Misty morning at Atholl and Weem saw Mirk take the win

In the misty morning and forenoon, the big Aberfeld ewes were difficult to work close at hand, but they improved in the afternoon.

The trial was set on a big, flat field but a dip after the lift post put the sheep out of sight of the handler, while difficulty in dogs’ hearing commands on the approach to the fetch gate seemed to be accountable for some points lost there.

Mirk (A Gallagher’s Cain, C Macnaughton’s Mist) ran out cleanly to his sheep, lifted them and, although his sheep wavered off line on the fetch, he put them through the gate. His drive was better and he penned his sheep. A successful shed followed a missed opportunity and completed the run in contention for first place until the run off confirmed his win.

Suus (E Groot’s Preseli Roy, J Roos’ Bess) ran out and lifted her sheep, and had a good fetch, but a missed cross drive gate put a hole into the work. A good pen and shed compensated for that and brought her points level with Mirk, but the run off put her into second place.

Andy’s Kim (E Nilsson’s Midderry Kid, J Crolman’s Luca) stopped short on her outrun, but worked tidily on the course until she too missed the cross drive gate. A clean pen and a good shed restored the standard and Kim took third place, only a point behind the leaders.

A misty morning delayed the start at Udny, but once it was under way, the Texel cross ewes ran well on a big, flat field, but they were not easily penned.

Andy Carnegie’s Suus led the way with a good run. Suus ran out clean, and although she lifted them a little off the right road, she had a near flawless fetch and drive. She penned after retrieving a break, and a clean single set the seal on the winning run.

Rob Colclough’s Rosefield May (JP McGee’s Silver, DJ Murray’s Meg) ran out and lifted cleanly. She had an excellent fetch, and although her sheep missed the cross drive gate, she matched Suus at hand and earned second place.

The course at Lockerbie was set diagonally across a field that rose to the far end where three-quarter-bred Texel ewes proved awkward to handle, and could be emboldened by seeing the release pen, if they strayed above the lift post, and could cheekily face up to the dogs.

The cross drive was exceptionally hard to judge, in that an apparently high line would turn out to be low.

Seeing his sheep had strayed to the side of the post, Neil Gillon stopped his Boss short, causing him to lift off line.

Boss (S Perellio’s Murgia Jim, R Hutchinson’s Denwyn Moya) got the sheep on line for the fetch, brought them straight to Neil and turned them neatly.

They went fully through the first drive gate, but Boss turned them on to line, and although they approached the cross drive gate low, he turned them up and put them through the gate.

The sheep walked into the pen, but when one ewe left the pen, the others followed, but Boss stopped them before they broke away and penned the packet. They were hard to shed, but Boss worked well to make clean work of the job and earned first place.

Alistair Stewart’s Malta Mollie (C Thom’s Malta Chip and Meg) ran out well, went slightly off line after the lift, but straightened and made a good fetch.

The work went well, with good turns, but like others, Mollie had to turn the sheep up to get them through the cross drive gate, which she did. Good work at hand completed the run in second place, only a point short of Boss.

Leading Awards

Lockerbie (Judge: M Davidson, Lilburn). Open – 60 ran – 1, C Caygill’s Stan, Whinnyliggate, 92; 2, A McCulloch’s Breynor Juno, Dalmellington, 90; 3, R Henderson’s Spot, Gifford, 89 outbye; 4, M Young’s Duncaillean Tandy, Stranraer, 89; 5, C Dickson’s Tom, Coldingham, 86 outbye; 6, J Paterson’s Scalpsie Roy, Kirkcowan, 86; 7, K Cropper’s Jacobsdale Gin, Shap, 82; 8, A Dawidowicz’s Buka, Dunsyre, 81. Local novice – 1, JA Common’s Buzz, Lockerbie, 80; 2, A Stewart’s Jim, Lockerbie, 76. Two dog aggregate – C Caygill’s Stan and Wyverne Kim, Whinnyliggate.

Udny (Judge: G Simpson, Forgue). Open – 25 ran – 1, AD Carnegie’s Suus, Comrie, 91; 2, R Colclough’s Rosefield May, Westsandwick, 88; 3, M Leggat’s Jack, Strathbogie, 75; 4, H Cooper’s Roy, New Deer, 72 outbye; 5, A Wilkie’s Craig, Glenmoy, 72 outbye; 6, A Wilkie’s Spot (Mot), Glenmoy, 72 outbye.

Gatehouse (Judge: J White, Castle Douglas). Open – 43 ran – 1, N Gillon’s Boss, Barr, 90; 2, A Stewart’s Malta Mollie, Lockerbie, 89; 3, I McMillan’s Cat, Newton Stewart, 86; 4, W Welsh’s Jet, Dalcairney, 85; 5, M Glynn’s Toss, Wexford, 82; 6, A Stewart’s Annandale Spot, Lockerbie, 81. Confined – 1, R Malcolm’s Gael, Gatehouse, 54; 2, H Hampshire’s Skye, Kirkcudbright, 50.

Atholl and Weem (Judge: J MacKillop, Fort Augustus). Open – 41ran – 1, S Macaulay’s Mirk, Connachan, 82 run off; 2, AD Carnegie’s Suus, Comrie, 82; 3, AD Carnegie’s Kim, Comrie, 81; 4, K Donald’s Bill, Dalrymple, 78; 5, S Martin’s Cherry, Cashlie, 76; 6, R Colclough’s Rosefield May, Westsandwick, 68 outbye; 7, P Martin’s Tilly, Glenlyon, 68; 8, S Martin’s Kate, Cashlie, 64; 9, M Gallagher’s Avon Roy, Alyth, 61;10, N Campbell’s Mac, Kinross, 60. Local – K Craig’s Dot, Tulliemet, 53.