By Sine Robertson

Mosse Magnusson’s Kemi Sally was in winning form, making a very good job of righting a difficult situation at the top of the rising Kilberry course to win first place.

She was in contention for first place again at Airtnoch, until outbye work judged her second. The Mule gimmers were touchy if pushed and inclined to bolt through the drive away gate, finding out the weaker dogs without the power to hold them on line and at the mouth of the pen. The sheep also stayed together well, which made it difficult to shed off a single.

Mosse’s gimmers bolted from the lift post and were tight on the top fence when Kemi Sally (A Lehtio’s Kemi Rhys, DK Evans’ Meg) came up; when she tried to squeeze round past them at top, they bolted. A re-run looked likely, but judge, Neil Gillon, waited and Sally caught up with the sheep and worked them back on to the fetch line, with no points lost until, further on, the line wavered a little.

The gimmers made a tight turn on to the drive, kept a straight line on the first leg and another tight turn. A good cross drive followed, with just minor wavers and the best finish of the day, with excellent control and balance at the pen and shed won the trial.

Neil McVicar’s Mist (R Hutchinson’s Sweep, IM Brownlie’s Mo) stopped slightly short on sheep that strayed from the post, but responded well with an excellent lift and the best fetch and drive of the day, showing balance pace and control over the sheep. A slight break at the pen cost her minor points, but leaving her well in front going into the shed, where she came in quickly, but failed to take control of the single sheep, which cost her the trial.

The Cheviot gimmers at Airtnoch behaved well on a flat field and contributed to a high standard of work. They proved easy to pen in the forenoon, but not quite so co-operative later in the day. Outbye work separated the two leaders.

Jock Welsh’s Cree (JR Welsh’s Tanhill Nap, FW Shennan’s Fizz) ran sweetly and charmed the judge, with a clean outrun, lift and fetch, but the gimmers bolted though the drive away gate and had covered ground by the time Cree turned them on to a good cross drive, with a wide turn behind them. Clean work at hand set the seal on the winning run.

Mosse Magnusson’s Kemi Sally too, started out with a clean outrun and lift, but minor wavers on a good fetch proved significant in placing the two equally pointed runs. The drive was good, and although the gimmers came low on the line of the cross drive, Sally turned them up and put them through the gate. She penned successfully after a small break and finished the run with a clean shed for second.

Flighty Cheviot gimmers running on a field and rashes made for a testing trial, on a hot day at Lairg.

Scott Renwick’s Astra Dice (JH Wilson’s Rob, Astra Meg) ran out clean to the top, lifted and fetched nicely and had a good drive, with minor wavers. The gimmers slipped up the side of the pen and had to be turned back before Dice penned successfully. Scott thought a potential opportunity to single looked risky and when a safer option arose, Dice completed the winning run.

Peter Martin’s Jill (R Dalziel’s Joe, N McVicar’s Nikki) ran out clean and lifted well, had minor wavers on the fetch and a good drive, but at the pen, an awkward gimmer threatened the good work. A good shed completed the run in second place, ahead on outbye work.

Mike MacNally’s Ash (M MacNally’sKilliebrae Moss, N Campbell’s Cass) ran out a little short but he fetched well. On the cross drive, the line seemed low, so Mike gave Ash a flank – the gimmers went too high and man and dog were slow to correct it, so only one of the the three sheep went through the gate. A clean pen and a good shed completed the work for third.

LEADING awards:

Lairg (Judge: I Wilkie, Keithhall). Open – 50 ran – 1, S Renwick’s Dice, Inverbroom, 97/110; 2, P Martin’s Jill, Glenlyon, 95 outbye; 3, M MacNally’s Ash, Invergarry, 95; 4, K Brehmer’s Cynfal Gwen, New Bythe, 94; 5, EC MacKinnon’s Buddy, Lochcarron, 94; 6, J McKenzie’s Tweedie, Turriff, 93; 7, S Grant’s Tia, Strathcannaird, 91;

Airtnoch (Judge: D Seaton, Girvan). Open – 71 ran – 1, JR Welsh’s Cree, Dalrymple, 92 outbye; 2, M Magnusson’s Kemi Sally, Mid Derry, 92; 3, W Welsh’s Chance (Chase), Dalcairney, 90; 4, C Cropper’s Fly, Drimsynie, 89 outbye; 5, A MacKenzie’s Jess, Lochearnhead, 89 outbye; 6, JJ Templeton’s Gill, Fenwick, 89; 7, N Gillon’s Shweep, Dailly, 88 outbye; 8, C Davidson’s Cap, Sandbank, 88.

Kilberry (Judge: N Gillon, Dailly). Open – 54 ran – 1, M Magnusson’s Kemi Sally, Mid Derry, 91; 2, N McVicar’s Mist, Benmore, 89; 3, N McVicar’s Bill, Benmore, 83; 4, P Martin’s Jill, Glenlyon, 82; 5, A McCulloch’s Risp, Dalmellington, 81 outbye; 6, C Toner’s Tammy, Drimsynie, 81; 7, K McCulloch’s Gold, Tayvallich, 77; 8, L Gast’s Fae, Scalpsie, 72; 9, AD Carnegie’s Linburn Rook, Comrie, 70 outbye; 10, J MacKillop’s Zac, Fort Augustus, 70.

THE previous week saw a late run from Ian Brownlie’s Lia take the lead on a testing day at Springhill, where mixed packets of Cheviot ewes and cross gimmers proved unpredictable.

Many dogs needed redirection on the outrun – some were misled by a wide, rectangular layout, running out wide or taking a flat line at the top, guided by the release pen. And, the rolling terrain took the dogs into hollows which hid the sheep from them.

Lia (R Hutchinson’s Sweep, IM Brownlie’s Mo) ran out clean to the top, lifted well and handled the sheep calmly, keeping them flowing smoothly round the course, responding well to commands with only minor wavers of the lines on the fetch and drive against her and finished the run with clean work at hand.

Ian’s Tib (MC Shearer’s Bob, S Macaulay’s Gael) had earlier established the lead – the only run of the morning to feature in the prize list – dropping minor points over the piece and only the drive threatening the standard, but she completed the work and her finished run eventually took second place.

Julie’s Hill’s Molly (J Hill’s Ban and Kim) worked well outbye, with only minor points deducted there, and although the sheep tried to dodge both sets of drive gates, Molly stopped that plan and finished the run with a clean pen and shed.

LEADING awards:

Springhill (Judge: L Vishoot, Oregon). Open – 33 ran – 1, IM Brownlie’s Lia, Deuchrie, 92; 2, IM Brownlie’s Tib, Deuchrie, 87 outbye; 3, J Hill’s Molly, Heriot, 87; 4, C Dickson’s Straid Star, Coldingham, 84; 5, P Martin’s Daisy, Glenlyon, 83; 6, S Morgan’s Fred, Heriot, 81.

Northumberland League

Alston (Judge: F Satterthwaite, Kirkby Lonsdale). Open –50 ran – 1, JJ Pattinson’s Jean, Roman Wall, 94; 2, P Ellis’ George, Kendal, 93; 3, B Jordan’s, Bozo, Whitfield, 89; 4, K Preston’s Roy, Cathpair, 88 outbye; 5, D Henderson’s Burndale Brad, Allendale, 88; 6, S Atkinson’s Meg, Co Durham, 86; 7, G Fearon’s Dave, Keswick, 85;

The Heugh, Wark (Judge: M Elliott, Lazonby). Open – 42 ran – 1, L Amos’s Kohl, Ireland, 85; 2, P Martin’s Daisy, Glenlyon, 80 outbye; 3, E Gray’s Tweeddale Jamie, Great Elsdon, 80; 4, C Smith’s Ricky, Belsay, 77; 5, P Martin’s Jill, Glenlyon, 75; 6, M Northwood’s Llangwym Floyd, West Woodburn, 72;

Whitfield (Judge: R Fawcett, Hawes). Open – 64 ran – 1, B Jordan’s, Bozo, Whitfield, 85; 2, B Jordan’s Cis, Whitfield, 84; 3, B Jordan’s Angel, Whitfield, 83 outbye; 4, R Watson’s Sally, Millom, 83; 5, AR Mundell’s Quinn, Moffat, 82; 6, M Day’s June, Alwinton, 80.