Ness Sheep Dog Trials 2026

The youngest of the handlers  – Grace Gower – was able to hitch a ride for herself and her two dogs for the trip from Uist to Ness – this was not solely down to the ferry fiasco – her mother's camper van broke down in Uist. However, with team work, tow ropes and tenacity Grace, her mum, Ben and Sweep all made it to Ness in time to compete with both dogs.

Grace and her dogs have completed the Hebridean Sheep Dog Trials for the past two years and this year, at the age of seventeen, she has also qualified as a young handler for England at the International Trial and as part of the young handler team, with England, in the World Trials. Having started at the age of nine, Grace now travels the length and breadth of the UK to compete   –  all with the assistance of her mum, and of course the trialling community. 

We spoke to many of the competitors at the trials last Wednesday and some very kindly agreed to take a hold of the new ‘Fios Mic’ to be recorded for social media. From Shirley Greenaway who had travelled from Devon and Phil Rigby from Cumbria –  who returns every year to the Hebridean Circuit —everyone had a story to tell and generously shared it with us. 
 Seamus Campbell (Skye), was also competing with Queen and Shadwell Ceit, a pair he had competed with in the 2025 International Sheep Dog Trials to win the Brace Championship. Trialling for ten years, Seamus grew up working sheep dogs on a family croft and was very honest when reflecting on his early experiences of trialling: 

“First time I stood at the post, I’ll be honest with you, the dog never even saw the sheep. So it wasn't a big encouragement to carry on. But then I went to another trial, and another trial and another trial, got the bug and now here we are ten years later.” Encouragingly, for any reader keen to compete at next year's trial, Seamus made it very clear that “there are plenty of people that are capable of running at a trial, that have never set foot on a trial and need to take that extra step just to go and have the courage to stand at the post. And everyone thinks ‘No. I can’t do that.’ But at the end of the day, more than likely they can.”

And then of course,  there are the people not just competing, but also working hard in the background to keep things rolling along. Donald MacRitchie, the lead organiser for the day, was not competing with Nell this year, but Donald Macmillan (Crossbost, Lochs) was competing with Skye Spot. After a morning run,  Donald and Skye were then responsible for penning the sheep post-run for all the other competitors – a long working day for the pair, but a successful one with them winning the Local Lewis Trophy. Murdo Thomson and Gordon MacRitchie were responsible for releasing the sheep for each competitor and the family of Donald MacRitchie saw to the smooth delivery of the required administration for entries. 

When you start to watch sheep dog trials it becomes very apparent that although everyone competing is being judged on their levels of control – there are  a vast number of uncontrollable variables involved: the sheep all behave differently; the dog may be having an off day; the travel connections may not work as planned (with or without the help of Calmac) and the weather, of course, can make things harder. But there is one constant that remains – the passion of the human competitors matches the  heart-bursting enthusiasm of their canine partners, or as Seamus explained  “We’re crackers. Aye.”

NESS TRIAL RESULTS

1st: Seumas Campbell (Skye) with Queen (81 Points).

2nd: Will Hurley (Cheshire) with Joe (78 Points). 

3rd: Carol Mellin (Yorkshire) with Roy (77 Points).

4th: Andy Carnegie (Perthshire) with Sue (76 Points).

5th: Phil Rigby (Cumbria) with Sid (76 Points).

6th: Cathy Cassie (Cumbria) with Pip (73 Points).

The Local Lewis prize went to Don Macmillan (Crossbost, Lochs) with Skye Spot.

Overall winner of the Hebridean Circuit went to Seumas Campbell and Queen.

HOW ARE THE TRIALS JUDGED? 

A course is set where the handler and dog have to gather, lift, fetch, drive, pen and then shed or single a small flock of sheep. A judge, observing from behind the post, awards points for these different sections with the maximum scores per section  follows: 

Gather:     20 Points 
Lift:           10 Points 
Fetch:        20 Points 
Drive:        30 Points 
Pen:          10 points 
Shed:        10 Points 
Total:       100 Points

And, as described on the course information sheet: 'The judge is looking for a controlled working of the sheep by the dog with the sheep moving in straight lines in each segment. Points are deducted for deviation, for missing gates, for difficulties at the pen and if the dog does not efficiently separate the required sheep at the shed element. '