Making ‘friends’ with her sheep at Glendevon and keeping them, paid off for Sion Morgan’s rising two-year-old, Tess, giving him a first open win.

The Mule ewe hoggs were flighty to handle on a good, flat field that rose at the far end making viewing easy. Some packets took off from the top of the field, others on the drive, but some packets were manageable.

Tess (A Wilkie’s Nell, E Nilsson’s Frej) ran out nicely, but stopped just a little short of her sheep. Despite that, she lifted without upsetting them and made a good start to the fetch.

Once through the gate, the hoggs wanted to take their own route, but Tess worked to get them to Sion and turn them on to the drive, where again the hoggs had their own agenda. But Tess got them round the course with neat turns and just minor wavers of the lines. A clean pen and shed completed the winning run.

Laura Hinnekens’ K’eira (RD Lambie’s Craig, RH Jones’ Nel) got off to a good start, with fine work outbye. The drive, too, started well, but when the hoggs went through the first drive gate, they turned too sharply, came down the course below the line of the cross drive and had to be turned back up to the line.

Kira put them through the gate, and after a bend on the return to the pen, completed the work with a clean pen and shed.

The Blackface hoggs at Carsphairn ran well on a good, flat field, giving the dogs a fair chance to show their abilities. Around mid-day, the sheep started to go off peak performance, but a torrent of rain dampened their high spirits and brought them back into focus on the event in hand and back up to standard.

Two dogs led the field by a clear margin. Willie Welsh’s Cap produced a smoothly flowing run with neat turns that gave him a winning edge.

Cap (A Owen’s Llangwm Cap, M Jones’ June) ran out well but had a minor waver on the fetch, though tight turns helped to attain the best drive of the day. A clean pen followed and although one hogg kept separating herself at the shed – making it difficult to shed off two – it was enough to earn first place.

Wullie J Welsh’s Jimmy (R Welsh’s Mick, C Shennan’s Style) had a steady run, with few holes in the work and only minor points dropped over the piece. Failure to match Cap’s neat turns put Jimmy into second, despite a clean pen and shed finishing the run.

Excellent Blackface hoggs contributed to a high standard of work on a gently rising slope at Peebles trial at Hamilton Hall.

Ian Brownlie’s Lia (R Hutchinson’s Sweep, IM Brownlie’s Mo) lifted a little off line, but had a good fetch and drive, with just a slightly low start to the cross drive. The pen was clean and although one hogg was on the move at the shed, Lia completed the job successfully and claimed first place over a high scoring list.

Davie Wallace’s Jen (RB Henderson’s Bill, D Wallace’s Meg) started out well, but towards the end of the fetch, her line wavered. The drive was positive and the pen was clean, and although Jen was a little hesitant to make her shed, once the split was made, the work was good for second.

LEADING awards

Peebles (Judge: J MacDougall, Milton of Buchannan). Open – 70 ran – 1, IM Brownlie’s Lia, Bridge of Cally, 97; 2, D Wallace’s Jen, Blyth Bridge, 95; 3, M Magnusson’s Sprout, Mid Derry, 94; 4, AD Carnegie’s Linburn Rook, Comrie, 93; 5, P Martin’s Daisy, Glenlyon, 92; 6, J Hill’s Molly, Heriot, 91; 7, L Magnusson’s Liz, Mid Derry, 91; 8, P Martin’s Jill, Glenlyon, 90.

Glendevon (Judge: I Wilkie, Keithhall). Open – 70 ran – 1, S Morgan’s Tess, 100/110; 2, L Hinnekens’ K’eira, Auchterarder, 96; 3, A Sim’s Flo, Powmill,92; 4, M Magnusson’s Sprout, Mid Derry, 91 outbye; 5, A MacKenzie’s Jess, Lochearnhead, 91; 6, A Wilkie’s Spot, Lintrathen, 90; 7, D Wallace’s Bill, Blythbank, 87; 8, P Martin’s Daisy, Glenlyon, 86; 9, IM Brownlie’s Lia, Bridge of Cally, 86 time; 10, E Nilsson’s Frej, Meigle, 85.

Carsphairn (Judge: F Shennan, Barr). Open – 60 ran –1, W Welsh’s Cap, Dalcairney, 94; 2, WJ Welsh’s Jimmy, Sanquhar, 93; 3, M Magnusson’s Sprout, Mid Derry, 88; 4, N Gillon’s Shweep, Dailly, 87 outbye; 5, AR Mundell’s Taff, Moffat, 87; 6, AR Mundell’s Quinn, Moffat, 86.

Drynie double lift (Judge: G Nicholson, Shinness). Open – 22 ran –1, J MacKillop’s Straid Sam, Fort Augustus, 87 outbye; 2, S Grant’s Kim, Strathcanaird, 87; 3, S Renwick’s Dice, Inverbroom, 80; 6, S Campbell’s Belle, Skye, 63.