Good work driving Cheviot lambs round a flat course at Mey, from Jasmine Grant’s nursery bitch, Pat, contributed to the top placed run in both nursery and open classes – and well ahead of the competition.

The lambs were touchy to handle, but even before they made contact, dogs struggled to see them at the end of the outrun and many lost points on their way out.

Pat (P Byrne’s Moss, and Bracken) started out a little wide from Jasmine, but once she found her line, she ran to her sheep and lifted them cleanly. A good fetch followed and led on to the best drive of the day.

The lambs then milled around the mouth of the pen for a short time before Pat put the packet in. A good shed completed the run comfortably ahead of the open and nursery competition.

Ian Sutherland’s Sid (I Sutherland’s Bob, W Mill’s Cassie) ran out and lifted cleanly and managed a good fetch, although the lambs tried to slip past the gate. Sid stopped that and put them through the gate.

His drive started well, but the turn through the first gate was wide and the lambs missed the cross drive gate. Sid penned cleanly but took a little time to shed and completed his run to be second in the open.

Michael Shearer’s Tib (MC Shearer’s Jim, IM Brownlie’s Star) was a little wide on her outrun, but once on line, found her sheep and lifted cleanly.

One lamb repeatedly tried to break to the right on the fetch, and although Tib managed to contain her, she eventually succeeded and took the packet with her on her route to avoid the gate. The drive started well, but the lambs bolted up the field as they came through the first drive gate – Tib retrieved them and put them through the cross drive gate but damage was done. A clean pen and shed completed the run for third in the open.

With the nursery winner also leading the open class, the bulk of the nursery dogs faced a serious challenge at a testing start to the North nursery season.

Geordie Simpson’s Trish (G Simpson’s Jack, W Davidson’s Mona) needed repeated whistles to reach her sheep, but when she did find them, lifted cleanly. The lines of the fetch and drive wavered, but Trish got all her gates and finished her run with a good pen and shed which put her in second place in the nursery class.

Vicky Shearer’s Misty (JW Common’s Grit, B Smith’s Lass) ran out and lifted cleanly and fetched nicely. Her drive went well until her sheep took off on the cross drive, but the pair worked very well together, with Misty responding instinctively to Vicky’s command. Misty stopped the sheep and turned them up and through the gate.

The run was rivalling Pat’s, but as Vicky closed the gate on a successful pen, one lamb broke and though Misty eventually retrieved her, and penned the lot, time ran out before she made her shed. The incomplete run ranked third in the nursery.

LEADINGawards:

Mey (Judge: K Birkett, Orkney). Nursery – 26 ran – 1, J Grant’s Pat, Dunbeath, 85; 2, G Simpson’s Trish, Forgue, 73; 3, V Shearer’s Misty, Westfield, 70; 4, MC Shearer’s Cap, Westfield, 68; 5, J Grant’s Meg, Dunbeath, 63; 6, M Sutherland’s Neil, Halkirk, 59 outbye; 7, I Wilkie’s Skye, Tillypronie, 59; 8, G Simpson’s Blue, Forgue, 57; 9, D Simpson’s Joe, Barrock, 55; 10, T Coghill Robertson’s Hielan Bob, Barrock, 47. Open – 26 ran – 1, J Grant’s Pat, Dunbeath, 85; 2, I Sutherland’s Sid, Strathnaver, 79; 3, MC Shearer’s Tib, Westfield, 76; 4, G Simpson’s Trish, Forgue, 73; 5, V Shearer’s Misty, Westfield, 70; 6, MC Shearer’s Cap, Westfield, 68.

Parkhouse, Quothquan (Judge: W Welsh, Dalcairney). Novice – 27 ran – 1, K Blackwood’s Hank, Abington, 76; 2, A Rankine’s Nan, Luss, 75; 3, J Dukes’s Floss, Aboyne, 71. Novice nursery – 1, G Bruce’s Teeick, Meikle Tillyeve, 56; 2, T McKinlay’s Mel, Coulter, 52; 3, J Ralston’s Bree, Torrance, 43. Beginners – 1, R Clarke’s Meg, Biggar; 2, G Morrison’s Meg, Carnwath; 3, G Morrison’s Red, Carnwath. Parkhouse trophy for best Sheep Handling skill – A Rankine’s Nan, Luss. There was £930 raised for local Cancer Research committee and a fund to take sick child to Santa at Lapland.