Ireland’s top sheepdog handlers head to Tyrone for 2026 ISDS Irish National Sheepdog Trials

Held in association with headline sponsor Nugent Trailers, the four-day event will see 150 competitors put their skill, precision and partnership with their dogs to the test, with the ultimate prize being selection for the Irish National Team.

The competition begins on Wednesday afternoon, 26 August, with the doubles competition, where handlers will work two dogs to move a team of ten sheep around the course. From Thursday through to Saturday, 50 competitors will take part each day in the singles competition.

The competition will culminate on Saturday afternoon when the overall champion is crowned, while the top 15 handlers will be selected to represent Ireland at the International Trials in September.

Hosted at the historic Stuart Hall Estate, the trials will showcase the skill, dedication and generations of rural tradition behind one of Ireland’s most respected working-dog competitions.

The event is expected to attract spectators from across Ireland and further afield, providing an opportunity to celebrate the important role sheepdogs and their handlers continue to play within the agricultural community.

With County Tyrone’s strong agricultural heritage and reputation for sheep farming, bringing an event of this scale to Mid-Ulster also provides an important platform to showcase the region and its rural community to visitors from across Ireland and beyond.

For further information, interviews or photography, please contact: Gerard Hegarty: 07743 587041