Wales scored a great achievement at the International Supreme Sheepdog Trial at Carmichael, near Biggar, claiming the top three places for the principality.
Five times International supreme, Kevin Evans led the onslaught with Kemi Jack, backed up by Rob Ellis with Tod and Angie Driscoll with Kinloch Taz in respective second and third places. The honours did not stop there, as Angie had already won the brace championship with Kinloch Karlos partnered by Taz before she stepped on to the supreme course.
Kevin said: “It’s an honour to have a go at the supreme and I look forward to the challenge; I’m always happy to complete the course and I managed to finish with 10 seconds left, so that was a relief!”
The challenging course was set on a rolling hillside that could conceal sheep and did nothing to encourage straight lines. The Blackface ewes behaved consistently through the three days and stayed together well on the course, but in the qualifying round the packets of five stuck together so closely that many good dogs failed the task there and some with very successful reputations did not qualify for the final day.
The supreme called for dogs to run out 800yds on a left hand route to lift and fetch 10 ewes, before turning back for a further 10 on the opposite side. The sheep were to be united, driven to and round an obstacle, then along a route involving turns through two sets of gateways to the shedding ring. Fifteen plain sheep were to be shed off from the 20 and the five red collared individuals remaining were to be driven into the pen and the gate closed on them within 30 minutes of starting. Four handlers, out of 15 competing, managed to close the gate on a completed run – Kevin, Angie, James McGee with Roeldog Becca and James McLaughlin with Eirie Rock Mac.
Neil McVicar and Mark (J McGee’s Glencregg Silver, IM Brownlie’s Lia) brought glory to Scotland, winning the qualifying round of 60 dogs running over two days and, as the country’s driving representatives, they won the International driving competition on a day when two handlers out of the four national entries retired.
Oisin McCullough (16) claimed the young handler’s prize for Ireland with his Jan, running on a course designed for that event. He said: “I was delighted – and shocked – I was just focused on running, not thinking who would win, just about completing the run. Jan is my dog at home, she’s a dream to work with. We have 700 Blackface ewes. I go to trials most Saturdays, I’d like to do more.”
Off the field, the Wilkinson sword for lifetime achievement was awarded to Inverness couple Hugh and Marlene Munro who, for more than 50 years, have served and supported the trialling fraternity in open, national and international trials in the north and at the world trial, held at Fearn in 2014.
Back on the field. Kevin’s Kemi Jack (DK Evans’ Derwen Doug and Scalpsie Joy) started out with a good outrun and lift, but on the fetch, the ewes were walking straight to the gate, but slipped round the side and missed it. Jack turned back smartly for the second packet, lifted cleanly and fetched them down, through the gate.
Once he united the ewes, Jack drove them round the course on good lines and made tight turns, returning them to Kevin for a clean shed and a very good, quick pen which contributed to a score of 511/680 and Kevin’s fifth supreme championship to his credit.
Runner up, Robert Ellis’ Tod (R Ellis’ Mirk and R Watkins’ Queen) responded to a whistle on his first outrun, lifted cleanly and put his sheep through the fetch gate. From there, he worked beautifully, each element near the top rankings of the day, until his failure to pen made a hole in the work and put him into second place on 494pts.
Angie Driscoll’s Kinloch Taz (E Sheninger Aron and A Driscoll’s Kinloch Penny) had the best first outrun of the day. Taz reached the back of his sheep nicely, and worked steadily, put the sheep through the gate and turned back very well to make a clean lift and a very good fetch.
On the drive, the sheep went through the first gate and looked to turn left and downhill, but Taz got into place, turned them up and drove them across to the cross drive gate on a good line. Although the turn through was wide, a successful shed and a clean pen followed and loud cheering and applause greeted the first finished run with all obstacles achieved. Taz earned 487pts and finished third.
Ireland’s James McCloskey’s Dollar (J McCloskey’s Sweep and D Mullaney’s Mulroy Beaut) impressed with her ability to hear at a distance in very windy conditions and her response to commands. After a decent first outrun, she worked to an outstanding standard until time ran out at the shed. With 120pts out of reach to her, due to the lack of shed and pen, Dollar finished with 464pts, and eventual fourth place – 70pts ahead of her nearest rival.
Scotland’s brace judge, Iain McConnell said: “The hill course made it difficult for dogs to reach the top in balance, and looking like a pair. Although one of Angie’s dog’s was better than the other on the outrun Angie had the best fetch of the competition, and the best brace run overall.”
Angie said: “It is a dream to finish a run at the International – the shepherd’s job is not finished until the gate is shut. I’d have preferred the singles, but I’m happy to take the brace. I’m really proud of my dogs. This was only my fifth ever brace run.”
Leading Awards
Singles (Judges: I McMillan, Scotland; Ll Evans, Wales; A Blackmore, England; J Maginn, Ireland). Qualifying 60 ran – 1, N McVicar’s Mark (372042) 345/ 440 Scot; 2, J McCloskey’s Dollar (377619) 320 Ire; 3, M Glyn’s Marshall (375709) 315 I; 4, AM Driscoll’s Kinloch Taz (362029) 306 Wales; 5, IM Brownlie’s Lark (387690) 301 S; 6, DK Evans’ Kemi Jack (374101) 297 W; 7, JP McGee’s Roeldog Becca (391047) 295 I; 8, R Ellis’ Tod (352010) 287 W; 9, J McLaughlin’s Eirie Rock Mac (389789) 272 I; 10, IM Brownlie’s Boyd (363812) 271 S; 11, B Smith’s Kirby (358403) 269 Eng; 12, R Games’ Nefinn Boy (385201) 269 W; 13, F Shennan’s Fred (385550) 269 Scot; 14, M Gallagher’s Hillrunner Bee (380947) 268 S; 15, M Feeney’s Ben (387903) 263 I.
Supreme – 15 ran – 1, DK Evans’ Kemi Jack (374101) Judges 511 /680; Merit 59.5 W; 2, R Ellis’ Tod (352010) 494; 55.5 W; 3, AM Driscoll’s Kinloch Taz (362029) 487; 53 W; 4, J McCloskey’s Dollar (377619) 464; 48 I; 5, JP McGee’s Roeldog Becca (391047) 395; 43 I; 6, M Glyn’s Marshall (375709) 378; 40.5 I; 7, F Shennan’s Fred (385550) 368; 35.5 S; 8, IM Brownlie’s Lark (387690) 361; 33 S; 9, J McLaughlin’s Eirie Rock Mac (389789) 343; 28 I; 10, B Smith’s Kirby (358403) 322; 24 E; 11, N McVicar’s Mark (372042) 288; 16.5 S;12, R Games’ Nefinn Boy (385201) 287; 16 W; 13, M Feeney’s Ben (387903) 286; 15.5 I; 14, M Gallagher’s Hillrunner Bee (380947) 227; 8 S; 15, IM Brownlie’s Boyd (363812) 0; 0;
Brace (Judges: I McConnell; I Jones; G Bonsall and E Connell). – 1, A Driscoll’s Kinloch Carlos (349573) and Kinloch Taz (362029) 397 /560; 2, J Maginn’s Rose (371831) and Jess (357837) 376; 3, M Hutchinson’s Katie (345661) and Shadwell Susie (350782) 315; 4, L Hinnekens’ Gum (Bonnie) (352174) and Eira (337670) 221.
Young handlers – 1, O McCullough’s Jan (394367); 2, D MacDiarmid’s Todd (376748) S; 3, A Davies’ Mac (362850) W; 4, O Watson’s Pen-Y- Borough Roy (355081).
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