was reserve Irish national champion in both singles and brace trials last year and has also competed internationally.
“I really enjoy it. It’s a good sport, it gets you outside. It’s country living and generally it’s a really good bunch of people involved in it.
“The handlers tend to help each other out, as much as they can. It’s a very close-knit community and everyone knows everyone,” he said.
So why should people pencil the event into their calendar for September?
“Well, they’re never going to see anything like this on this scale in Wicklow again – not for a long time to come anyway,” Connell said.
“You’re going to see 60 of the top dogs from the four nations competing for the international shield.
“We’re also going to have a family day surrounding the trials, so people can watch the dogs and have a ‘fair’ day out. There will be trade stalls and a kids’ area. It’s going to be a really good family day out,” Connell said.