World Sheepdog Trials Northern Ireland 2023: Peter Óg Morgan from Castlewellan, 15, hopes to clinch World Champion title in his age group

Organised by the International Sheep Dog Society, the four-day event is expected to attract 50,000 spectators from across the world, with 240 competitors from over 30 countries vying to be named World Champion at the end of the four-day event.

Over 30 countries will be represented including, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Finland, Faroe Islands, South Africa, Zimbabwe and Israel.

Following a longstanding family tradition, Peter Óg is a third-generation trialling enthusiast as both his father, Peter and grandfather, Frankie McCullough are former Irish National Champions and Supreme Finalists.

Gearing up for the event, Peter Óg told the News Letter how he got started in the field.

"I used to go to trials every weekend with my dad and grandad and for my 11th birthday my dad gave me one of his older dogs," he told the News Letter. "That is how I started off."

He rates his biggest achievements so far as winning the Irish Young Handlers section at the Irish Nationals in Killarney in 2021 and then going on to be an international champion at The International Sheepdog Trials at Aberystwyth in Wales later the same year.

This week he will be up against 14 other top competitors from all around the world in the under 18 category – hoping to lift the World Young Handlers Champion title.

Their challenge will be to herd five sheep through different gates, drive them back into a ring, split two sheep off and then get all five back into the pen.

His faith dog Tip, a border collie, is a working dog who lives with others in kennels in their own house - but he is just a friendly as a house dog, he says.

Peter Og admits to being "maybe a wee bit nervous".

He adds: "It is a World Championship so it is a big event. The top three from my group will go forward into the final."

At 15, the pupil of St Malachy’s High in Castlewellan is not settled on a specific career, except for one detail.

"I don't really know – but hopefully I will keep dogs on the scene," he said. "It gives me a lot of options."

All three generations of his family will be there to cheer him on as he competes.

But that is not all the teenager has to contend with this week - he is also on the organising committee for the event.

"We are just all working together to try and get everything prepared for the opening day," he adds.

The opening ceremony takes place on Tuesday evening around 5pm. To access the Gill Hall Estate if travelling from Hillsborough or Lisburn, take a left off the Lurgan Road, onto Blackskull Road and left again onto Villa Woods Road. The entrance will be on the left-hand side.

For more information and tickets see: www.worldsheepdogtrials.org