There are three forms of membership:
Ordinary membership: Open to those people resident in Devon and Exmoor National Park.
Associate Membership: All other people who wish to join the Society.
Junior Handlers: Ages up to and including 17 years old. Junior members are entitled to run two dogs at Society Trials free. Junior handlers who are not members will pay £1 per entry.
New members are always welcome. We’ve had attendees from across the globe, with handlers from the Pacific Northwest (US) and Brazil competing.
Costs
Membership is payable in advance annually in November.
£10 per adult
Annual Subscription
£15 per (2) adults
Family Membership
£2.50
Junior Membership
Become a Member
Please download the form by clicking on the button, and send your completed application to Lucy Knight, with payment by BACS. Brochures have already been released for 2025.
Membership Benefits
Membership entitles each member to:
- Reduced entry fees for all Devon and Exmoor Sheep Dog Society Trials
- Free admission to watch all Devon and Exmoor Sheep Dog Society Trials
- Devon and Exmoor Sheep Dog Society Annual Trial Brochure ( this also lists other trials run in the area which are independent)
In addition, members may advertise free on our website. Non-members can advertise for a fee of £5 for a period of four weeks. Adverts will be posted on site on receipt of payment.
Our annual Society Dinner is held at the end of the season. Information regarding the date will be posted nearer the time. We always look forward to congratulating trophy recipients and reflecting on the year – this (2025) year we have agreed to a joint dinner with the Cornwall Society.
Trials & Entry
Trial runs are pre-entry only. Entry forms are provided at the beginning of the season for DESS trials. See our 2025 diary here. Please note, we cannot accept entries past closing date.
We cannot process entries past closing date. Please watch our Facebook page and set yourself calendar reminders to ensure these get in on time. Our committee works hard to provide running orders, organise course directors, and prepare judges – this keeps each trial running efficiently for the dogs, sheep, and our membership.
Committee member, Nick Fell working hard at 2024 Nationals – starting early and staying late with his tractor.
Devon & Exmoor Sheepdog Society Committee Officers
Chairman
David Kennard
01271 870056
Vice Chairman
Victor Pitts
01392 832669
Secretary
Wendy Watson
01822 880215
Treasurer
Trials Secretary
Julie Tucker
07970 033813
Membership
Lucy Knight
07875 394583
Trophy Secretary
Selena Short
07805 922831
Committee members
Roderick Hayes
Philip Davies Russell
Fiona Davies Russell (Social Media Manager)
Shirley Greenaway
Nick Fell
Tracy Carter (Webmaster)
Notice for Independent Trials
Firstly, thank you so much to the hosts and organisers of these trials – we wouldn’t be able to showcase our wonderful dogs and their working history without you. DESS also enjoys a close camraderie with Cornwall’s Sheepdog Society, who organises a large number of trials in the Southwest. They have yearly membership and published diary.
Independent Secretaries, please don’t forget to submit your trial to the workingsheepdogs.co.uk website. Trials needs to be advertised here at minimum one week in advance to be eligible for nationals points, and have a minimum 25 entrants ran on the day.
Our website is updated weekly by a volunteer, as such please submit all information that you would like published at once, for both website and Facebook submissions. Requests are received by e-mail.
Nursery Trials
Devon & Exmoor does not organise any nursery trials. However, the southwest does hold an annual nursery season. The top three handlers are chosen as part of a team representing the region at the the English Nursery Final in February of each year.
You can find the website for the West Country Nursery Trials here, organised yearly by Trevor Hopper. Maltese Cross, New Handlers classes are typically held in addition to driving. Here are a few of our members competing…
