I'm interested in attending a trial. I'd like to see the dogs work, but also hoping to get some local flavor while attending the event. This website seems to have schedules for trials in north Wales: https://www.northwalessheepdogsociety.org.uk/ although dates are not posted for next year yet. It's difficult for me to judge the size of the events from this schedule. If we attended one of the smaller trials do you know if there would be a fair-like atmosphere, or are the smaller trials more exclusively just the dog trials as the only activity that's occurring? We love attending small county agricultural fairs here in Ohio so looking for something of that flavor. Can you recommend a good small (agricultural) fair in early- to mid-May that would also have dog trials?
Here's an interesting festival mid-Wales, the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society Spring Festival, May 20-21 2017. "With over 1,300 livestock, poultry and horses, hundreds of tradestands, the only Premier Open Dog Show to be held in Wales, children’s activities, a food and drink quarter, vintage machinery, auction, country leisure and much more, the event has something for everyone whatever your interest or passion." Although there will be a dog show, I don't see a mention of sheep dog trials. FYI location is here: Llanelwedd, Builth Wells, Powys
Here are press releases that provide a good description of the types of activities at each of the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society Events (Spring, Summer, Winter): http://www.welshcountry.co.uk/royal-welsh-agriculture-show/
Here is a website with sheep dog trials in north Wales. Too early for 2017 events.
https://www.northwalessheepdogsociety.org.uk/events/
This show is the biggest but not sure about sheep dog trials - which tend to take place on farms.
http://www.rwas.wales/royal-welsh-show/
The BBC have sheep dog competitions called ‘One Man & His Dog’ . I think this might now be incorporated into the Countryfile programme - shown on Sundays. Here is sample from u-tube:> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3di8J7ZnnRQ
Thank you very much. There are video clips of the last summer Royal Welsh show on their website, and it does look like there is dog trialing. It looks like a fantastic show as well. That may be a good opportunity. We're traveling the last two weeks of May due to our daughter's graduation and subsequent availability but perhaps the Spring show would work.