Sheepdogs: Arran, Carrick, Ellemford, Cumnock, Lochcharron

Cheviot cross ewes ran well on a flat course if handled carefully, but they could bolt across the cross drive, making it hard for dogs to put them through the gate, and they were not readily penned.

Ted (R Games’ Scot, K Pritchard’s Preseli Kate) ran out a little short which impacted on his lift, but he worked steadily on the course, and had a good fetch and drive with only minor wavers. He worked well at the pen and a good, if hesitant shed gave him a win, with the competition hot on his heels.

Mixed packets of various breeds and crosses at New Cumnock could react against incautious handling at the top of a steep slope, pulling away to one side on the fetch, but some packets ran well. Once on flat ground, the close work provided more opportunity to achieve good results.

A minor slip at the top of the course could have made life difficult for Willie Welsh’s Jet (T Vickers’ Kemi Bryn and Groesfaen Anita) but he got the sheep under his control and worked well on the fetch and drive, with only a slightly wide turn out of the first drive gate to fault him there. A good pen and a clean shed set the seal on the winning run.

Neil McVicar’s Baledmund Pete (IM Brownlie’s Boredale Gus, J Menzies’ Baledmund Jess) ran out and lifted cleanly. He worked well on the course with only minor points dropped on the fetch and drive and completed his run with clean work at hand.

Aberfeld ewes at Ellemford were hard to deal with on the 150yd drive and echoes resounding from a nearby wood, made it difficult for dogs to hear commands. The ewes were unwilling to be penned, and the only two dogs to pen cleanly had a long lead over the rest.

Bobby Dalziel’s Soul (C Caert’s Glen, N De Spa’s Dot) stopped short on his outrun, which affected his lift, but Bobby insisted on Soul realigning the sheep when they strayed and the pair worked well to control the sheep which tended to gather speed on the big, flat course. A clean pen followed, and although the shed was harder to achieve, good work achieved earlier put Soul into first place.

Andrew Dickman’s Meg (Kate) (S v der Sweep’s Gary, A Smart’s Kim) ran out cleanly to her sheep, but she lifted off line and although she started the fetch off line, but once she had sorted that, the fetch improved. The first leg of the drive and the turn through the gate were good, but she struggled to get the sheep across the second leg and they slipped by the gate. Once at hand, Meg worked well and made up for the difficult drive with a clean pen and a very good shed and took second place, a point behind Soul.

Wullie Stevenson’s memorial trial at Lamlash saw Cheviot hoggs running at their first trial.

The top three runs were judged within a point of each other, but better work at hand gave Bobby Howatson’s Graylees Chip (E Gray’s Tweeddale Jamie and Blue) a narrow edge over the field.

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Leading Awards

New Cumnock (Judge: L Welsh, Abington). Open – 62 ran – 1, W Welsh’s Jet, Dalcairney, 96; 2, N McVicar’s Baledmund Pete, Benmore, 95; 3, L Gast’s Scalpsie Kelp (Herbie), Scalpsie, 93; 4, I Fleming’s Tui, Douglas, 92; 5, W Welsh’s Jan, Dalcairney, 91 outbye; 6, M Young’s Duncallean Tandy, Stranraer, 91; 7, AR Mundell’s Rob, Moffat, 89; 8, SL Davidson’s Maid, Sandbank, 85. Confined – A McCulloch’s Storybrooke Guy, Dalmellington, 73.

Carrick (Judge: AB Mundell, Moffat). Open – 47ran – 1, A McCulloch’s Sam, Dalmellington, 94; 2, B Welsh’s Bob, Beoch, 93 outbye; 3, IM Brownlie’s Lark, Dunbar, 93 outbye; 4, F Shennan’s Fred, Barr, 93; 5, SL Davidson’s Dan, Sandbank, 92. Confined – 1, W Welsh’s Jan, Dalcairney, 80; 2, A McCulloch’s Storybrooke Guy, Dalmellington, 73. Nursery – 1, IM Brownlie’s Tod, Dunbar, 93; 2, A McCulloch’s Storybrooke Guy, Dalmellington, 73; 3, V Mathie’s Flash, Kilmaurs, 64.

Lochcarron (Judge: I Wilkie, Tillypronie). Open – 32 ran – 1, M MacQueen’s Ted, Skye, 97 /110; 2, J MacKillop’s Glen, Invermoriston, 96 outbye; 3, I Sutherland’s Cap, Strathnaver, 96; 4, J Sutherland’s Gem, Durness, 93; 5, L Ronaldson’s Bob, Wick, 92 outbye; 6, M MacNally’s Ash, Invergarry, 92; 7, A Urquhart’s Tess, Evanton, 83; 8, I MacDonald’s Ben, Staffin,79.

Wullie Stevenson Memorial, Lamlash (Judge: J Main, Tayinloan). Open – 39 ran – 1, R Howatson’s Graylees Chip, Fairlie, 90; 2, A McCulloch’s Sam, Dalmellington, 89 outbye; 3, N McVicar’s Mark, Benmore, 89; 4, SL Davidson’s Maid, Sandbank, 85; 5, K Donald’s Bill, Dalrymple, 84; 6, C Davidson’s Kyle, Sandbank, 79; £523 raised for Arran cancer charity ARCAS.

Acharacle (Judge: JW McAllister, Milton of Buchanan). Open – 40 ran – 1, J Shanks’ Link, Ardtornish, 80; 2, J MacKillop’s Glen, Invermoriston, 78; 3, J Moore’s Catterlen Bob, Gruline, 73; 4, P Martin’s Ivy, Glenlyon, 69 outbye; 5, AD Carnegie’s Kim, Comrie, 69; 6, A McCuish’s Andy, Skipness, 68; 7, M MacNally’s Ash, Invergarry, 62. Confined – 1, J Shanks’ Link, Ardtornish, 80; 2, J MacKillop’s Glen, Invermoriston, 78; 3, J Moore’s Catterlen Bob, Gruline, 73; 4, M MacNally’s Ash, Invergarry, 62; 5, JC MacLachlan’s Craig, Spean Bridge, 60.

Ellemford (Judge: D Aitken, Peebles). Open – 29 ran – 1, R Dalziel’s Soul, Ettrick,76; 2, A Dickman’s Meg (Kate), Oxton, 75; 3, R Henderson’s Lad, Gifford, 67; 4, D Wallace’s Taz, Blyth Bridge, 66; 5, R Henderson’s Roy, Gifford, 61; 6, D Wallace’s Jock, Blyth Bridge,58.

Arran (Judge: J Main, Tayinloan). Open – 39 ran –1, I McConnell’s Joe, Lamlash,78; 2, C Lyndsay’s Jim, Slidderry, 59.