Trollip has been a full-time Meatmaster farmer for the past four years in a 50/50 partnership with his neighbour, relying on his two Border collies, nine-year-old Diesel and 15-month-old Abby, to help manage the sheep.
“I’ve got 100ha, and my neighbour has 400ha, and we also use farms around us [for grazing],” he says.
“With a dog it’s very easy to move flocks of sheep.”
Diesel, however, is no ordinary dog. He won the South African Sheepdog Association Dog (SASDA) of the Year title in 2022, 2023, 2025, and 2026, and was Reserve Dog of the Year in 2024. He was also Reserve National Champion in 2024, and was recently crowned the 2026 South African National Sheepdog Champion.
At his second trial in April 2019, Diesel fell into a porcupine burrow and tore his knee ligaments. After major reconstructive surgery and six months of strict rest, he returned to competition and won the South African Novice Championship. He was also named South African Junior Dog of the Year in 2021.
Trollip and Diesel also represented South Africa at the World Sheepdog Trials in Ireland in 2023.
From hobbyist to champion
Trollip took up sheepdog training as a joint hobby with his wife, Lynette, but soon found he had a knack for it.
“I started competing in sheepdog trials around 1996, but initially only did a trial once a year. I started competing more regularly in about 2001.”
Before purchasing his current farm, he owned a smaller farm between 1999 and 2015, where he farmed Letelle sheep part time and trained his dogs on weekends while still working full time in investment banking.
Top genetics make a top dog
Trollip believes the right genetics are key when it comes to raising and training a champion sheepdog, along with having a compatible nature.
“Generally, only the better dogs are able to [do sheepdog trials]. So you have to start with the right dog, and it’s very important to get the right dog for you.
“Personally, I don’t like conflict. I don’t like to fight with the dogs; I like a dog that is sensible and matches my temperament.”
Diesel was bred in Riversdale by well-known breeder and sheepdog trial judge Jurie van der Vyver. His sire was imported, and his dam was a product of imported and top South African lines.
Trollip favoured both lines and jumped at the opportunity to get a pup from the litter, and he says he and Diesel “had a bond from the start”.
“I was able to go and see the litter. I would go and sit with the puppies at four, six, and eight weeks, and [Diesel] kept coming to me. So, we chose each other.”
Not all sheep are the same
Taking part in sheepdog trials means having to be prepared for anything.
“You don’t know what sheep you’re getting beforehand. They could be Dohne, Dorper, Meatmaster, or Merino. Lambs obviously behave very differently to adults because they’re not sure what they’re supposed to do, so they can be very scatty.
“At the recent nationals, we had big SA Mutton Merinos, and they were big. The dogs literally had to push them to move, and then they’d take off. So yes, it’s quite a variety, and it takes an experienced dog to handle all the different kinds of sheep,” explains Trollip.
At trials, each participant is allocated five fresh sheep, and the welfare of the stock is paramount.
“The farmer doesn’t just have sheep for people to chase around; that’s his livelihood. Also, the judging is very strict. If a dog bites a sheep or the handler bumps one, they’re immediately disqualified. If the dogs are out of control, they get called off straight away. So you need the dogs to be under control.”
Matching the work to the dog’s experience
On the farm, the work required varies according to season.
“Sheep can get aggressive, especially when we have to move rams, but I get out of the way and let Diesel do the work. A well-trained dog is far better at reading sheep than we are.
“Also, bringing a flock into a kraal when there are lambs can also be chaotic, so I just stand back and let him handle it, because dogs are calmer.”
At 15 months, Abby is still in training, but Trollip is already using her for “low-pressure farm work”, as he doesn’t want her getting injured.
“I’ve got [wethers] up in the mountains, so Abby and I will go up twice a day, round them up, and check they’re all okay. She can do that work to get experience, but I won’t take her out when there’s a ewe with a lamb, because the ewes tend to get quite aggressive.”
Diesel was one of a number of dogs that took part in sheepdog demonstrations at Nampo Cape 2026.
SASDA spokesperson Laura Sterley says the association holds these events to demonstrate to farmers who don’t use sheepdogs the value of how the working dog handles “mainly sheep, but other livestock as well”.
“It is a team effort. Once the dog is trained, the workload becomes that much less, especially in yard work where you’re doing your dipping and your dosing. And obviously it’s a good showcase to educate the public about the value of working dogs and how these relationships work,” she explains.
The demonstration also provides exposure for SASDA’s sponsors, as the audiences at competitions tend to be limited to those interested in working dogs.
For more information, call Laura Sterley on 082 574 5989, email [email protected], or visit sasda.za.net.
