By Sine Robertson

Two fine and reasonably similar runs from John MacKillop’s Joe and Ian Wilkie’s Floss finished well ahead of the field at Moy.

The cross ewes ran well on a big, flat, field if lifted appropriately. If they were upset at the lift, they were inclined to come hard down the fetch, but most dogs managed to put their sheep through all their gates.

John’s Joe ran out well and lifted cleanly. The line of the fetch wavered just a little and the drive was near flawless. A clean chute and shed set the seal on the winning run.

Hot on his heels, Ian’s Floss ran out and lifted cleanly. Again the line of the fetch wavered a little, and that continued to a lesser extent on the drive. Once more, clean work at hand completed a prize winning run, a single point behind the leader.

Julie Hill’s Molly worked had to control the Mule ewes at Manor and reaped the benefit with a comfortable lead. The sheep were released near a wall which restricted the access and some dogs were drawn up short on their outrun.

Molly (J Hill’s Ban and Kim) worked well outbye, but the ewes bolted at Julie’s feet and the turn was wide by the time Molly had them back on line.

The drive was neat, but like others, found the sheep unwilling to enter the pen, but she stopped them from breaking, refused to give ground and eventually secured the packet and finished the winning run with a clean shed.

Well-behaved packets of Blackface and NCC ewes, sorted by breed, ran best in the morning and the winning runs came early in the day at Moffat.

Arthur Temple’s Flint worked well over the course with minor wavers on the fetch and he hough had a clean pen and made a good shed, when Arthur turned to the pen with the target pair, Flint drove the remainder away, but work already done secured first place.

Billy Common’s Grit had a steady run, with only minor points dropped and no holes in the work and took second place ahead of third on outbye work.

Katy Cropper’s Zac ran out clean to the top, lifted a little off line resulting in the start of the fetch being a little off line and minor wavers appeared on the drive. A clean pen and a good shed raised the standard for third.

LEADING awards

Moffat (Judge; A Stewart, Lockerbie). Open – 37 ran – 1, A Temple’s Flint, Holmrook, 92; 2, JW Common’s Grit, Lockerbie, 91 outbye; 3, K Cropper’s Zac, Shap, 91; 4, A Temple’s Floss, Holmrook, 87 outbye; 5, K Cropper’s Tsavo, Shap, 87; 6, H Johnstone’s Queen, Fyvie, 85.

Manor (Judge; P Kinstrey, Peebles). Open – 40 ran – 1, J Hill’s Molly, Heriot, 93; 2, GC Gardner’s Craig, Lesmahagow, 88.5; 3, D Wallace’s Jen, Blyth Bridge, 88; 4, GC Gardner’s Meg, Lesmahagow, 87.5; 5, M McTeir’s Mak, Oxton, 85; 6, J Hastie’s Bear, Saline, 81; 7, M Condie’s Doon, New Cumnock, 79; 8, J L’Etang’s Gyp, Slamannan, 78.

Moy (Judge: J MacDiarmid, Skye). Open – 48 ran – 1, J MacKillop’s Joe, Fort Augustus, 95; 2, I Wilkie’s Floss Keithhall, 94; 3, EC MacKinnon’s Buddy, Lochcarron, 89 outbye; 4, AD Carnegie’s Linburn Rook, Comrie, 89; 5, EC MacKinnon’s Glenalla Maddie, Lochcarron, 84 outbye; 6, W Cormack’s Tib, Dunnet, 84; 7, J Lamont’s Craig, Portree, 83; 8, I MacDonald’s Corrie, Staffin, 82.