Eddie and John Foster win top honours at Dryden trials

Eddie’s Glen (M Arres’ Doug, E Foster’s Bess) ran out well and took control of the North Country Cheviot cross Texel hoggs, on a windy day. His lines wavered on the fetch and drive but he got his gates and completed his winning run with a good pen and shed and a comfortable lead over the field.

John’s Cap started out well and was doing a good job, correcting a high line on the cross drive, before putting his sheep through the gate, but an effort to make a tight turn backfired when they returned back through the gate. Good work at hand helped to atone for that and Cap retained his lead despite his mistake.

At Bargrenoch, Cheviot Hoggs ran well over a rising course on a dry, breezy day. Sandy McCulloch’s Storybrooke Guy (M Gallagher’s Avon Roy, C Joelsson’s Lynn (ROM) got off to a clean start and although he had wavers on the fetch, he redeemed himself with the best drive of the day. A clean finish sets the seal in first place.

Willie Welsh’s Jan (W Welsh’s Cap, J Emmerson’s Mo) started out with clean work and then achieved the best fetch of the day. Her drive started well, but her turn out of the cross drive gate was a little wide. Breaks at the pen and a slight hesitation at the shed put her into second place.

At the second trial there, Willie Welsh’s Jan stopped slightly short on her outrun but lifted cleanly, and had an excellent fetch and drive with only very minor points dropped. Clean work at hand secured a win with a long lead over the field.

Jocky Welsh’s Bob (T Devine’s Cap, P McGoldrick’s Jess) started out cleanly but had slight wavers on the fetch and a more serious deviation from the line on the drive. His pen was clean, and although the shed was not so smooth, good work already achieved made Bob runner up.

The Cheviot cross hoggs at Moniaive challenged the young dogs, running in windy weather on a flat course that rose across the second leg, but they behaved well close at hand.

Duncan Robertson’s Zak (LN Watkins’ Nap, MC Jones’ Elan Vally Ruby) ran out cleanly to the back of his sheep and lifted them nicely. His line wavered on the fetch, but there was no fetch gate on the course. He turned the sheep round Duncan and away on the drive in good style, but they slipped past the first gate and repeated their trick on the cross drive. A clean pen and a good shed put Zak in first place.

Blackface hoggs ran on a rising course at the Fenwick open trial, on a day of wild and wet weather. Chris Toner’s Niro Mace (R Watson’s Ace, C Toner’s Maid) ran out cleanly, and although he let the sheep slip off line on the lift, he managed to correct them on the fetch. On such a day, the lines and turns suffered on the drive, but a clean finish gave Mace a win.

Leading Awards

Bargrenoch, Coylton I (Judge: J Ramsay Glenluce). Nursery – Eight ran – 1, A McCulloch’s Storybrooke Guy, Dalmellington, 93; 2, W Welsh’s Jan, Dalcairney, 91; 3, R Welsh’s Fly, Patna, 75; 4, I Fergie's Roy, Straiton, 73; 5, B Welsh’s Kate, Beoch, 69 outbye; 6, N Gillon’s Uno, Barr, 69.

Bargrenoch, Coylton II (Judge: I MacMillan, Newton Stewart). Nursery – Eight ran – 1, W Welsh’s Jan, Dalcairney, 95; 2, J Welsh’s Bob, Beoch, 87; 3, R Welsh’s Fly, Patna, 85; 4, N Gillon’s Uno, Barr, 84; 5, J Shennan’s Dak, Barr, 83; 6, A McCulloch’s Storybrooke Guy, Dalmellington ,81.

Glenfarg (Judge: D McMullan, Glenarm). Nursery –16 ran – 1, M Gallagher’s Dalriada Chief, Alyth, 88; 2, M Gallagher’s Hillrunner Bee, Alyth, 80; 3, A Dawidowicz’s Buka, Dunsyre, 67 outbye; 4, E Nilsson’s Dalriada Amy, Alyth, 79; 5, S MacFarlane’s Hillrunner Jim, Blairgowrie, 78; 6, A Wilkie’s Seal, Glenmoy, 77 outbye; 7, S Martin’s Cherry, Cashlie, 77; 8, H Mitchell’s Bell, Glenfarg,76; 9, A Wilkie’s Hillrunner Bill, Glenmoy, 73; 10, AD Carnegie’s Dot, Comrie, 60. Novice – 1, L Moore’s Finn, 56.

Milton, Fenwick (Judge: N Gillon, Barr). Open – 51 ran – 1, C Toner’s Niro Mace, Drimsynie, 89; 2, C Davidson’s Kyle, Sandbank, 87 outbye; 3, SL Davidson’s Dan, Sandbank, 87; 4, K Keith’s Foinaven Skye, Lockerbie, 84 outbye; 5, IM Brownlie’s Beck, Dunbar, 84 Outbye; 6, A Kent’s Myllin Jill, Dunoon, 84.

Glenfarg (Judge: D McMullan, Glenarm). Open – 40 ran – 1, M Gallagher’s Dalriada Chief, Alyth, 88; 2, D Aitken’s Tweeddale Jill, Peebles, 86; 3, A Dawidowicz’s Buka, Dunsyre, 84; 4, E Nilsson’s Dalriada Amy, Alyth, 82; 5, P Martin’s Ivy, Glenlyon, 80; 6, A Wilkie’s Seal, Glenmoy, 79.

Dryden I (Judge: C Dickson, Coldingham). Nursery – 11 ran – 1, E Foster’s Glen, Brotherston, 80; 2, I Jackson’s Zac, Ancrum, 75; 3, J Robinson’s Nap, Coldingham, 70; 4, J Foster’s Cap, Earlston, 68; 5, E Runciman’s Meg, Lauder, 64; 6, A Dickman’s Lady, Oxton, 62; Novice/Young Farmers – E Runciman’s Meg, Lauder, 64.

Dryden II (Judge: J Mitchell, Broughton). Nursery – 11 ran – 1, J Foster’s Cap, Earlston, 89; 2, J Robinson’s Nap, Coldingham, 87; 3, I Jackson’s Zac, Ancrum, 81 outbye; 4, B McSporran’s Cass, Wester Middleton, 81; 5, E Runciman’s Meg, Lauder, 78; 6, E Foster’s Glen, Brotherston, 72; Novice / Young Farmer - B McSporran’s Cass, Wester Middleton, 81.

Tintoside (Judge: J Cochrane, Symington). Nursery – 16 ran – 1, A Frame’s Kate, Quarter, 72; 2, S Morgan’s Mainstay Pip, Heriot, 71; 3, H Brown’s Meg, Coulter, 70 outbye; 4, D Wallace’s Drift, Blyth Bridge, 70; 5, I Fleming’s Wheatwood Ruby, Douglas, 68 outbye; 6, R Henderson’s Spot, Gifford, 68; 7, IM Brownlie’s Beck, Dunbar, 67 outbye; 8, A Dawidowicz’s Spot, Dunsyre, 67 outbye; 9, T McKinlay’s Demi, Parkhall, 67; 10, B Parker’s Duke, Heriot, 65. Novice – Seven ran – 1, R Reid’s Lynn, Carnwath, 64; 2, G McKinlay’s Style, Coulter, 62; 3, M McColm’s Viking Lee, Leadhills, 61; 4, A Walker’s Roy, Hamilton, 56; 5, A Dawidowicz’s Roy, Dunsyre, 53.

Moniaive (Judge: C Caygill, Whinnyliggate). Nursery – 10 ran – 1, D Robertson’s Zak, Langholm, 66; 2, F Shennan’s Fred, Barr, 62; 3, J Thomson’s Roy, Carsphairn, 57; 4, AR Mundell’s Jock, Moffat; 5, T Blacklock’s Mist, Kirkconnel. Pro-novice – 1, R Malcolm’s Gael, Gatehouse, 63; 2, T Blacklock’s Chip, Kirkconnel.