Scottish Borders set to welcome the world and its dogs for Sheep Dog World Trial 2026
Final preparations are underway at Huntington Farm, near Lauder, where the Sheep Dog World Trial 2026 opens tomorrow (Wednesday, September 16).
More than 300 handlers and their dogs from 34 nations will compete over four days in the most prestigious event in international sheepdog trialling, held in the Scottish Borders for the first time.
The region marks a homecoming for the Border Collie breed. The landscape of the Scottish Borders, with its hill farms and shepherding traditions, gave the breed its name and shaped it into the working dog now trialled across the world.
Competitors from as far afield as Argentina, Japan, South Africa and Zimbabwe are already arriving in the Borders to contest world championship titles. The World Trial is the culmination of a busy trialling season. Scotland, England, Ireland and Wales have each held their National championships over the summer, and the top dogs from all four met at the International at the weekend, so the home teams arrive at Huntington in fine form and on familiar ground.
The opening ceremony begins at 2pm on Wednesday, when a flock of sheep is driven onto the competition field, followed by the Preston Lodge High School Pipe Band and the competition officials. Pupils from Lauder Primary School, each carrying a national flag, will then lead the competitors out onto the field.
Angus Weir, one of the late Doddie Weir's three sons, will bring the parade to a close at the wheel of a My Name'5 Doddie Foundation tractor supplied by Crop Service, before Lord Biddulph, Honorary World Trial President, declares the World Trial open.
Competition begins on Thursday and runs through to Sunday, when the 16 highest-pointed dogs contest the finals. The event is expected to draw between 20,000 and 30,000 visitors to the Borders over the five days, and every run will be livestreamed to a worldwide audience.
Fiona McMillan, Scottish President of the International Sheep Dog Society and Chair of the World Trial, said: “To bring the Sheep Dog World Trial home to the Scottish Borders is a great honour. This is the landscape that shaped the working sheepdog, and the best handlers and dogs in the world will be competing here at the highest level. I can't wait for it to begin.”
Away from the trial field, a Scottish Borders Showcase supported by Scottish Borders Council will put the region’s heritage on display, with demonstrations from the Tweed Guild of Weavers, Spinners and Dyers and from the Tweeddale Stickdressers.
Visitors new to sheepdog trials can follow the action at Expert Corner, a big screen in the trader area where sheepdog handlers and social media stars, including Borders-born shepherdess and This Farming Life star Emma Gray, will be on hand to explain what is happening on the field.
Ben Best, of Dalscone Farm, joins her on Sunday to commentate on the finals. Hannah Jackson, the Red Shepherdess, and Tom Carlisle, the Dales Farmer, will also be at the event over the weekend, and all four will host Q&As and meet-and-greets with visitors over the duration of the event.
The full programme and tickets are available at www.sheepdogworldtrial.com. Adult day admission is £10, under-16s go free and parking is £5. Tickets are also available on the gate.