This weekend sees the return of the Isle of Wight Sheepdog Trials
Gates open at 8am with the first dog heading out at 8.30am. The event runs through to around 5pm each day.
Sheepdog trials are a fascinating spectacle of teamwork, intelligence, and precision. Rooted in pastoral tradition, the events showcase the remarkable skills of herding dogs and their handlers.
Awe-inspiring
Having watched some of the event last year, seeing the border collies managing and maneuvering flocks of sheep under the careful instructions of their handler, was pretty awe-inspiring.
You’ll see them outrunning and fetching to drive and pen, mimicing the real-world tasks that these dogs perform on farms every day.
A profound sense of respect and camaraderie
Every move of the dog is closely watched and scored by a panel of judges, who assess the dog’s responsiveness, patience, and efficiency.
Though the atmosphere can be tense, there’s a profound sense of respect and camaraderie that underpins sheepdog trials, celebrating the enduring partnership between man and dog in managing the land.
Bring a chair or a blanket to sit on and get stuck in for the day.
Plenty of refeshments
The hospitality has ramped up this year, with a cafe and and beer tent now on site.
Calbourne Classics selling clotted cream ice cream, and the Cafe will be selling tea, coffee, Calbourne Classic cakes, scones and cream teas.
Hazelgrove Farm will be serving up burgers, sausages and steak ciabattas, all home produced from their farm just 1.5 miles down the road.
The ‘Sheepdog Bar’ will be serving Goddard’s Planet Lager and Fuggle Dee Dum on draft. Mini bottles of wine, Gin & Tonic cans and soft drinks will also be available.
Donations on the door
Mountbatten will be on site again this year collecting for this vital Island service, so whilst entry to the event is free, any donations that you can manage into the buckets would be very much appreciated and worthwhile.
Donations collected in 2022 raised £1,600 for the charity.
How to get there
If you drive along The Downs Road, you’ll have already seen the signs for the Sheepdog Trials, but if you have no idea where Rowlands Farm is, the simplest route to access the site is via The Downs Road.
From the Newport Direction (the Hare and Hounds end) travel over the top of the downs, as you travel downhill at around half way you will approach a cross road, Rowlands Lane is on the left.
From the Ryde Direction, as you travel over the downs you’ll see the site in the distance on your right. As you travel up main straight you’ll reach a cross roads, Rowland Lane is on the right.
In both cases, the entrance is in the first gate on the right around 100 yards of the junction.
If you prefer to use What3Words they are record.afterglow.belly
See the Website or Facebook Page for updates.
