A run off at Bennachie gave Ian Wilkie’s Floss the edge over Lotta Magnusson’s Kate.

The Blackface gimmers behaved well, running in threes, on a long, newly mown field that rolled gently down into a hollow across the course, giving easy viewing and an attractive vista. Some packets could resist at the pen.

Floss (M MacNally’s Finn, I Wilkie’s Nell) ran out in a good pear shape and lifted cleanly. The fetch was good, with minor wavers and the drive went very well, until Floss overflanked the sheep approaching the cross drive gate, putting them above the line, but she retrieved them and put them through. A clean pen and shed finished the run, ultimately judged the winner.

Kate (M Magnusson’s Myllin Davey, L Magnusson’s Mel) ran out square to the fence and followed the line of the fence to the top. After that, she worked very well on the course, with a good fetch and very good drive, with just minor wavers of the line. Clean close work put Kate in contention for first place, until the run off.

Mosse Magnusson handled Sprout very well on a steep, hill course at Cashlie, and finished ahead of a closely matched prize list.

The strong, well bred Cheviot hoggs behaved well, but some dogs struggled to turn them round a cone on flat ground in front of the handler, and to drive them away and back up on to the brae face where a path guided them across to the second drive gate.

Most dogs ran out well, but generally needed encouragement to get to the sheep on the hill.

Sprout (DK Evans’ Tanhill Glen, P Williams’ Silk) ran to the top with a whistle, and lifted cleanly. His fetch was good with just minor zig zags on the rough terrain and his drive very good, again, with minor wavers. A clean pen and shed back down on flat ground completed the winning run, and the judge thought Sprout was on the best form he’d seen him.

Outbye work separated the next three bitches, on equal points for very different runs.

Andy Carnegie’s Jess (J McGinn’s Mozz and Tess) ran out and lifted cleanly, the only dog to do so. She had a very good fetch and a clean pen and shed, but trouble on the drive put her into second place, ahead on her outbye work.

Chloe Cropper’s Fly (A Lyttle’s Spot, IB Jones’ Meg) worked very well outbye, again, taking a little encouragement to reach her sheep. The drive was a little harder, but another clean pen and shed put her in contention for runner up, but taking third place.

Peter Martin’s Daisy (D Naylor’s Straid Moss, P Martin’s Jill) needed repeated whistles to get to the top of the course, but she lifted cleanly and had a very good fetch and drive, with just minor wavers, and matched the others with clean work at hand, but her need for the whistles put her into fourth place.

The Lleyn cross gimmers at Monymusk were lifted at the end of a big, flat course. They could be awkward if unsettled by their first contact with the dog, but responded well if treated with respect. Two good runs, both with disappointing incidents, led the day with closely matched scores.

John MacKillop’s Straid Ben (R Hutchinson’s Sweep, D Young’s Straid Goldie) started out very well outbye and was working well on the drive, when, on the approach to the cross drive gate, the gimmers went slightly off line and the packet slipped by, outside the gate. Ben turned them to the pen, where he recovered the standard, finished the run with a very good shed, and the run earned first place.

Murray McTeir’s Mak (M McTeir’s Bob, A Sim’s Flo) too, started out very well, and with the gimmers pulling to the spectators’ right on the fetch, Mak kept his position, flanking them on line. As they turned round Murray towards the right hand drive, they started to bolt, but Mak saw them still heading right and came in on the flank, making the turn untidy and spoiling the start of the drive away. Once he was behind his sheep and they were on line, he worked well and a good drive followed. Very good work at hand completed the run in second place, hot on the heels of Ben.

LEADING awards

Bennachie (Judge: S McCrindle, Palnackie) Open – 56 ran – 1, I Wilkie’s Floss Keithhall, 91 Run Off; 2, L Magnusson’s Kate, Mid Derry, 91; 3, A Wilkie’s Flo, Lintrathen, 89; 4, M Magnusson’s Kemi Sally, Mid Derry, 86 Outbye; 5, EC MacKinnon’s Buddy, Lochcarron, 86; 6, W Morrison’s Tanhill Will, Yell, 85.

Monymusk (Judge: W Morrison, Yell) Open – 58 ran – 1, J MacKillop’s Straid Ben, Fort Augustus, 97 /110; 2, M McTeir’s Mak, Rickarton, 96; 3, S McCrindle’s Kate, Palnackie, 94 Outbye; 4, J McKenzie’s Tweedie, Turriff, 94; 5, EC MacKinnon’s Buddy, Lochcarron, 93; 6, C Williamson’s Moss, Ollaberry,92;

Cashlie Hill (Judge: D Galbraith, Comrie ) Open – 70 ran – 1, M Magnusson’s Sprout, Mid Derry, 95 /110; 2, AD Carnegie’s Jess, Comrie, 92 Outbye; 3, C Cropper’s Fly, Drimsynie, 92 Outbye; 4, P Martin’s Daisy, Glenlyon, 92; 5, M Magnusson’s Kemi Sally, Mid Derry, 89; 6, C Toner’s Ali, Drimsynie, 87.