SHEEPDOG WORLD FIRST Sheep dogs and their handlers from all over the globe made their way to a small Welsh market town to pitch their skills in the very first open World Sheepdog Trial Championship.

[World Trials 2005] introduction wednesday night parade thursday's action friday's results team championship saturday's action championship day final photos

JJ Templeton in the shedding ring

Championship Day - Final Results

Saturday's Semi - Final Results

Scotland win the Team Championship

Over 160 competitors from 13 countries converged on the lakeside town of Bala in Gwynedd in September for the four-day event.

"Once again Bala is set to make history in sheep dog trialling," said the Chairman of the local organising committee, Charles Arch. "The first recorded sheepdog trials was actually held in the town in 1873," he added. Since the formation of the International Sheep Dog Society in 1906 trials between the home countries have been annual events. Similarly European and American Trialling Competitions have also grown in their popularity.

"The UK is very much considered to be 'the kennel of the world' where working sheepdogs is concerned," added Charles Arch." It's only natural therefore that Wales plays host to this unique and exciting development to sheepdog trialling," he said.

Up to 20,000 spectators are expected to attend the event between the Wednesday, 18 September, 2002 and Sunday, 22 September, 2002.

The 110-acre event site, which is part of the local Rhiwlas estate, is adjacent to the A494 on the outskirts of Bala. A specially constructed grandstand will seat 1,500 of the main trial audience. As well as the main sheepdog trail itself the event will also include rural trade and craft displays, a local food produce show and cooking demonstrations, as well as a vintage agricultural machinery exhibition. Trial competitors will parade through Bala's High Street at the start of the event on the Wednesday evening, with a Sunday Service held on the event site prior to the trialling finals.