3 days ago
Donegal owner wins singles category at National Sheep Dog Trials
The winners of the Irish National Sheep Dog Trials have been announced with a Donegal dog owner taking the top prize in the single category.
The competition took place in recent days at Brideswell, Co. Roscommon.
The event saw 150 dogs running over the three days, averaging out at 50 single dogs a day. There were also seven doubles teams on display throughout the trials.
Agriland spoke to chief organiser and land owner, Barra O'Brien. He said: "Roscommon is famous for sheep, so it was held on my farm in Lisbrock, Brideswell, Co. Roscommon.
"The field where it was held was designed well for an Irish National Sheep Dog Trial, as it had 400 yards of an outrun and we had brilliant viewing for spectators."
The winner of the singles category was James McGee from Ballybofey, Co. Donegal. Con McGarry, a Roscommon native won the doubles category, and the young handlers competition was won by Noah Callaghan, also from Co. Donegal.
Con McGarry with his doubles sheep dog team. Source: Irish National Sheep Dog Trials Facebook
This was O'Brien's second year hosting the competition, having previously held the event in 2013. He said: "I hosted in 2013 and it was very successful, so we said we'd give it another shot again.
"It was Connacht's turn to run it again this year and people said I had the perfect venue and asked would I do it, so I took it on."
O'Brien explained that there was a lot involved in organising the event, but the sponsorship they received from Roscommon Leader Partnership, Roscommon County Council, Clipex, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), and Kepak was very helpful.
He said: "We were very happy with the attendance. It was coming up to the Tullamore Show so we were expecting maybe smaller crowds but we got nice size crowds."
When asked how he got involved in the National Sheep Dog Trials, O'Brien said: "I started 35 years ago with a famous man called Al Moran.
"Paddy Lohan and Noel Egan got me involved when I bought a dog off Paddy who was going to a sheep dog trials and asked me would I go with him, and that was over 35 years ago."
Local Fine Gael senator for Roscommon-Galway, Gareth Scahill was in attendance at the event which took place from August 7 to 9.
Scahill presented some of the awards on behalf of Minister for Agriculture, Food, and the Marine, Martin Heydon.
The senator told Agriland: 'Congratulations to the local organisers of the recently hosted Irish National Sheepdog Trials at Lisbrock Farm in Brideswell and the huge army of volunteers from the locality who made the event possible.
"I was delighted to attend and represent Minister for Agriculture, Martin Heydon on Saturday for the prize giving ceremony and it was extra special to present a national prize to Roscommon man Con McGarry.
"Events like this are exactly what we need to be seeing across rural Ireland. Sheepdog trials in Ireland offer several key benefits to farmers, primarily enhancing their working dogs' skills and promoting responsible dog ownership.
"These events create a sense of community among farmers, providing opportunities to share knowledge and best practices in sheepdog handling and care."
