Approximately 50 Singles competitors will run each day. There will be a Brace (doubles) competition on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday with three pairs of dogs and handlers competing daily for two places on the Irish team to join the 15 Singles winners on the team going to the Internationa event which will be held in Lowther, Cumbria. 

At the press launch for the Irish event,  Jim English welcomed everyone to his farm and said he was delighted that his farm was chosen to host such a prestigious event. He said that not only was it a privilege for him, but a great honour for the area to host such an event. 

Jim himself is no stranger to sheepdog trialing, having competed very successfully over a long number of years. He said he was looking forward to seeing all the best dogs in the country working on his farm. 

The sheep for the trials will be supplied by Brian Casey, another well known sheepdog enthusiast. Mr. Casey is no stranger to organising and competing in trials and the organisers are looking forward to having very good sheep and very good Trials.  

Tipp man Dan Morrissey, President of the Irish Sheep Dog Society, and Chairman of the Irish National Sheepdog Trials Committee 2009, was joined at the launch in the Kilcoran Lodge Hotel by his fellow committee members, local politicians, business people and some of the Sheepdogs competing.

Pierce Connell, General Manager of Kilcoran Lodge Hotel, said he was excited and pleased about the trials being held in the area as it would add value to the South Tipperary tourism brand.

Dan Morrissey paid special tribute to the committee who have put a huge amount of work into organising the event but reminded everyone that there is still a lot more to be done.