Mac’s the man for Hazel’s first win

Hazel Brown won her first open trial and claimed victory on outbye work, with Mac, at the end of a very long day at Peebles.

The Blackface hoggs ran well on a rising green course, and settled throughout the day. They had a tendency to drift to the left at the top of the course so dogs that ran to the left deterred their drift, while those on the right increased the pressure on them.

Mac (AD Carnegie’s Linburn Rook and Jess) ran out very well, achieving the best outrun and lift of the day. The fetch and drive went well, with some minor wavers and a clean pen and shed completed the winning run ahead of Ian Brownlie’s equally pointed Templehall Oz.

Oz (RJ Hutchinson's Sweep, K Doig’s Jura) ran out well and although he came in tight behind his sheep, he lifted them well. Again, the lines of the fetch and drive wavered a little, but another clean pen and shed brought the run level with Mac’s, till the outbye decision put Oz into second place.

Two big outruns on a steep, rough hill at Drynie caught out some dogs. Jock Sutherland’s Nessie (R Hutchinson’s Sweep, IM Brownlie’s Mo) had the two best outruns of the day and worked so well outbye and on the course that she took first place for an unfinished run lacking both pen and shed.

Meanwhile, Nessie’s older brother, Ricky Hutchinson’s Jock was winning the three day double lift trial at Deerplay in the North of England.

Ewen Mackinnon gave Midge (I MacKay’s Sunnyview Bob, F Matheson’s Jan) a whistle of assurance on her way out, although she was running well and might have got to her sheep unaided. She picked them up and took them round the course with just minor deviations of the line, and a clean pen and shed completed her run in second place, a point behind Nessie’s.

The mule hoggs at Glendevon ran well on big flat field; they were a little light in the morning and benefitted from careful handling, but they tested dogs and handlers at the pen and shed.

Alan Wilkie’s Spot (JE Lightfoot’s Cap, E Williams’ Bet) worked very well outbye and although he let the sheep wobble as they went round Alan’s back, he took them round the drive with just a minor waver. A good pen and an excellent shed completed the run in first place.

The Texel cross hoggs at Dunnet, ran well on an undulating course, but they got heavier as the day went on and could be very heavy at the pen. Some packets were difficult to shed, but others were readily separated.

Will Cormack’s Nap (MC Shearer’s Jim, W Cormack’s Mist) ran out smoothly to his sheep, and although he came on to them a little fast, he lifted on line and made good work of the fetch and drive away. The hoggs were sticky on the cross drive, but Nap got them moving and earned first place with a very good pen and one of the best sheds of the day.

Kelsey Keith’s unregistered Skye (W Smith’s Lee and Fly) responded to a whistle to get to her sheep and was a little tight on her lift, so they came quickly down the fetch, but Skye settled them and they turned nicely round Kelsey’s feet. They were sticky on the first leg of the drive, but the cross drive was good and a good pen followed. Skye was a little hesitant at the shed, but she and Kelsey took second place, comfortably ahead of some more experienced dogs and handlers than themselves.

The Blackface hoggs at Carsphairn generally behaved well and were good to lift and fetch but they were tricky at the pen and reluctant to go through the first drive gate. Shallow dips on the flat course made the cross drive hard to judge.

Alistair Stewart’s Tweed (M McNally’s Killiebrae Moss, W Welsh’s Bess) ran out well and Alistair stopped him short when he saw the sheep facing the dog on his approach. Tweed managed to lift nicely and fetched very well, making just a minor waver at Alistair’s feet. The hoggs stalled at the first drive gate, but Tweed put them through and very smartly across the second leg, through the gate and on to the close work. The only clean pen and shed of the day completed the winning run.

Stuart Davidson’s Gillieglen Queen (SL Davidson’s Rob, A Gillies’ Peg) had a good outrun, although her sheep went off line on the fetch, but they came down to Stuart’s feet and turned on to the drive. There were minor wavers on the drive away, but Queen got her gates. She penned with some work and a good shed finished the run in second place.

LEADING awards

Peebles (Judge: D Clark, Coulter) Open – 80 ran – 1, H Brown’s Mac, Coulter, 95 Outbye; 2, IM Brownlie’s Templehall Oz, Deuchrie, 95; 3, AJ Hughson’s Fay, Brunthamarsland, 93; 4, JA Common's Groesfaen Mac, Lockerbie, 92 Outbye; 5, L Gast’s Fae, Scalpsie, 92; 6, A Aitchison's Beth, Mossdale, 91 Outbye; 7, IM Brownlie’s Lia, Deuchrie, 91; 8, AD Carnegie’s Linburn Rook, Comrie, 90;

Glendevon (Judge: K Wood, Blairlogie) Open - 70 ran – 1 A Wilkie’s Spot, Glenmoy, 95; 2, IM Brownlie’s Lia, Deuchrie, 93; 3, C Cropper’s Derwen Gus, Drimsynie, 89; 4, C Cropper’s Penllwyn Fly, Drimsynie, 88; 5, AJ Hughson’s Fay, Brunthamarsland, 87; 6, A Sim’s Flo, Powmill, 86; 7, T McInley’s Pat, Coulter, 85 Outbye; 8, S Alexander’s Ruben, Rickarton, 85; 9, IM Brownlie’s Templehall Oz, Deuchrie, 84; 10, N Campbell’s Gwen, Kinross, 83; Local -1, A Sim’s Flo, Powmill, 86; 2, N Campbell’s Gwen, Kinross, 83; 3, N Campbell’s Cass, Kinross, 82; 4, C Maitland Gardner’s Nell, Muthill, 80;

Carsphairn (Judge: J Shennan, Barr) Open - 50 ran - 1, A Stewart’s Tweed, Lockerbie, 90; 2, SL Davidson’s Gillieglen Queen, Sandbank, 89; 3, SL Davidson’s Lee, Sandbank, 88; 4, SL Davidson’s Maid, Sandbank, 86; 5, I McMillan’s Straid Zac, Newton Stewart, 85; 6, WJ Welsh’s Jimmy, Sanquhar, 81 Outbye; 7, W Welsh’s Doug, Dalcairney, 81; 8,W Welsh’s Cap, Dalcairney, 80; 9, I Lockhart's Bill, Carsphairn, 79; Local – 1, W Welsh’s Doug, Dalcairney, 81; 2, J Welsh’s Gail, Beoch, 63; 3, A Orr’s Sue, Carsphairn, 50;

Ham, Dunnet (Judge: A Muir, Halkirk) Open – 21 ran – 1, W Cormack’s Nap, Dunnet, 83; 2, K Keith’s Skye, Durness, 82; 3, H MacKenzie’s Rock, Badenloch, 80 Outbye; 4, K Keith’s Lyn, Durness, 80; 5, D Simpson’s Gael, Barrock, 78 Outbye; 6, N Sutherland’s Heatherhill Heck, Strathnaver, 78 Outbye; 7, M Sutherland’s Liz, Lybster, 78; 8, I Sutherland’s Jen, 76; 9, T Coghill Robertson’s Dahl, Barrock, 74; 10, I Sutherland’s Hugo, Strathnaver, 73;

Drynie double lift (Judge: G Simpson, Forgue) Open – 27 ran – 1, J Sutherland’s Nessie, Durness, 104 /140; 2, EC MacKinnon’s Midge, Lochcarron, 103; 3, J MacKillop's Straid Ben, Fort Augustus, 99; 4, L Hansson’s Lisbon, Glenlyon, 92 Outbye; 5, H Munro’s Lil, Inverness, 92; 6, S Grant’s Tia, Strathcannaird, 87;

Deerplay double lift (Judge: T Iley, Longframlington) Final – 1, R Hutchinson’s Jock, Littledale, 141 /; 2, DK Evans’ Preseli Ci, Libanus, 139; 3, P Rigby’s Trefyls Elsa, Kendal, 138; 4, DK Evans’ Hybeck Blake, Libanus, 137; 5, D Wood’s Polly, Derwent Bamford, 135; 6, J Cropper’s Gil, Deerplay, 131; Day 1- (Judge: K Cropper, Shap) 1, A Ledgar’s Tip, Macclesfield; Day 2 – (Judge; R Hutchinson, Littledale) 1, C Caygill’s Luck, Whinnyliggate.