The Isle of Wight Sheepdog Trials are to make a welcome return this weekend.
86 dogs will be running in the 2-day event which is to be held at Rowlands Farm in Havenstreet this Saturday and Sunday (3rd/4th June).
It was over 100 years ago that the 1st European Sheepdog trials were held in North Wales. These were devised as a competitive test amongst shepherds to see who had the best sheepdog.
It takes many years of training for a sheepdog to reach the highest levels of trialling. In any case, having well-trained sheepdogs makes the shepherd’s life easier and means that a large flock of
sheep can be managed by one person, with minimal stress to the sheep
Back in the early 1990’s Eamonn Lawless held the 1st Sheepdog Trial on the Island at his farm at Littletown Dairy, Wootton. This was a 1-day event with 16 handlers, who arrived by hovercraft with their dogs.
Held in support of the Earl Mountbatten Hospice, entry to the event is free but making a donation to the charity is encouraged. At last year’s event – which was described by organisers as more low-key than previous iterations – a total of £1,600 was raised.
This year, there will be some stalls, a beer tent, numerous catering facilities and some craft demonstrations.
Gates open at 08:00 with the first dog heading out at 08:30, with action expected until around 17:00 each day.
Judges Ed Hawkins and Richard Smith have the unenviable task of finding a winner on both days.
