Ian Brownlie wins St Boswells and Andrew Hughson tops Fetlar, Shetland, sheepdog trials

The Texel gimmers generally ran well on the rolling, uphill course, but they could take advantage of dogs that failed to show their authority. A dip on the first leg of the drive hid sheep and dog from the handler and the line could suffer there. The cross drive was hard to judge and a number of packets rose above it and slipped by the gate, but most dogs that reached the pen managed to complete the course.

Boyd (N Gillon’s Sweep, IM Brownlie’s Lia) worked faultlessly outbye and went on to a good, steady drive, albeit with a waver on the first leg. He worked well at the pen where the sheep took a little persuasion to go in, and completed the winning run with a clean shed.

Willie Todd’s Don (L Bowden’s Lad and Nell) also started out very well, but the gimmers wanted to break as they turned round Willie’s feet as he stood at the post. The drive was very good, but the turn through the cross drive gate was a little wide. Don penned cleanly and a good shed contributed to him taking second place, a single point behind the winner.

Sion Morgan’s Middery Kim (M Magnusson’s Kilcreen Seal, L Magnussons’s Mol) started out a little square, but once on line, had a good outrun and a clean lift, although the sheep were a little dour to turn at the end of the fetch. Again, the drive went well, although the cross drive gate was slightly wide. The gimmers were hesitant to go into the pen, but Kim ensured they did not break and soon secured them within and finished the run with a clean shed and third place, another single point apart.

The flat field for Buchanan trial at Balmaha narrowed towards the far end of the course, which could bring the dogs in at the end of the outrun. The Blackface gimmers responded to judicious lifting, but could be touchy otherwise. The cross drive was difficult to judge, and some runs went wrong there. A fine morning turned into a thoroughly wet day which ‘christened’ the trophies and washed away some of the paperwork.

Rain was no impairment to Colin Armstrong’s Jill which earned first place in a torrent. Jill (A Jardine’s Llangwym Nap, W Jardine’s Holly) ran out cleanly and lifted well, but momentarily lost contact with her sheep on the fetch and had minor wavers. The drive went well, again with minor wavers of the lines here and there. The gimmers stood at the pen for a short time, before Jill penned them and then went on to make a clean shed and take first place.

Andy Carnegie’s Linburn Rook set an early standard, as one of the first dogs of the morning. Rook (M McTeir’s Bob, C Kirkland’s Groesfaen Jill) ran out and lifted cleanly and had minor wavers on the fetch. His turns through both drive gates were wide and he had a little trouble at the pen, but a clean shed completed the run and was eventually ranked second.

Shetland cross Cheviot gimmers generally behaved well on a warm, breezy day at Fetlar, Shetland, running over a rough, grassy course that sloped down to the centre then ran uphill to the lift post at the end of a 360yd outrun. Odd packets tested the dogs.

Andrew Hughson’s newly acquired Northroe Lol (D Murray’s Ali and Groesfaen Petra) led the open class comfortably. Her outrun was not perfect, but she lifted and fetched flawlessly. Her drive went well, with just a slight waver off the line. A clean pen and a good shed completed the winning run.

In the championship class, Jerry Ramsay’s Josie took the honours, again losing a little on her outrun and lifting cleanly. Both fetch and drive went well, with just minor wavers. Although she had a little trouble at the pen, coming between a very good shed and a perfect single, it did not prevent Josie from winning that elite class.

Jerry’s good form extended into the limit class, with an unfinished run from his Spot (KW Brehmer’s Huthwaite Roy, JB Ramsay’s Fly) taking first place. Spot ran out and lifted cleanly, went a little offline on the fetch but ran out of time at the pen.

LEADING awards

St Boswells (Judge: K Wood, Blairlogie). Open – 60 ran – 1, IM Brownlie’s Boyd, Deuchrie, 96; 2, W Todd’s Don, Langholm, 95, 3, S Morgan’s Mid Derry Kim, Heriot, 94; 4, P Martin’s Daisy, Glenlyon, 92 Outbye; 5, N Campbell’s Gwen, Kinross, 92; 6, I Fleming’s Glen, Douglas, 91; Novice – 1, R Halliday’s Finn, Stowe, 71.

Fetlar, Shetland (Judge: MC Hughson, Scalloway). Open – 26 ran – 1, AJ Hughson’s Northroe Lol, Brunthamarsland, 92 /100; 2, B Smith’s Chip (Flash), Dunrossness, 86 Outbye; 3, B Smith’s Lass, Dunrossness, 86; 4, J Ramsay’s Drift, Ollaberry, 82; 5, J Ramsay’s Josie, Ollaberry,81; 6, D Murray’s Sweep, North Roe, 79; 7, D Murray’s Jill, North Roe, 75; 8, J Nicolson’s Todd, Scalloway, 73; 9, W Morrison’s Meg Snr, Yell, 72; 10, W Morrison’s Meg Jnr, Yell,70; Championship – 1, J Ramsay’s Josie, Ollaberry, 93 /110; 2, AJ Hughson’s Lol, Brunthamarsland, 84; 4, J Nicolson’s Todd, Scalloway,73; Limit – 1, J Ramsay’s Spot, Ollaberry, 45 Outbye /60; 2, R Colclough’s Malin, West Sandwick, 45; 3, R Colclough’s Dot, West Sandwick, 21.

Buchanan (Judge: C Cropper, Drimsynie). Open – 64 ran – 1, C Armstrong’s Jill, Archbank, 89; 2, AD Carnegie’s Linburn Rook, Comrie, 87; 3, N McVicar’s Baledmund Pete, Benmore, 85 Outbye; 4, N Gillon’s Boss, Barr, 85; 5, S MacFarlane’s Willow, Blairgowrie, 79 Outbye; 6, N Gillon’s Shweep (Sweep), Dailly, 79; 7, D Scrimgeour’s Sweep, Wigton, 79; 8, K Donald’s Kemi Sia, Dalrymple, 78.

Northumberland League

Whitfield Pink Ribbon (Judge: C Mellin, Oakworth). Open – 73 ran – 1, P Martin’s Daisy, Glenlyon, 101 /110; 2, C Balmbro’s Liz, Wooler, 100; 3, M Hutchinson’s Sophie, Littledale, 99; 4, M Davidson’s Angus, Lilburn, 97 Outbye; 5, N Bennett’s Cap, Chorley, 97 Outbye; 6, D Henderson’s Star, Allendale, 97; Novice – A Saul’s Jack, Otterburn, 79.