Neil McVicar’s Mist won the day at Kilberry with first class work outbye and on the course.

The Mule gimmers were tough to shed, but settled throughout the day and some dogs achieved good work. Dogs generally ran out well, but a tumbled down dyke at the top of the uphill course lured the sheep, so dogs whose gimmers had broken away were awarded reruns.

Mist (R Hutchinson’s Sweep, IM Brownlie’s Mo) had an excellent run on the course, earning the best outrun and best drive of the day. She penned after overcoming a little resistance and finished the winning run with a very good shed.

Iain McConnell’s Sam (D MacDonald’s Dave, B Strachan’s Bonnie) was tight at the top, but worked well to get round his sheep. A bit of movement at the top impacted on the start of the fetch, but Sam settled the sheep and worked very well on the course. A clean pen and shed helped to raise standard and Sam took second place.

The Cheviot cross Shetland gimmers at Fetlar, were reasonable to handle on a 360-yard, heathery, hill course that run down to the middle and rose up again to the lift post. They were quick, and could be hard to control if the dogs put pressure on them and tended to become more difficult to handle as the day went on. The day was dry, but a strong wind blowing up the field made it hard for dogs to hear their commands.

In the open class, Jerry Ramsay’s Drift (J Ramsay’s Kemi Tim and R Ramsay’s Marchup Roxy) had a perfect outrun and lift but the gimmers were slightly offline on the fetch, and again on the drive. A clean pen followed and a very good shed set the seal on the winning run.

Brendon Smith’s Queen (K Evans’ Jim and A Leslie’s Nell) had a near perfect outrun and lift, with a slight waver on the fetch, and when she penned successfully after a small break, she topped the limit class.

A wide course at Buchanan ran downhill and tapered in toward the lift post, but a slight ridge on the right hand outrun tended to pull dogs in. The Blackface gimmers did not like the gates or the chute and although they were not easily navigated round the course on their first circuit, they improved when they realised that co-operation held no dangers for them.

Stuart Davidson’s Gillieglen Queen (SL Davidson’s Rob, A Gillies’ Peg) overshot her sheep a little at the top, making a waver at the start of the fetch, but once rectified, an excellent fetch ensued until the gimmers went off line towards the end.

The drive went very well, until approaching the second gate, Queen was positioned low to stop the sheep missing the gate on her side, but this meant that when they opted to go high, she had to cover a lot of ground to catch them, but a clean chute and shed raised the standard of the work and Queen’s points matched Choc’s, but Kenny had left the trial so Choc was unavailable for a run off, and the victory went to Queen.

Kenny Donald’s Choc (RE Lewis’ Craig, R Games’ Sweet) ran out and lifted cleanly, but the line of the fetch wavered a little. A good start to the drive was marred by an overflank from Choc which put the sheep off line on the first leg and the correction proved to be another over flank, but the gimmers went through the gate with a slightly wide turn.

A good cross drive and return put Choc into the lead as she went to the pen, and a clean pen added to that, but hesitation at the shed brought the run level on points with Queen’s, eventually taking second place.

LEADING awards

Kilberry (Judge: J Barr, Clochkeil). Open – 55 ran – 1, N McVicar’s Mist, Benmore, 96; 2, I McConnell’s Sam, Lamlash, 92; 3, L Magnusson’s Kate, Mid Derry, 91 outbye; 4, C Toner’s Ali, Drimsynie, 91; 5, CM Magnusson’s Kemi Sally, Mid Derry, 90; 6, J MacKillop’s Straid Ben, Fort Augustus, 89 Outbye; 7, J MacKillop’s Zac, Fort Augustus, 89; 8, A MacDiarmid’s Sal, Duns, 88; 9, SL Davidson’s Gillieglen Queen, Sandbank, 87; 10, A MacCuish’s Tweed, Skipness, 86. Local – 1, K McCulloch’s Flo, Tayvallich.

St Boswells (Judge: A Wilson, Philiphaugh). Open – 60 ran – 1, R Henderson’s Jude, Crawford, 95 outbye; 2, IM Brownlie’s Lia, Deuchrie, 95; 3, D Wallace’s Bill, Blythbank, 94; 4, J Hill’s Molly, Heriot, 92 outbye; 5, M Davidson’s Angus, Lilburn, 92; 6, D Wallace’s Boy, Blythbank, 91. Novice –T McInley’s Pat, Coulter, 73.

Fetlar (Judge: P Fowler, Fetlar). Open – 26 ran – 1, J Ramsay’s Drift, Ollaberry, 93 /100; 2, D Murray’s Sweep, North Roe, 90 outbye; 3, J Nicolson’s Todd, Scalloway, 90; 4, S Fraser’s Jan, Cullswick, 88; 5, W Morrison’s Straid Nell, Yell, 87. Championship – 5 ran – 1, D Murray’s Sweep, North Roe, 85/110; 2, S Fraser’s Jan, Cullswick, 84; 3, W Morrison’s Straid Nell, Yell, 83. Limit – 13 ran – 1, B Smith’s Queen, Dunrossness, 56/60; 2, R Colclough’s Rosefield Pip, Westsandwick, 50 outbye; 3, W Morrison’s Meg, Yell, 50.

Strathvaich Hill (Judge: A Cameron, Callander). Open – 40 ran – 1, M MacNally’s Ash, Invergarry, 90 outbye; 2, S Campbell’s Belle, Skye, 90; 3, A Anderson’s Sockan, Glenlyon, 85; 4, H Munro’s Lil, Inverness, 81; 5, P Martin’s Jill, Glenlyon, 80.

Buchanan (Judge: N Gillon, Dailly). Open – 57 ran – 1, SL Davidson’s Gillieglen Queen, Sandbank, 88 outbye; 2, K Donald’s Choc, Dalrymple, 88; 3 N McVicar’s Mist, Benmore, 84 outbye; 4, A MacDiarmid’s Sal, Duns, 84; 5, CM Magnusson’s Sprout, Mid Derry, 80; 6, A Stewart’s Kemi Ruby, Lockerbie, 77; 7, I Lockhart’s Bill, Carsphairn, 75 outbye; 8, C Toner’s Tammi, Drimsynie,75.