IT has been announced that Dartmoor will host the 2024 English National Sheepdog Trial for the first time ever. The event will be held at Moorlands Farm, Princetown, courtesy of local farmers Layland and Gill Branfield.

The event will take place over four days between 8-11 August, with over 150 competitors and many more spectators flocking to the moors to watch Britain’s finest shepherds and dogs compete against each other.

The event will not only decide the English Champion but will also determine the English National Team for the International and World Trials.

Emerging as a sport in the 1860s in New Zealand, a sheepdog trial is a competition to test the abilities of a sheepdog and its owner.

Sheepdogs are guided through a series of commands to complete a variety of tasks which reflect their everyday work.

The trials are not intended as a succession of ‘tricks’ or gimmicky obstacles, but rather a practical demonstration of the skills the dog uses every day of his working life.

After the International Trials were first held in 1906, the National Trials followed shortly after, with the first event being held in the early 1920s, only taking breaks for wartime and the recent pandemic.

The International Sheep Dog Society was also founded in 1906 with the intention of stimulating interest in the shepherd, the shepherd’s calling and creating a means to breed and train more effective dogs for shepherding.

This is still the objective today, for without a good working dog, the work of the shepherd, both on the hills and the lowlands would be impossible. Now over 100 years later, the International Sheep Dog Society has well over 6000 members from all corners of the World.

Dartmoor Hill Farm Project, a charity that represents Dartmoor’s farming community and helps ensure the industry’s future, said: ‘Wonderful news that the 2024 English National Sheepdog Trial will be held at Moorlands Farm.

This will be the first time ever that the trials are held on Dartmoor and a ‘must keep’ date for the diary. Well done to Jed Watson and the local team for making this possible we can’t wait!’

Jed Watson is a local farmer, breeder and sheepdog trialist on Dartmoor. He is on the directors’ board of the International Sheepdog Association and was crucial in bringing the trials to Dartmoor.

Jed said: ‘Dogs are a really important part of Dartmoor because they are needed to handle the sheep in the tough conditions. Having the trial here is really important for those who use dogs every day.

‘The trial will be held in the height of summer in a touristic area so it will be good for the hotels and local businesses - we want work with and help bring in trade all those local businesses and promote our local enterprise - and that’s what we’re aiming to do, while also running a tip-top trial.’

Jed Watson is no stranger to dog trialling himself, having worked and competed with dogs throughout much of his life. In 2016, Jed captained the English National Team.

Jed added: ‘Wherever we go, we always talk to the public and they’re always fascinated with what we do - they’ve all watched Phil Drabble’s One Man With His Dog on telly.

‘It’s great to see a big trial in our local area, it will help to get some new faces in the sport and showcase to the public what it’s all about.

‘That’s what the International society does, it’s promoting our sport and shining a light on what we do

We want to encourage as many people to come as possible, and then put something on that will really make their day.

‘It may be in 2024 but it’ll come round fast!’