Ian Brownlie’s Lia was in good form, taking the lead at Blairgowrie and Dryden.

The Cheviot gimmers at Dryden reacted to the dog’s manner at the lift, and an echo from a nearby wood confused the dogs. The gimmers did not like the turn from the drive away to the cross drive and in the morning, fought the dogs on the first leg. Handlers found the second gate hard to judge, but the sheep tended to pen readily.

Two early runs from Alistair Stewart’s Kemi Ruby and Sion Morgan’s Rosewood Merv set a standard which held throughout the day until Lia overtook them near the end.

Lia (R Hutchinson’s Sweep, IM Brownlie’s Mo) walked the sheep round the big, rolling course, and managed to be in the right place at the right time, keeping just the right pressure on them. At the pen, Lia dived to stop an attempted breakaway and penned the packet; a clean shed finished the run in first place.

On Arran, the Texel cross and Mule gimmers behaved well on a flat, slightly rising course, if dogs approached them kindly at the lift, but took hard work to pen.

Stuart Davidson’s Gillieglen Queen (SL Davidson’s Rob, A Gilles’ Peg) had a near faultless run, going out well, just slightly overshooting the sheep at the top and continued to work well with only a wide turn round Stuart to fault the run from there. A clean drive, pen and shed completed the winning run.

Chris Caygill’s Luck (JR Welsh’s Tanhill Nap, C Caygill’s Pip) ran out and lifted cleanly, and had minor bends on the fetch and drive giving a second.

Sandy McCulloch’s Fern (R Welsh’s Mick, D Porter’s Bonnie) started out well, with a good fetch and minor wavers on the drive. She penned after a slight break and a clean shed was enough for third.

At Tomatin, some packets of Mule gimmers behaved better than others on a flat course which made viewing easy. They could be difficult to turn round the handler and some dogs were not good to fetch.

Ian MacDonald’s Zoe (I Wilkie’s Floss, RJ Hutchinson’s Sweep) took a whistle on her outrun, but found her sheep and worked well from there. She had no problem turning the sheep onto the drive and that gave her the lead over the field.

Ewen Mackinnon’s Midge (I MacKay’s Sunnyview Bob, F Matheson’s Jan) worked well outbye and at hand, with just a minor ‘blip’ at the top of the fetch, but the common resistance to turning from the fetch to the drive put her down the pegging.

Heavy rain made visibility at the end of a 570-yard course difficult at Roro.

Peter Martin’s Jill (R Dalziel’s Joe, N McVicar’s Nikki) worked well outbye and at hand, with only single points dropped there. A good drive with minor wavers finished the run for first.

Stuart Davidson’s Gillieglen Queen (SL Davidson’s Rob, A Gilles’ Peg) had to lift off line, because the sheep had moved, leaving Stuart in second.

LEADING awards:

Whitehill, Brodick, Arran (Judge:A Ronald, Peninver). Open – 45 ran – 1, SL Davidson’s Gillieglen Queen, Sandbank, 97; 2, C Caygill’s Luck, Whinnyliggate, 91; 3, A McCulloch’s Fern, Dalmellington, 90; 4, JR Welsh’s Cree, Dalrymple, 88 Outbye; 5, SL Davidson’s Lee, Sandbank, 88 outbye; 6, N McVicar’s Bill, Benmore, 88 outbye; 7, W Welsh’s Cap, Dalcairney, 88; 8, JR Welsh’s Tanhill Sam, Dalrymple, 87. Confined – 1, M McNeish’s Pip, Sliddery, 87; 2, W Stevenson’s Maid, Whiting Bay, 66; 3, G Brooke’s Cap, Southpark, 61; 4, I McConnell’s Drift, Lamlash, 56; 5, 1, G Brooke’s Robin, Southpark, 49.

Blairgowrie (Judge: R MacDiarmid, Cairndow). Open – 70 ran – 1, IM Brownlie’s Lia, Bridge of Cally, 95; 2, AD Carnegie’s Linburn Rook, Comrie, 88; 3, IM Brownlie’s Tib, Bridge of Cally, 85; 4, J MacKillop’s Straid Ben, Fort Augustus, 84 outbye; 5, AD Carnegie’s Jess, Comrie, 84; 6, P Martin’s Daisy, Glenlyon, 83 outbye; 7, J Hastie’s Cree, Saline, 83; 8, K Brehmer’s Cynfal Gwen, New Bythe, 81; 9, L Hinnekens’ K’eira, Auchterarder, 80 outbye; 10, A McCulloch’s Risp, Dalmellington, 80. Local – 1, E Nilsson’s Frej, Meigle, 80; 2, A Wilkie’s Flo, Lintrathen, 70; 3, A Olofsson’s Net, Blairlogie, 69; 4, S MacFarlane’s Gem, Blairgowrie, 67; 5, A Wilkie’s Spot, Lintrathen,64.

Dryden (Judge: S Anderson, Waterbeck). Open – 55 ran – 1, IM Brownlie’s Lia, Bridge of Cally, 94; 2, A Stewart’s Kemi Ruby, Lockerbie, 92 outbye; 3, S Morgan’s Rosewood Merv, Heriot, 92; 4, C Dickson’s Straid Star, Coldingham, 91; 5, A Jardine’s Elsie, Langholm, 88; 6, RB Henderson’s Skid, Heriot, 88.

Tomatin (Judge:M MacKay, Durness). Open – 48 ran – I MacDonald’s Zoe, Staffin, 87; 2, EC MacKinnon’s Midge, Lochcarron, 84; 3, H Munro’s Lil, Inverness, 82; 4, J McKenzie’s Tweedie, Turriff, 79; 5, I Wilkie’s Pip, Keithhall, 78 outbye; 6, S Renwick’s Dice, Inverbroom, 78; 7, M MacNally’s Ash, Invergarry,75; 8, I Wilkie’s Floss Keithhall, 71. Local – 1, H Munro’s Lil, Inverness, 82; 2, H MacLean’s Moss, Culloden, 59; 3, D MacKenzie’sMoss, Inverness, 55.

Roro (Judge:A Simpson, Comrie). Open – 51 ran – 1, P Martin’s Jill, Glenlyon, 104/110; 2, SL Davidson’s Gillieglen Queen, Sandbank, 103; 3, W Welsh’s Cap, Dalcairney, 100; 4, AD Carnegie’s Linburn Rook, Comrie, 99; 5, K Howlett’s Yellowhill Jock, Comrie, 89; 6, P Martin’s Daisy, Glenlyon, 89.