Willie Welsh's Cap leads at Lesmahagow sheepdog trial

The dogs ran out over a downhill course to fetch the sheep up a slope to the handler. The Mule gimmers were generally manageable on the course, but they were not easily lifted and were reluctant to be parted at the shed.

Cap (A Owen’s Llangwm Cap, M Jones’ June) ran out to his sheep and lifted them without any trouble, but he could not hear commands going through a hollow and brought the sheep out a little offline. Willie squared them up and Cap kept them on a good line from there. He turned them and drove them away, but they were wide at the first drive gate.

The cross drive went well with a good turn at the end, but the line swerved on the the return to the pen. Despite that, a clean pen followed and after the common struggle to separate the sheep, the shed was made and Cap finished in first place with a comfortable lead over a fairly closely packed field.

A two-day fundraiser for the Scottish National at Ham Farm, in Caithness saw a good turnout and two very varied prize lists.

Billy Morrison’s three-year-old Meg jnr (R Hutchinson’s Jock, I Wilkie’s Floss) won the trial with a high scoring run on her first outing.

The rough hoggs generally behaved well on the big, open field, but had shown their potential to react to dogs in the close work so Billy kept young Meg back as much as he could and she worked well, getting all her gates and suffering only a minor break at the pen before completing the winning run.

Next day, outbye work was called to separate the top runs and gave Peter Martin’s Daisy the winning edge over Michael Shearer’s Roy.

The hoggs behaved very very well on a fresh, flat field but their reluctance to be penned destroyed the prospects of some erstwhile good runs.

Daisy (D Naylor’s Straid Moss, P Martin’s Jill) worked well outbye and had a good drive until the hoggs made a wide turn through the cross drive gate. One awkward hogg compounded the difficulties at the pen but Daisy eventually secured the packet. The sheep were flighty at the shed, and again the same one played up, but once more Daisy managed her and completed the run in first place, level on points with second.

Roy (MC Shearer’s Bob and Nell) ran out well and although his sheep had moved at the top before he reached them, he got them onto line on the fetch and had a good drive. He penned with the issues which were now regular for the event and finished with a shed that put him in the running for first place.

Michael’s Heilan Rab (T Coghill Robertson’s Dahl and Dot) ran out a little short, and despite taking a good line down the fetch, missed the gate, but drove well, had a good pen by the standard of the day. A good shed gave him third place, well ahead of the field.

LEADING awards

Lesmahagow (Judge: AB Mundell, Moffat). Open – 56 ran – 1, W Welsh’s Cap, Dalcairney, 93; 2, SL Davidson’s Kyle, Sandbank, 89 Outbye; 3, IM Brownlie’s Boyd, Deuchrie, 89; 4, A McCulloch’s Risp, Dalmellington, 86 Outbye; 5, D Aitken’s Tweeddale Nell, Lockerbie, 86; 6, R Henderson’s Jude, Crawford, 85.

Ham I, Dunnet (Judge: B Ross, Ardgay). Open – 60 ran – 1, W Morrison’s Meg jnr, Yell, 94; 2, I MacDonald’s Ben, Staffin, 92 Outbye; 3, D Simpson’s Gael, Barrock, 92 Outbye; 4, I MacKay’s Gwen, Leanach, 92; 5, MC Shearer’s Rab, Westfield, 90 Outbye; 6, W Morrison’s Meg Snr, Yell, 90 Outbye; 7, K Keith’s Jen, Durness, 90 Outbye; 8, V Shearer’s Bess, Westfield, 88; 9, M Cook’s Joe, Halkirk, 86 Outbye; 10, K Keith’s Sassy, Durness, 86; Under 25s - L Ronaldson’s Bob, Skarfskerry.

Ham II, Dunnet (Judge: J MacKenzie, Ardormie). Open – 53 ran – 1, P Martin’s Daisy, Glenlyon, 87 Outbye; 2, MC Shearer’s Roy, Westfield, 87; 3, MC Shearer’s Heilan Rab, Westfield, 80; 4, W Morrison’s Meg Snr, Yell, 74 Outbye; 5, J Grant’s Brynn, Dunbeath,74; 6, MC Shearer’s Tib, Westfield, 72 Outbye; 7, P Martin’s Corrie, Glenlyon, 72; 8, F Fulford’s Nelly, Eracht, 69 Outbye; 9, H Johnstone’s Roy, Fyvie, 69; 10, M MacNally's Glen, Invergarry, 66; Under 25s – F Fulford’s Nelly, Eracht; £750 raised for 2021 Scottish National.