The World's first Prize Gold Sheepdog Whistle is revealed.

Television and press world-wide have the first opportunity to see the top prize for these World Trials, a solid gold shepherd's whistle.

The Gold Whistle has been commissioned by the ISDS main Sponsor, Gilpa Pet Foods.  Mr Richard Ware, Managing Director of Gilbertson and Page attended to hand over the whistle to Mr Sulwyn Thomas - there was some joking about who would have to look after such a valuable item for the coming nine months!  The event was broadcast live on S4C (Welsh) local television

The launch evening for the trials took place at Newton House, within the grounds Dinefwr Park & Castle, on the evening of 11 December.  This 'kicks off' all the practical activity following more than a year of preparations and planning.  Presenting were the Organising Committee leaders, being Mr Sulwyn Thomas, Event Chairman, and Mr Meirion Owen, Event Secretary.  They gave a presentation that outlined plans and featured the support from many leading organisations.

The Lead Sponsor is Land Rover. Mr John Edwards, the Managing Director of Land Rover UK has said: “The 2008 Land Rover World Sheepdog Trials at Dinefwr Park & Castle promises to be a fantastic event in a beautiful setting, and I am delighted that Land Rover will be the main sponsor. This is not least because in 2008 we will be celebrating 60 years of vehicle production in the UK; during which time Land Rover has become an integral part of the farming and rural way of life of Britain and much of the rest of the World”.

Present at the launch were key staff, local officials and representatives of many of the sponsors. Mr Norman Lorton, Chief Executive of the ISDS, the organizing body, said "This event is generating a lot of excitement, not just within Wales, but around the World, as many triallists make their plans to be here in 2008 and compete with the world's best dogs and handlers".

The Trials will run over the 11-14 September 2008 in the grounds of Dinefwr Park, a National Trust property. It is a beautiful setting of hilly parkland set with ancient trees. The photographs here were taken the day after the launch and so reflect the winter setting of bare trees.  All three of the Qualifying Trial courses will be within the park grounds, and the one directly in front of Newton House will be re-set, after the semi-finals, to provide the double-lift Finals course.

This is the field directly in front of Newton House.  The undulating nature of the land can be seen.  We cannot tell you at the moment exactly where the sheep and fences will be!

This will be one of the Qualifying Fields and shows Dinefwr Castle ruins in the background.

More WT2008 details on this ISDS site.

  Link to the main WT2008 site www.worldsheepdogtrials.org