Trials Results 2026
South African Sheepdog Association
National Championships: 20 th – 23 rd August 2026
Watergat Farm, Riversdale
South African Sheepdog Association
National Championships: 20 th – 23 rd August 2026
Watergat Farm, Riversdale
Our 65th national championships were held in the Riversdale area in the Western
Cape on the farm Watergat of Jurie and Suzette van de Vyver. Jurie runs a large
flock of SA Mutton Merinos, a breed which is derived from the German Mutton
Merino imported into South Africa in the early 1930’s. The dual purpose sheep, wool
and meat, are large framed with ewes reaching 95kg. For the event Jurie provided a
flock of some 320 ewes with a good covering of wool.
The large flat rectangular field had a thick covering of lucerne and various grasses
making for heavy going for both sheep and dogs. With a covering of dew in the
mornings the sound was a challenge especially if the light breeze was from the
wrong direction. The event got underway on Thursday the 20 th with the Novice
Championship judged by local handler Mark Trollip. The championship is run on a
standard junior course with a 200m outrun, full drive where the handler may walk
with the dog but is penalised the more they assist and finally a pen, total 90 points.
With the heavy sheep and going underfoot, the ewes had to be pushed and the less
experienced dogs battled to get them to flow. However, Johan Nel, from Lady Grey,
and his homebred dog Tip had an excellent run standing out head and shoulders
above the rest and taking the novice title for 2026. Top placings as follows;
1. Johan Nel Tip 75 SA Novice Champion
2. Martyn Portch Potter 55 Reserve Novice Champion
3. WA Hugo Piet 54
4. Johan Nel Kira 53
5. Ragni Pretorius Kilty 52
As is customary, the society’s AGM was held in the evening. The committee was re-
elected as is, with Bridget Lloyd remaining as president and Mark Trollip as vice-
president.
Friday morning saw the start of the main event with the first run being delayed by an
hour and a half due to heavy mist. We were very privileged to have Faansie Basson
from Kentucky USA, judge our championships. Faansie was born and raised in
South Africa and was very successful with his working dogs, winning the SA
Championships on a number of occasions as well as the Dog of the Year award. He
is now residing in the USA where he conducts training clinics and actively competes
on their trialling circuit. The course for the first round is a standard senior course,
300m outrun, full drive, unmarked shed where any two can be taken and then a pen,
time limit 12 minutes. As with the previous day the ewes were very heavy and pulled
to the exhaust on the fetch. It was really difficult to get them going and get a good
flow. Also, at the pen they could be manoeuvred to the mouth and then would just
stand, it took a lot of stomping and “dancing” to get the final push in to close the
gate. The top five places were as follows;
1. Yvan Fourie Wimpie 78
2. Andrew Philip Zap 71
3. Mark Trollip Diesel 70
4. Ragni Pretorius Mieke 66
5. Regni Pretorius Tess 66
This event also sees the crowning of the Junior Champion which is awarded to the
highest placed dog that started the season in the junior class.
1. Johan Nel Cheese 65 SA Junior Champion
2. Pippa Philip Vic 62 Reserve Junior Champion
The top 30 dogs advanced to the semi-finals on the Saturday where the course run
is a standard international qualifying course. A 400m outrun, full drive, marked shed,
pen and single with a time of 15 minutes. The wind had changed direction and was
blowing in to the handler’s backs making for clear whistles at the top. As before the
sheep proved a challenge needing to be pushed and not flowing, with the pen again
proving a test. Henry van der Merwe who has just celebrated his 88 th birthday
proved that age is but a number when he and 10yr old Jem had an exceptional run
scoring 93 and easily winning the day. Top five places a s follows;
1. Henry van der Merwe Jem 93
2. Yvan Fourie Wimpie 88
3. Pierre Strydom Roy 83
4. Ragni Pretorius Elke 82
5. Andrew Philip Zap 82
Saturday evening was our annual gala dinner where the top achievements
throughout the year a recognised.
Best Beginner Davide Codebue
Junior Dog of the Year Pippa Philip and Vic
Senior Dog of the Year Pippa Philip and Nan
SA Dog of the Year Mark Trollip and Diesel
Reserve Dog of the Year Andrew Philip and Mirk
Most Consistent dog over 2 years Mark Trollip and Diesel.
The finals on Sunday featured the top 15 dogs from the previous day running a full
international course with two packets of 10 sheep, five being collared and a time limit
of 25 minutes. The sheep remained very heavy and getting gates with the two offset
brings was a real challenge, not to mention the drive. Most teams were timed out in
the shedding ring with only two handlers completing the course and a couple
completing the shed, but timing out before getting to the pen. In the ring the ewes
stuck together like Velcro so getting the draft completed was a real test.
Andrew Philip and Zap running third were the first to complete the course and posted
a score of 108. They remained in the lead until Ragni Pretorius and Tess running 8 th
posted 114 with good outwork and a completed shed but timed out on approach to
the pen. It was the second last run when Mark Trollip and Diesel posted 136 after
completing a good steady run that Rangi’s score was beaten. They would eventually
be crowned Champions for 2026. Top five places as follows;
Mark Trollip and Diesel 136 SA Champion 2026
Ragni Pretorius and Tess 114 Reserve SA Champion
Andrew Philip and Zap 108
Henry van der Merwe and Lisa 96
Yvan Fourie and Wimpie 93
Thank you to our hosts, Jurie and Suzette van de Vyver for their hospitality and all
the efforts behind the scenes to make the event a great success. Also, our sponsors
SSK, Optimizor and Seeff for their support.
Western Province Sheepdog Club
Dog of the Year Trial – 28 & 29 July 2026
Farm Rhenosterfontein, Witsand
For the final event of the season, we returned to the venue which hosted the 2024
national championships on the farm Rhenosterfontein just outside the seaside town of
Witsand. Attie Gunter runs a large flock of Merinos which were in good condition due to
the abundance of grazing.
The field has a slight slope downwards from the handlers post with plenty of space for
good long outruns and an ocean view in the distance. Attie provided flock of ewes
which true to form took off from the release post and kept running. Getting the merinos
to change direction is an art in itself, one flanks and flanks the dog with no response
and then suddenly at a certain point they just swing round. With all this happening at
pace, getting lines and obstacles was really tricky. There was also a breeze off the sea
blowing straight into the handler’s face which got progressively stronger as the day
progressed causing sound problems for the top dogs at the lift.
There were however some very good runs in the senior classes and as before the top
places were very close being separated by a point or two.
Thank you to Attie and Karen Gunter for a well-run event and to our sponsors.
Day 1
Beginners (75) – Judge: A Philip
1. D Codebue Togo 46
2. B Steenekamp Ben 36
3. L Young Chui 31
Juniors (90) – Judge: P Philip
1. S Harriss Titch 49
2. I Thompson Orla 42
3. S Harriss Rosie 35
Seniors (100) – Judge: J van de Vyver
1. P Philip Vic 79
2. P Philip Nan 72
3. B Lloyd Plaidy 70
Top Dogs (110) – Judge: M Trollip
1. A Philip Zap 102
2. P Strydom Mac 89
3. Y Fourie Wimpie 87
4. R Pretorius Elke 82
5. B Lloyd Zac 77
Day 2
Beginners (75) – Judge: P Philip
1. D Codebue Togo 55
2. B Steenekamp Ben 36
3. L Young Chui 35
Juniors (90) – Judge: A Philip
1. S Harriss Titch 70
2. Y Fourie Tia 66
3. S Harriss Rosie 56
Seniors (100) – Judge: M Trollip
1. R Pretorius Mieke 87
2. P Philip Vic 82
3. R Pretorius Lea 64
TopDogs (110) – Judge: J van de Vyver
1. A Philip Zap 92
2. Y Fourie Wimpie 90
3. B Greeff Maya 88
4. M Trollip Diesel 87
5. R Pretorius Tess 87
Western Province Sheepdog Club
Dog of the Year Trial – 25 & 26 July 2026
“Oats Bowl”, Farm Jakkalskloof, Swellendam
Western Province Sheepdog Club
Dog of the Year Trial – 25 & 26 July 2026
“Oats Bowl”, Farm Jakkalskloof, Swellendam
The last set of trials before our national championships in August were held in the
Western Cape, the first just outside Swellendam and the second at Witsand. Mark
Trollip and neighbour Nico de Wet run a flock of MeatMasters just north of the Overberg
town of Swellendam. The field used for the trials is bowl shaped rising up from the
handlers post getting progressively steeper towards the 400m mark with the sides also
sloped upwards. There was a good covering of oats which softened the hard ground
under foot.
For the event we had a flock of mature ewes which proved quite a test especially for the
inexperienced dogs. Although the sheep are worked daily with dogs in a flock they are
not used to being in packets of four or five and required careful handling. Also, getting a
good flow proved really challenging not to mention shedding where this breed is known
for their strong herd instinct. The beginner and junior classes in particular had a tough
time with the majority not completing the course. In the senior and top dog classes the
top runs were good and very close with only a point or two separating the places.
Thank you to our hosts and as always our generous sponsors.
Day 1
Beginners (75) – Judge: A Philip
1. D Codebue Togo 61
2. L Young Chui 41
Seniors (100) – Judge: J van de Vyver
1. B Lloyd Plaidy 80
2. P Philip Nan 79
3. P Philip Vic 77
Top Dogs (110) – Judge: P Philip
1. B Greeff Maya 101
2. A Philip Mirk 99
3. R Pretorius Elke 92
4. Y Fourie Wimpie 92
5. P Strydom Mac 83
Day 2
Beginners (75) – Judge: P Philip
1. D Codebue Togo 57
2. B Steenekamp Ben 45
Seniors (100) – Judge: J van de Vyver
1. P Philip Nan 86
2. R Pretorius Mieke 83
3. R Pretorius Lea 81
Top Dogs (100) – Judge: A Philip
1. M Trollip Diesel 91
2. H van der Merwe Jem 90
3. A Gunter Zara 90
4. A Gunter Faffa 90
5. P Strydom Roy 89
North Eastern Cape Sheepdog Club
Dog of the Year Trial – 16 & 17, 19 & 20 June 2026
Farm Majuba, Lady Grey
The penultimate set of trials for the season were held in the Lady Grey district which is
in the north-eastern corner of the eastern cape province. Initially the trials would have
been in Bultfontein as well but due to a foot and mouth outbreak and the farm being
placed under quarantine, Johan Nel kindly took on the challenge of hosting all four
days. Johan owns the farm Majuba but leases his land to Piet Strydom who runs a
large flock of commercial and stud SA Mutton Merinos. For the event Piet provided a
flock of lambs made up of two groups, one of seven months and one of nine months
old. The lambs had been grazing together for some time and were used to dogs but not
in packets of five. We had a good entry for the event with a number of Zimbabwean
handlers making the long trip down.
The first two days of trialling were on a fairly flat field with a slight slope down from the
handlers post. The large field allowed for good casts to either side but in the senior
classes if the dog went too wide on the left, they would hit long grass and potentially
lose sight of the sheep. The sheep required careful handling and being lambs would
dart off in any direction making straight lines and a getting good flow very difficult.
Throughout the four days almost all the points that were lost were on the bring and the
drive!
For the second two days the course was moved to a different field, also sloping down
from the handlers post but with some long grass and a few subtle undulations from
about 350m. This caused a number of top dogs to lose sight of the sheep and a
number went past the set-out and had to whistled back which was easier said than done
with the sound being a problem at the longer distances.
There were however a number of excellent runs and on all four days there was a
qualifying run in the junior class. Johan Nel on three occasions with Fly, his Kelpie
Cheese and Patchy and Ragni Pretorius with Lea.
Thank you to Johan and Theresa Nel for a well organised event and Piet Strydom for
the use of his sheep. Also our sponsors Optimizor dog food for their continued and very
generous support.
Day 1
Beginners (75) – Judge: A Philip
1. P Strydom Rambo 50
Juniors (90) – Judge: A Philip
1. J Nel Fly 81 Q
2. J Nel Cheese 77
3. J Nel Patchy 76
Seniors (100) – Judge: M Trollip
1. P Philip Vic 86
2. J Nel Bobby 83
3. R Pretorius Mieke 75
Top Dogs (110) – Judge: P Philip
1. A Philip Mirk 94
2. A Philip Zap 92
3. R Pretorius Tess 91
4. R Pretorius Elke 90
5. N Bowie Skye 82
Day 2
Beginners (75) – Judge: A Philip
1. D Codebue Aprilia 61
2. P Strydom Rambo 59
Juniors (90) – Judge: M Trollip
1. R Pretorius Lea 81 Q
2. J Nel Cheese 80
3. R v d Ruit Ren 79
Seniors (100) – Judge: M Trollip
1. J Nel Bobby 82
2. R Pretorius Mieke 81
3. P Philip Nan 71
Top Dogs (110) – Judge: A Philip
1. W Hundermark Blu 99
2. M Trollip Diesel 95
3. R Pretorius Tess 92
4. R vd Ruit Hemp 89
5. R Pretorius Elke 87
Day 3
Beginners (75) – Judge: A Philip
1. P Strydom Rambo 54
2. D Codebue Togo 45
3. B Steenekamp Stoffel 38
Juniors (90) – Judge: P Philip
1. J Nel Cheese 79 Q
2. J Nel Tip 77
3. J Nel Molly 75
Seniors (100) – Judge: J v d Vyver
1. J Nel Bobby 87
2. A Philip Gary 84
3. J Nel Fly 77
Top Dogs (110) – Judge: M Trollip
1. A Philip Zap 88
2. W Hundermark Bryn 82
3. R Pretorius Tess 80
4. R v d Ruit Hemp 75
5. J v d Vyver Cap 74
Day 4
Beginners (75) – Judge: R v d Ruit
1. P Strydom Rambo 59
2. D Codebue Aprilia 51
3. B Steenekamp Stoffel 26
Juniors (90) – Judge: M Trollip
1. J Nel Patchy 85 Q
2. J Nel Troepie 75
3. J Nel Kira 70
Seniors (100) – Judge: R v d Ruit
1. R Pretorius Lea 87
2. R Pretorius Mieke 86
3. P Philip Vic 82
Top Dogs (110) – Judge: J v d Vyver
1. J Ludick Whiskey 96
2. M Trollip Diesel 87
3. R Pretorius Tess 87
4. J Ludick Cola 86
5. R Pretorius Elke 84
Western Province Sheepdog Club
Dog of the Year Trial 1 – 26 & 27 May 2026
Farm Kinko, Buffeljagsrivier
The first of the seasons Western Province trials took place on the farm Kinko 10kms
east of the Overberg town of Swellendam. Co-owner Johan Swart together with his two
brothers run a large mixed farming operating including a dairy, sheep, boer goats and
cropping. Kinko is a well-known Dormer stud but for the trial Johan used a mix flock of
young Merinos which he’d recently bought in. There were two groups, one lot were
about 10mnths old and the other about 13mnths though they had been together for a
month or two.
The field was the same as the one used for last year’s nationals, very flat for the first
200m and then sloping upwards to the top at about 400m. Casting left meant the dogs
lost sight of the sheep from about 200m until they came in at the top while on the right
cast they had good visibility all the way. The field had a good covering of oats and was
soft underfoot for the bottom half but the top half of the field was very rocky although the
oats softened it somewhat.
The sheep could best be described as “athletic” and took off down the field from the lift,
negotiating the bring gates required the dog to be a good distance off but not far that it
lost contact. A number of handlers crossed the line on the wrong side of the handler’s
post as the sheep were heavy and running to the exhaust side. The drive required a
delicate touch with shedding and penning also being quite a challenge. There were
however some high scoring runs and Pippa Philip with her young dog Vic qualified out
of the junior class on the second day.
Our thanks to Johan for a well organised event and once again our very generous
sponsors Optimizor Dog Food.
Day 1
Juniors (90) – Judge : A Philip
1. M Portch Potter 34
2. H vd Merwe Roy 31
Seniors (100) – Judge : M Trollip
1. B Lloyd Plaidy 63
2. B Lloyd Joc 61
3. P Philip Nan 61
TopDogs (110) – Judge : P Philip
1. H vd Merwe Lisa 94
2. M Trollip Diesel 94
3. A Philip Mirk 85
4. J vd Vyver Missy 83
5. B Greeff Maya 79
Day 2
Beginners (75) – Judge : A Philip
1. L Young Chui 46
Junior (90) – Judge : A Philip
1. P Philip Vic 77 Q
2. M Portch Potter 69
3. H vd Merwe Roy 24
Seniors (100) – Judge : J vd Vyver
1. B Lloyd Plaidy 79
2. B Greeff Togo 77
3. B Lloyd Joc 76
TopDogs (110) – Judge : M Trollip
1. Jvd Vyver Missy 99
2. A Philip Zap 94
3. J vd Vyver Cap 90
4. B Greeff Maya 84
5. H vd Merwe Jem 83
West Coast Sheepdog Club
Dog of the Year Trial 2 – 23 & 24 May 2026
Betties Ville Farm, Lamberts Bay
For the second West Coast Trial of the season we moved to the farm Betties Ville of
Hugo Louw which is some 10kms inland from Lamberts Bay on the west coast of the
country. Conveniently the venue is also next to the property of host WA Hugo who
assists Hugo with the management of his stock.
Being close to the coast the field is soft under foot with a covering of various indigenous
grasses. The field is predominantly flat but from just past the senior post slopes slightly
up to an elevated portion which has a number of undulations and large bushes. This is
where the top dog’s sheep were set out which made seeing the sheep and dog from the
handler’s post very difficult. We had a flock of 8mnth old Dohne Merino lambs for the
event which were very scatty in packets of five and extremely skittish. Handling them
called for calm fluent movements otherwise they would bolt. As expected the more
experienced dogs handled the situation better as evidenced from the higher scores in
the senior classes.
Thank you to Hugo Louw for the use of his sheep and venue, WA Hugo and West Coast
club members for all their efforts and our generous sponsors, Optimizor Dog Food.
Day 1
Juniors (90) – Judge : A Philip
1. P Philip Vic 75
2. L de Waal Vlam 63
3. WA Hugo Spy 42
Seniors (100) – Judge : M Trollip
1. P Philip Nan 86
2. B Lloyd Plaidy 81
3. B Lloyd Joc 66
TopDogs (110) – Judge : P Philip
1. M Trollip Diesel 94
2. WA Hugo Mac 90
3. WA Hugo Sally 89
4. A Philip Mirk 88
5. A Philip Zap 87
Day 2
Juniors (90) – Judge : M Trollip
1. P Philip Vic 62
2. L de Waal Vlam 50
3. WA Hugo Spy 47
Seniors (100) – Judge : M Trollip
1. P Philip Nan 85
2. B Lloyd Plaidy 76
3. A Philip Gary 63
TopDogs (110) – Judge : WA Hugo
1. A Philip Mirk 94
2. M Trollip Diesel 92
3. A Philip Zap 91
4. H vd Merwe Jem 85
5. J vd Vyver Missy 82
Midlands Sheepdog Club
Dog of the Year trial – 28 th April to 1 st May 2026
Lansdowne Farm, Middelburg, Eastern Cape
For the next set of trials we headed to the Eastern Cape and the Karoo town of
Middelburg. Andre Lesch manages the 10,000ha farm Lansdowne for a business
consortium. The farm carries a large flock of Dohne Merinos, a flock of MeatMasters
and a herd of beef cattle. Normally with 4 days of trialling we have a rest day in the
middle but with a small entry we’d be done by lunchtime each day so it was decided to
do away with the day off.
For the competition Andre used a flock of 7 month old Dohne Merino lambs. The field
used for the trial has a gradual slope downhill from north to south, is some 350ha in
extent and has a pathway running through the middle. The handlers post was
positioned just off this path allowing us to cast north for the first two days and then
downhill (south) for the next two. Visibility on the south side was slightly better although
the sheep blended in with the longish grass resulting in some cross casts and dogs
having to be whistled to find the sheep.
The lambs proved a good test and difficult to read as they were not used to being
worked in packets of 5 as well as having to negotiate the natural Karoo bushes.
Despite these challenges there were some very good runs, on day 2 Andre Lesch and
Peg qualified into the senior class having won with a score above 85%. Day 4 also saw
a qualifier with Andrew Philip and Gary winning the junior class.
Thank you to host Andre Lesch for a well-run and enjoyable event as well as our
generous sponsors.
Day 1
Juniors (90) – Judge : M Trollip
1. A Lesch Peg 73
2. P Philip Vic 71
3. R Pretorius Lea 58
Seniors (100) – Judge : A Philip
1. P Philip Nan 75
2. R Pretorius Mieke 67
3. G Staegemann Cait 57
TopDogs (110) – Judge : J vd Vyver
1. A Philip Mirk 103
2. A Philip Zap 86
3. M Trollip Diesel 85
4. R Pretorius Elke 85
5. R Pretorius Tess 84
Day 2
Juniors (90) – Judge : J vd Vyver
1. A Lesch Peg 78 Q
2. P Philip Vic 72
3. A Lesch Lyca 67
Seniors (100) – Judge : M Trollip
1. R Pretorius Mieke 79
2. P Philip Nan 77
3. E Jammy Brooklyn 55
TopDogs (160) – Judge : A Philip
1. M Trollip Diesel 132
2. R Pretorius Tess 132
Day 3
Juniors (90) – Judge : M Trollip
1. A Philip Gary 71
2. A Lesch Lyca 65
3. P Philip Vic 64
Seniors (100) – Judge : J vd Vyver
1. A Lesch Peg 74
2. R Pretorius Mieke 73
3. E Jammy Brooklyn 54
TopDogs (110) – Judge : P Philip
1. A Philip Zap 101
2. A Philip Mirk 86
3. R Pretorius Elke 82
4. J vd Vyver Missy 78
5. R Pretorius Tess 76
Day 4
Juniors (90) – Judge : M Trollip
1. A Philip Gary 77 Q
2. A Lesch Lyca 72
3. P Philip Vic 72
Seniors (100) – Judge : A Philip
1. P Philip Nan 77
2. R Pretorius Mieke 63
3. A Lesch Peg 61
TopDogs (160) – Judge : M Trollip
1. R Pretorius Tess 138
2. A Philip Zap 121
3. A Philip Mirk 117
4. R Pretorius Elke 96
5. J vd Vyver Missy 87
Zimbabwe Sheepdog Association
Dog of the Year Trial – 31 March and 1 April 2026
Watershed Farm, Marondera
The next two days of competition were at Watershed farm some 35kms east of Ruwa
close to the town of Marondera. Owner William Hundermark has only recently acquired
the farm so there was a lot work put in to get the field ready for the trials. The ground
was flat and soft under foot but covered in thatch grass at shoulder height and a number
of thorn trees. A good size field was cut and all the thorn tress removed in the week
prior to the trial. The rectangular trials field allowed for a Top Dog outrun of about 300m
with ample space for a good drive.
William also runs a Dorper stud and had recently acquired a mixed flock of Dorpers and
indigenous sheep referred to as Nguni who are very similar to the Pedi breed. These
were the ewes used for the trial and were also run in packets of 3. Top Dogs and
seniors would single and pen making both the classes out of 100. The ewes weren’t
used to dogs and definitely not used to being run in 3’s. The lift was the crucial part as
they did their best to escape in all directions once the dog tried to engage at the top.
There were a number of retirements on both days.
Thank you to William, the club members and all the sponsors for a wonderful well-run
event. A number of us started the long trek back south on the morning after and some
were very fortunate to go Tiger fishing on lake Kariba on a houseboat!
Day 1
Beginners (75) – Judge: Mark Trollip
1. Atmos Chiunye Calla 47
2. Helen Goodwin Ladybug 20
Juniors (90) – Judge: Elaine Portch
1. Doug Coleman Max 69
2. William Hundermark Izzy 66
3. Elsie Jammy Hella 63
Seniors (100) – Judge: Rose van de Ruit
1. Elsie Jammy Brooklyn 61
2. Jo Ades Bella 51
Top Dogs (100) – Judge: Irene Thompson
1. Mark Trollip Diesel 89
2. Nola Bowie Skye 85
3. Jenny Ludick Sprite 73
4. Jenny Ludick Cola 67
5. Martyn Portch Meg 67
Day 2
Beginners (75) – Judge: Rose van de Ruit
1. Atmos Chiunye Calla 42
2. Helen Goodwin Ladybug 39
Juniors (90) – Judge: Mark Trollip
1. Doug Coleman Max 64
2. Rose van de Ruit Ren 63
3. Rose van de Ruit Henna 59
Seniors (100) – Judge: Irene Thompson
1. Elsie Jammy Brooklyn 67
2. Jo Ades Bella 61
3. Irene Kilpert Jodi 56
Top Dogs (100) – Judge: Elaine Portch
1. Jenny Ludick Cola 92
2. William Hundermark Bryn 86
3. Mark Trollip Diesel 84
4. Rose van de Ruit Hemp 81
5. Nola Bowie Skye 68
Zimbabwe Sheepdog Association
Dog of the Year Trial – 28 & 29 March 2026
Bramber Farm, Ruwa
Our next set of trials took us up north to the picturesque country of Zimbabwe. While
they are an association on their own they also form part of the SASDA trialling circuit as
a club. For those of us in the south of the country (South Africa) the trek up north would
take three to four days and cover some 2,700kms. Once in Zim however we were
subjected to their wonderful and generous hospitality.
The first two days of trialling were at Bramber farm, Ruwa where owner Rose van de
Ruit runs a Dorper stud. Ruwa is situated some 30kms east of the capital Harare. The
competition was run on her ewes in packets of three. The now familiar flat field that had
recently been moved was soft under foot for the dogs and allowed for a 350m outrun for
the Top Dogs. The left hand outrun was preferred for the senior classes as the set-out
post was quite close to a small dam on the right and the ewes tended to be heavy to the
left and would take off in that direction if pushed. In general, though the sheep were
very steady if the dog was under control and kept a good pace. Top Dogs also had a
Maltese Cross to negotiate before penning. There were qualifications out of the junior
class on both days where the handler won the class with a qualifying score of 85%. The
first day Kirsty Holme and Poppet won and second Jo Ades and Bella took the honours,
both these handlers will now compete in the senior class.
Thank you to Rose, the Zim club and our sponsors for an enjoyable and well run trial.
Day 1
Beginners (75) – Judge: Mark Trollip
1. Atmos Chiunye Calla 62
2. Yara Hanssen Mac 56
3. Boshoff Steenekamp Stoffel 48
Juniors (90) – Judge: Elaine Portch
1. Kirsty Holme Poppet 82 Q
2. Rose van de Ruit Ren 73
3. Rose van de Ruit Henna 70
Seniors (100) – Judge: Rose van de Ruit
1. Irene Kilpert Jodi 74
2. Elsie Jammy Brooklyn 55
Top Dogs (110) – Judge: Irene Thompson
1. William Hundermark Bryn 102
2. Rose van de Ruit Hemp 101
3. Mark Trollip Diesel 98
4. Nola Bowie Skye 91
5. Jenny Ludick Whiskey 90
Day 2
Beginners (75) – Judge: Rose van de Ruit
1. Yara Hanssen Finn 58
2. Atmos Chiunye Calla 56
3. Yara Hanssen Mac 51
Juniors (90) – Judge: Mark Trollip
1. Jo Ades Bella 77 Q
2. Martyn Portch Potter 75
3. Rose van de Ruit Orla 75
Seniors (100) – Judge: Irene Thompson
1. Irene Kilpert Jodi 85
2. Elsie Jammy Brooklyn 80
Top Dogs (110) – Judge: Elaine Portch
1. Mark Trollip Diesel 102
2. Jenny Ludick Whiskey 96
3. Jenny Ludick Cola 95
4. Nola Bowie Skye 90
5. Rose van de Ruit Hemp 90
Weskus 1 Dog of the Year Trial 21-22 February 2026
Weskus 1 Dog of the Year Trial
The first trial of the new season was held near Lamberts Bay, on the farm belonging to Herman Burger. The venue was a sand camp sparsely covered with sour fig vegetation, which was heavy going for dogs and sheep. The weather was nice for working, with mist (which caused a delay the first day) and a cool breeze off the sea.
There was a very small entry of dogs so the classes were finished by midday. The Dorper ewes worked well if not pressurized by the dogs, resulting is some high scores.
Our sincere thanks to our venue host Herman, the Weskus Club for a well-run event, and especially to our main dog food sponsor, Optimizor.
Sandveld Championship – 21 Feb 2026 Weskus Championship – 22 Feb 2026
Juniors (90) Judge – J. v d Vvyer Juniors (90) Judge - J. v d Vyver
-
Vic – P. Philip 69 1. Spy – WA. Hugo 76
-
Spy – W A. Hugo 68 2. Vic – P. Philip 73
-
Lisa – L. de Waal 66 3. Lisa – L. de Waal 59
Seniors (100) Judge – A. Philip Seniors (100) Judge A. Philip
-
Nan – P. Philip 83 1. Missy – J. v d Vyver 94
-
Missy – J. v d Vyver 67 2. Nan - P. Philip 78
-
n/a 3. Togo – B. Greeff 67
Top Dogs (110) Judge – P. Philip Top Dogs (110) Judge – P. Philip
1. Mirk – A. Philip 101 1. Mirk – A. Philip 104
2. Maya – B. Greeff 99 2. Wimpie – Y. Fourie 98
3. Wimpie – Y. Fourie 98 3. Mac - WA. Hugo 95
4. Zap - A. Philip 95 4. Zap - A. Philip 95
5. Cap - J. v d Vyver 89 5. Cap - J. v d Vyver 87