Lockerbie-based breeders, Alan and Billy Common, certainly came up with the goods at various events throughout 2018, winning the South Country Cheviot Flock of the Year competition which is based on points gained from various shows alongside the society show and sale.

The competition which includes points amassed at the Royal Highland, Border Union, Dumfries, Peebles, Abington, Moffat, Holm, Pennymuir, Teviothead and Langholm, saw the father and son duo who own the Crossdykes flock, not only win the top award with a 50+ point advantage, but also lead several sheepdog trials staged the same day.

Very much a family affair, Billy's two sons Murray and Innes were left to show the sheep at Dumfries – with 'Uncle Jim Robertson', Becks, on call if need be – while Alan and Billy were running dogs in sheepdog trails in the North of Scotland and Ireland respectively. It was nevertheless Murray who triumphed over them all to win the young handlers section of the recent ‘One Man and his Dog’ event with Queen.

Reserve in the flock competition with 112 points was John Paton, Castle, Crawford, while George Irving's Mountbenger flock from Yarrow, came third with 101 points, narrowly winning over Norman and David Douglas' Catslackburn unit on 100 points.

Morag and Blair Cockburn's Stirkfield Farms, Broughton, Biggar, came fifth.