Graylees Stride and Sully take the lead at Ardros trial

Texel and Suffolk ewe hoggs ran well on a slightly downhill course and penned well, but the young dogs found the outrun challenging.

Stride (E Gray’s Tweeddale Jamie and Graylees Flute) was tight on his outrun which affected his lift, but his fetch was good and his drive was the best of the day. A clean pen and a good shed completed his winning run.

Sully’s outbye work was comparable to Stride’s but Sully’s (D Mcauley’s Joe, F Shennan’s Belle) drive was not as neat as Stride’s. Clean work at hand closed the gap between them to a single point, with Sully in second place.

Peter Martin was on form at Cashlie, taking first and third places on home ground with litter sisters, Jean and Isa, respectively.

Cheviot hoggs ran well over a flat field on a dry day, although they could draw to one side on the fetch.

Jean (A McCulloch’s Sam, M Davidson’s Heather) ran out a tad short which impacted on her lift and caused the hoggs to be offline on the fetch until she put them on track. Her drive went well, but the hoggs made a break from the pen before she put them in. A clean shed completed the winning run with the competition hot on her heels.

Gert van Dyke’s Graylees Lismore (D Howell’s Nip, E Gray’s Scalpsie Nessie) ran out cleanly, and although she lifted to one side, she managed to fetch the packet cleanly to Gert. Her drive was not so smooth, and she missed her cross drive gate; Lis penned after retrieving breaks and she, too, finished with a clean shed to earn second place.

Like Jean, Isa ran out a little short which affected her lift and fetch, but her fetch was the better of the two. The hoggs were twisting and turning off line on the first leg of the drive, but Isa got them though the gate and followed that with a good cross drive. The packet played up again at the pen, but once she put them in, Isa shed nicely and took third place.

Cheviot mule hoggs at Easter Bush could be touchy if dogs were too firm with them and they tended to be drawn to the exhaust pen, making it hard to keep them on line with their attention elsewhere, but some handlers chose not to put pressure on them and let them run.

Chris Caerts’ Moss (C Caerts’ Rob, B Kensis’ Meg) worked faultlessly outbye and only as he fought to turn the packet round Chris did he stray from the ideal, his wide turn spoiled the start of the drive away but he worked well to make tight turns through both gates, despite a waver on the line of the cross drive. He was a little hesitant at hand, but once he had penned and shed, Moss took first place for the second successive week.

Laura Hinneken’s Lhinnek Gimli (K Blackwood’s Flint, L Hinnekens K’eira) ran out slightly short, affecting his lift, and when the hoggs drifted on the fetch Laura and Gimli worked to realign them. A good drive and a good pen followed; the shed took a little time to achieve and the pair took second place.

Chris Caerts’ Moss established a good relationship with the sheep at Hamilton Hall and won the day.

Leading awards

Easter Bush (Judge: I Notman, Biggar). Nursery –16 ran – 1, C Caerts’ Moss, Biggar, 90; 2, L Hinneken’s Lhinnek Gimli, Quothquan, 84; 3, I Fleming’s Nell, Douglas, 83; 4, D Wallace’s Buzz, Blyth Bridge, 80; 5, IM Brownlie’s Glen, Dunbar, 75; 6, K Aitchison's Wing, Mossdale, 72 outbye; 7, I Fleming’s Beacon Billy, Douglas, 72; 8, A Frame’s Lyn, Quarter, 62; 9, J Murtagh’s Moss, Dunbar, 75. Novice – 1, R Clarke’s Floss, Biggar, 77; 2, J Mitchell’s Aaro, Broughton, 61. YF – 1, H Ryan’s Vera, Easter Howgate, 55; 2, H Ryan’s Mo, Easter Howgate, 40.

Cashlie (Judge: N Mcvicar, Benmore). Nursery – 19 ran – 1, P Martin’s Jean, Glenlyon, 80; 2, G van Dyck’s Graylees Lismore, Aberfeldy, 79; 3, P Martin’s Isa, Glenlyon, 78; 4, K Craig’s Triss, Tulliemet, 73; 5, AD Carnegie’s Bess, Comrie, 71; 6, K Craig’s Brae, Tulliemet, 69; 7, M Watt jnr’s Joe, Kirriemuir, 68; 8, K Dickson’s Ruh, Fintry, 65; 9, P Simpson’s Meg, Kirriemuir, 63; 10, AD Carnegie’s Ben, Comrie, 61. Novice – T Osborne’s Gem, Gilsland, 67.

Dryden (Judge: JB Foster, Earlston). Nursery – 10 ran 1, J Robinson’s Jaybeez Drift, Coldingham, 77; 2, J Robinson’s Rock, Coldingham, 55; 3, M Arres’ Hemp, Ashkirk, 54; 4, B McSporran’s Dot, Wester Middleton, 46; 5, D McReady’s Tess, Ashkirk.

Yonder Bognie (Judge: K Brehmer, New Bythe). Nursery – 21 ran –1, G Simpson’s Deo, Forgue, 92; 2, M Leggat’s Lass, New Pitsligo, 86; 3, G Simpson’s Jan, Forgue, 83; 4, S Renwick’s Hope, Inverbroom, 81; 5, G Simpson’s Bodtegir Lil, Forgue, 80; 6, I MacDonald’s Blue, Staffin, 78; 7, K Low’s Fly, Reay, 77 outbye; 8, G Simpson’s Mwnt Vicky, Forgue, 77; 9, D Simpson’s Ellie, Barrock, 76; 10, J Buckley-Adkin’s Ormond Moss, Aberdeenshire, 75.

Udny (Judge: K Brehmer, New Bythe). Nursery – 21 ran –1, G Simpson’s Bodtegir Lil, Forgue, 91; 2, G Simpson’s Deo, Forgue, 86; 3, K Low’s Fly, Reay, 81 outbye; 4, S Renwick’s Hope, Inverbroom, 81; 5, M Leggat’s Lass, New Pitsligo, 77; 6, I MacKay’s Craig, Leanach, 76; 7, I MacDonald’s Sweep, Staffin, 73; 8, V Shearer’s Tweed, Westfield, 72 outbye; 9, I Matheson’s Rinn, Reay, 72; 10, I MacDonald’s Blue, Staffin, 69; 11, J Buckley-Adkin’s Ormond Moss, Aberdeenshire, 68.

Ardros (C Davidson, Sandbank). Nursery – 22 ran – 1, E Gray’s Graylees Stride, Ardros, 86; 2, E Gray’s Sully, Ardros, 85; 3, SL Davidson’s Roxy, Sandbank, 83; 4, N Mcvicar’s Swift, Benmore, 80; 5, C Toner's Reba, Drimsynie, 77; 6, C Toner's Twig, Drimsynie, 75 outbye; 7, E Gray’s Graylees Griff, Ardros, 75; 8, D Kinloch’s Jen, Kilsyth,72; 9, L Gast’s Dino, Scalpsie,71; 10, S McCrindle’s Dalriada Silk, Stranraer, 70; 11, C Kjelstrup Paterson’s Mynach Jock, Kilmalcolm, 66; 12, A Kent’s Fernhill Nap, Dunoon, 63.

Tigh na Blair (Judge: M Young, Kilmarnock). Nursery – 26 ran – 1, AD Carnegie’s Ben, Comrie, 89; 2, E Nilsson’s Roxy, Alyth, 84; 3, S Martin’s Floss, Cashlie, 82; 4, K Dickson’s Ruh, Fintry,77; 5, M Gallagher’s Rex, Alyth, 70; 6, M Gallagher’s Grace, Alyth, 69; 7, P Simpson’s Meg, Kirriemuir, 68; 8, G van Dyck’s Graylees Lismore, Aberfeldy, 66 outbye; 9, P Martin’s Isa, Glenlyon, 66; 10, K Craig’s Triss, Tulliemet, 64. Novice – L Moore’s Jim, Lintrathen, 63.

Ardros (A McCulloch, Dalmellington). Invitation nursery – 15 ran – 1, E Gray’s Sully, Ardros, 84; 2, SL Davidson’s Roxy, Sandbank, 83; 3, C Toner's Reba, Drimsynie, 80; 4, C Toner's Twig, Drimsynie, 75; 5, N Docherty’s Poppy, Bute, 72 outbye; 6, SL Davidson’s Alf, Sandbank,72 outbye; 7, L Gast’s Dino, Scalpsie,72.

Hamilton Hall (Judge: J Allan, Mount Benger). Nursery – 17 ran – 1, C Caerts’ Moss, Biggar, 79; 2, IM Brownlie’s Glen, Dunbar, 77; 3, L Hinneken’s Lhinnek Gimli, Quothquan, 76; 4, J Murtagh’s Moss, Dunbar, 74; 5, I Fleming’s Nell, Douglas, 73; 6, D Wallace’s Buzz, Blyth Bridge, 70; 7, RB Henderson’s Jim, Broughton, 69; 8, I Fleming’s Beacon Billy, Douglas, 67 outbye; 9, R Reid’s Glebefort May, Carnwath, 67; 10, H Brown’s Jacobsdale Change, Coulter, 66. Novice – 8 ran – 1, J Ralston’s Brie, Torrance, 80; 2, J Mitchell’s Aaro, Broughton, 76; 3, A Fmrame’s Zoe, Quarter, 63. YF – 1, H Ryan’s Mo, Easter Howgate, 87; 2, H Ryan’s Vera, Easter Howgate, 66.

Northumberland League

Dykehead (Judge: K Preston, Elsdon). Nursery – 20 ran –1, M Davidson’s Henry, Lilburn, 84; 2, D Henderson’s Burndale Roy, Allendale, 82; 3, M Davidson’s Pepper, Lilburn,79.4, D Henderson’s Burndale Donnie, Allendale, 65; 5, M Davidson’s Poppy, Lilburn, 57; 6, C Balmbro’s Sam, Wooler, 56; Novice – F Sheehan’s Telf Tess, Hexham, 70;

Bardon Mill (Judge: R Mitchison, Belsay). Nursery –13 ran –1, D Henderson’s Burndale Donnie, Allendale, 75; 2, D Henderson’s Burndale Roy, Allendale, 73; 3, M Davidson’s Henry, Lilburn, 68; 4, M Davidson’s Pepper, Lilburn, 38. Novice – J McDaid’s Jim, Gilsland, 44.