World Sheepdog Trials underway in Down

The 2023 World Sheepdog Trials acquired underway yesterday (Wednesday, September 13) at Gill Corridor Property, close to Dromore in Co. Down.

The occasion will proceed by means of till Saturday afternoon (September 16) when the World Singles Champion canine and handler will probably be topped. Up for grabs is a primary prize of £3,000.

This week’s actions at Gill Corridor represent the Olympic Video games of the trialling world. The occasion is held each three years. Nevertheless, the Covid-19 pandemic pressured a serious realignment of the championship’s schedule.

Sheepdog handlers from world wide final got here collectively, in a aggressive sense, again in 2017. The yr in query noticed the Netherlands internet hosting the World Championships.

Thereafter Covid-19 kicked in 2020 and once more the next yr, when the occasion ought to have been held in England.

Brian Kelly, secretary of the committee organising the Gill Corridor occasion mentioned: “We have been requested to come back on board and host the 2023 World Championships 16 months in the past.

“The strategy was made on the again of Gill Corridor Property internet hosting an Worldwide Sheepdog Trial again in 2018.

“There was a 25-strong committee of individuals engaged on the occasion for the reason that request got here by means of from the Worldwide Sheepdog Society. We have been delighted to get on board from the outset.”

A complete of 240 canines and their handlers, representing 30 completely different international locations, will probably be collaborating within the competitions deliberate for Gill Corridor Property this week.

“Day One sees 120 canines competing, unfold throughout three fields. The identical format is adopted on Day Two when the remaining 120 canines compete,” Kelly continued.

“The highest seven canines from every discipline over the 2 days, go ahead to the semi-finals on the Friday. That makes a complete of 42 animals.

“A complete of 16 canines participate within the last class, scheduled for Saturday.”

In response to Kelly, the usual of problem confronting the canines will increase considerably as they transfer by means of the competitors.

Sheepdog trials

Eire, England, Scotland and Wales are every represented by 21 handlers and their canines. Every competitor is allowed to compete with two canines.

Nationwide competitors trials competitions are held to permit for the collection of the handlers that participate on the earth occasion. 

“One Irish handler has gained the World Championship crown up up to now – James McGee, from Ballybofey in Co. Donegal, again in 2011,” Kelly defined.

Co. Offaly hosted the World Sheepdog Trials again in 2005. The organisers are anticipating crowds of as much as 15,000 at Gill Corridor over the approaching days.

Gill Corridor Property – the right location

Allistair Lyttle, from Kesh in Co. Fermanagh is a member of the committee organising the occasions deliberate for Gill Corridor Property this week. He’s additionally collaborating within the competitors in his personal proper.

“It’s an amazing honour for Northern Eire to be internet hosting the 2023 World Championships. And Gill Corridor is the right venue,” Lyttle defined.

“The property has large amenities. What’s extra, all of the trials areas are in tip-top situation.”

In response to Lyttle, it has taken an amazing, cooperative effort to get this week’s occasion over the road.

A living proof has been the sourcing of 800 ewes from sheep producers throughout Northern Eire.

“We’ve been capable of supply the sheep type quite a few flock house owners. These embody, O’Kane Brothers, from Ballymena; Robin McNinch, from Larne and Frankie McCullough, from Dromara in Co. Down,” Lyttle mentioned.

“Ewes are chosen for the championships as a result of there may be extra of them to pick out from right now of the yr.”

Lyttle is fast to verify that sheepdog trialling is a particularly common sport in Eire.

“Occasions are happening across the nation each week of the yr,” he mentioned.

“As much as 70 canines could possibly be collaborating in every of those competitions, all of which wil appeal to giant crowds of spectators.”

Lyttle went on to level out that trialling competitions are open to frame collies solely.

“A very good canine may promote for as much as £25,000,” he continued.

Younger handlers

15-year-old Peter Óg Morgan, from Castlewellan in Co. Down will probably be pitting his wits towards 14 different rivals from world wide within the Beneath-18 Worldwide Younger Handlers Championship at Gill Corridor on Friday.

He has been working with canines at house for way back to he can keep in mind. Beforehand his father – additionally Peter – had gained the Irish Nationwide Championships again in 2021. He went on to take the reserve on the Worldwide Sheepdog Trials, held in Wales later that very same yr.

Peter Óg will probably be competing with the eight-year-old collie, Tip.

The Morgans run 550 Lanark Blackface sheep on their house farm.

Peter Óg believes {that a} champion canine brings a mixture of ‘brains’ and breeding to the desk.

“A younger canine will shortly verify whether or not it has the curiosity and the flexibility to work with sheep,” Peter Óg defined.

“By the point it’s 18-months-old, will probably be properly settled. A canine will actually come into its personal at round four-years-of-age.

“Border collies are very clever canines and are repeatedly studying.”

The coaching course of begins by placing a younger canine right into a round pen with a bunch of sheep. By utilizing this kind of enclosure, the sheep can not bunch right into a nook; they are going to at all times be dealing with the canine.

Younger canines are first taught to ‘cease’ on command.

Some canines will lie down on listening to this command; others will stay standing. After that, a variety of verbal instructions are given to the canines. These embody ‘come-bye (transfer off to the left) and ‘away’ (transfer off to the best).

Peter Óg continued: “Handlers will use a mixture of whistles and verbal instructions to canines. Whistles are used when canines are at a distance from their handlers.”

Sheepdog dealing with in Poland

Toamasz Nowakowski is the only consultant from Poland collaborating within the competitors lessons at Gill Corridor this week.

He lives near the town of Warsaw.

“Initially, I acquired concerned in canine obedience lessons and graduated from there to sheepdog dealing with,” he defined to Agriland.

“There are roughly 30 handlers who participate in open dealing with lessons which might be held at areas throughout Poland.

“Reasonably than maintain one-day occasions, as can be commonplace in Eire, sheepdog dealing with competitions held in Poland happen over a whole weekend.”

Most of Poland’s native sheep breeds have been killed out throughout World Conflict II. These left have been cross bred with sheep from different components of Europe within the years that adopted.

The Wrzosowkas is the oldest native, ovine breed in Poland. In response to Toamasz, they’re a really “primitive” sort of sheep.

He arrived in Eire along with his four-year-old canine final Thursday, Pete. Bred in Wales, the collie was dropped at Poland as a pup.

The previous couple of days have given the handler and his canine a possibility to get acclimatised to Irish sheep trialling situations.

“Once we left Poland the climate was very heat relative to the situations right here in Eire. This could not current an issue to the canines. Had they been travelling from a cool local weather to scorching situations, the change in climate would influence on their efficiency.

“Sheep in Poland are usually heavier than the sheep right here in Eire. Irish sheep additionally are usually extra attentive to the canine.

“So, we’ll simply have to attend and see how we get on over the approaching days,” Toamasz concluded.