In the sheepdog world this is the Olympics. It is a world championships, but a unique one, because for the first time the World Sheepdog Trials actually include competitors from all over the world.
The easing of quarantine restrictions has resulted in some 241 sheepdogs and handlers from 21 countries descending on Tullamore, Co Offaly, for the formal start yesterday evening of the trials with a "parade of nations" - the Olympic opening ceremony in which the dogs and their handlers paraded behind their national flags to the main square for an official welcome from Minister of State Tom Parlon.
At the last world championships in Wales, three years ago, some US and Canadian handlers competed, but used dogs bought in Britain.
"It was mainly the home countries and the continentals" who competed, says Aled Owen, the overall winner and defending world champion from Corwen in north Wales.
With almost 30 years' experience, he says the key to winning is the combination of dog and handler and the communication between them. There is another factor. "I wouldn't say it's being lucky - but not being unlucky," says Owen.
"If you have a good dog and good sheep it's up to you as a handler."
He is running two dogs, 10-year-old Bob, who retires after this event, and his son Moss, a two-and-a-half-year-old. Owen reckons he needs another 18 months of training to be really good - "a year under each paw" is the saying.
He thinks the Norwegians, the Swedes and the four home countries competitors are major contenders. Owen has no knowledge of the New Zealanders, who won last week in British trials, and are said to be very confident.
For Suzy Applegate of Plymouth, California, Owen is a "man and his dog" to watch. She used to show horses until she saw a sheepdog demonstration at a show and "got hooked", some 15 years ago.
In the US, the majority of handlers and trainers are women and it is "more sport than necessity", with a lot of "hobbyists", she says. She also runs sheep but the dog training and breeding "makes more than the sheep".
Many of the international visitors came over early to practise and Ms Applegate was one of them with her dogs, Bet and Hap . "The sheep over here are so much different. Our sheep are 'range-ewes'. They are ranged out on thousands of acres and might only see humans once or twice a year, and are used to fighting off coyotes. The sheep here are more tended farm flock. So your handling has to be sensitive."
Another quietly confident competitor is Canadian Bob Stephens, president of the British Columbia association and an ex-dog master of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
The formal trials begin today at the Charleville estate with the finals on Sunday.