By Sine Robertson

First place at three out five Hebridean circuit trials secured the Hebridean cup for John MacKillop's Zac by a wide margin.

At Waternish, the Cheviot gimmers were manageable on a course of rashes and long grass which put them out of sight for a time, but they were very difficult to pen and some dogs failed to do that.

Zac (C Davidson’s Cap, SL Davidson’s Gillieglen Queen) worked well outbye and at hand, and although the drive was going well, the packet slipped by the cross drive gate. With good work achieved and more still to come, Zac logged his first win of the week.

At Berneray, Zac had a very steady run with minor points dropped here and there, but no holes. It took time to pen the sheep and John was watching the clock running as he made a quick shed and finished the run in first place, only three seconds before time ran out.

Scarista II gave Zac his hat-trick. He worked well outbye, but had minor wavers on the drive. His pen took time and although one sheep peeled off from the packet before John was ready to shed, Zac retrieved her and then made a good shed, which helped to achieve his third win of the week.

A very tidy run with good lines and neat turns gave Chris Toner’s Niro Tammi the Trials of Bute championship after four days competing.

A mix of Texel cross and BF crosses behaved well on a flat, freshly mown field. Chris whistled Tammi (BK Renwick’s Nip, C Toner’s Graham’s Sam) on her outrun, and she landed far behind her sheep, needing further encouragement to come on to them. Once she had contact with her sheep, she fetched them on a good line to the return pole where she left them. Tammi needed a flank at the start of her lookback, but she found her sheep and made another good fetch and a good job of uniting the the two lots. She drove them slowly and steadily, with sharp turns, and brought them to the centre of the shedding ring, working quietly, and holding the sides well. Chris and Tammi worked well together showing great shepherding skills and a clean pen secured the championship with only 20 second left on the clock and the runners up hot on their heels.

The Lleyn cross gimmers at a new venue for Aboyne trial were very lively, but manageable on the course if the dog stayed off them; they were inclined to play up as they turned round the handler, and again to such an extent at the pen, that very few dogs penned.

Ian Wilkie’s Pip (R Hutchinson’s Sweep, I Wilkie’s Floss) ran out to her sheep, lifted slightly off line, but corrected that and made a good fetch. A Suffolk cross, unsettled at the top of the field, was determined to break from Ian’s feet. Pip worked well to turn the packet and hold her as she pulled on the first leg of the drive and the cross drive went well. Pip penned after retrieving a few small breaks and completed the winning run with a good shed.

Mike Watt’s Dale (M Watt’s Bob and Lyn) worked well outbye and on the course and although time ran out at the pen, an unfinished run earned second place, a point behind the winner.

Hebridean Circuit

Waternish, Skye (Judge:T McPhee, Wick). Open – 49 ran – 1, J MacKillop's Zac, Fort Augustus, 81; 2, S Lejeuz’ Mac, Netherlands, 76; 3, EC MacKinnon’s Buddy, Lochcarron, 71 outbye; 4, C Mellin’s Moor Lodge Ben, Oakworth, 71; 5, T Long’s Lass, Ballybofey, 69; 6, S Lejeuz’ Eryn, Netherlands, 67 outbye.

Berneray, Uist (Judge: A Cameron, Callander). Open – 49 ran – 1, J MacKillop's Zac, Fort Augustus, 91; 2, T Long’s Jen, Ballybofey, 89 outbye; 3, T Long’s Lass, Ballybofey, 89; 4, P Rigby’s Scott, Lancs, 87; 5, C Townson’s Fly, Oakworth, 86 outbye; 6, T McPhee’s Liz, Wick, 86.

Scarista I (Judge: T Neal,Wormegay). Open – 42 ran – 1, C Mellin’s Gyp, Oakworth, 75; 2, T Long’s Lass, Ballybofey, 74; 3, C Mellin’s Moor Lodge Ben, Oakworth, 72; 4, C Neal’s Dexter, Wormegay, 70; 5, S Lejeuz’ Cain, Netherlands, 69; 6, T McPhee’s Liz, Wick, 68.

Scarista II (Judge: K Freeman, Killin). Open – 38 ran – 1, J MacKillop's Zac, Fort Augustus, 92; 2, S Lejeuz’ Cain, Netherlands, 90; 3, T Long’s Lass, Ballybofey, 85; 4, S Lejeuz’ Mac, Netherlands, 84 outbye; 5, C Mellin’s Moor Lodge Ben, Oakworth, 84; 6, R Newsome’s Mia, Rossendale, 83. Local – D Campbell’s Swell, Scarista, 42.

Laxay, Lewis (Judge: T McPhee, Wick). Open – 42 ran – 1, S Lejeuz’ Mac, Netherlands, 91; 2, R Newsome’s Mia, Rossendale, 88 outbye; 3, J MacKillop's Cap, Fort Augustus, 88; 4, T Long’s Gem, Ballybofey, 85; 5, C Mellin’s Gyp, Oakworth, 83; 6, M Murray’s Gael, back, 80. Local – M Murray’s Gael, Back, 80.

Hebridean cup, ‘Lord of the Isles’ – J MacKillop's Zac, Fort Augustus;

Trials of Bute

Scalpsie I (Judge: J Casey, Largie). Open – 38 ran – 1, K Donald’s Bill, Dalrymple, 95; 2, K Cropper’s Jacobsdale Gin, Shap, 94; 3, A McCulloch’s Sam, Dalmellington, 93 outbye; 4, K Sodaberg’s Flynn, Sweden, 93 outbye; 5, C Caerts’ Glen, Belgium, 93; 6, B Klingborg’s Farvallarens Carss, Sweden, 91.

Plan Farm I (Judge: A MacDiarmid, Strachur). Open – 25 ran – 1, J Johansson’s Everon Ztill, Sweden, 95; 2, P Martin’s Daisy, Glenlyon, 94; 3, J McGowan’s Rick, Portpatrick, 91; 4, W Gallagher’s Chip, Kilcar, 90; 5, J Grant’s Pat, Dunbeath, 84; 6, W Gallagher’s Moss, Kilcar, 82.

Ardros I (Judge: J McGowan, Portpatrick). Open – 49 ran – 1, SL Davidson’s Dan, Sandbank, 84 Outbye; 2, JP McGee’s Nan, Ballybofey, 84; 3, K Cropper’s Jacobsdale Gin, Shap, 83; 4, C Davidson’s Kyle, Sandbank, 81 outbye; 5, A Kent’s Myllin Jill, Dunoon, 81; 6, K Sodaberg’s Flynn, Sweden, 79.

Scalpsie II (Judge: JR Welsh, Dalrymple). Open – 35 ran – 1, M Davidson’s Heather, Lilburn, 94; 2, P Martin’s Daisy, Glenlyon, 93; 3, J Grant’s Pat, Dunbeath, 92; 4, AD Carnegie’s Suus, Comrie, 90; 5, C Cassie’s Fellside Pip, Lancs., 89 outbye; 6, D McMullen’s Eve, Glenarm, 89.

Plan Farm II (Judge: M Gallagher, Alyth) Open – 47 ran – 1, K Sodaberg’s Valhunden Bree, Sweden, 87; 2, JP McGee’s Fleet, Ballybofey, 84; 3, A McCulloch’s Sam, Dalmellington, 81 Outbye; 4, C Davidson’s Kyle, Sandbank, 81; 5, K Sodaberg’s Flynn, Sweden, 80; 6, SL Davidson’s Maid, Sandbank, 79.

Ardros II (Judge: JJ Pattinson, Roman Wall). Open – 45 ran – 1, C Toner’s Niro Tammi, Drimsynie, 94; 2, S Macauley’s Cora, Downpatrick, 93; 3, P Tomkins’ Lyn, Llandridnod Wells, 92; 4, P Martin’s Daisy, Glenlyon, 91 outbye; 5, P Martin’s Meg, Glenlyon, 91; 6, C Cassie’s Fellside Pip, Lancs, 90.

Bute (Judge:N Gillon, Dailly). Double lift championship – 15 ran – 1, C Toner’s Niro Tammi, Drimsynie,132 /160; 2, C Caerts’ Glen, Belgium, 131 outbye; 3, J Johansson’s Everon Ztill, Sweden, 131; 4, S Macauley’s Cora, Downpatrick, 104; 5, K Cropper’s Jacobsdale Gin, Shap,102; 6, J Grant’s Pat, Dunbeath,100.

Aboyne (Judge: S Alexander, Rickarton). Open – 45 ran – 1, I Wilkie’s Pip Keithhall, 76; 2, M Watt’s Dale, Kirriemuir, 75; 3, T Long’s Jen, Ballybofey, 61 outbye; 4, J MacKillop's Cap, Fort Augustus, 61 outbye; 5, K Paterson’s Mitch, Kinross, 61; 6, C Mellin’s Moor Lodge Ben, Oakworth, 60; 7, T Long’s Lass, Ballybofey, 57 Outbye; 8, C Townson’s Fly, Oakworth, 57 Outbye; 9, A Wilkie’s Spot (Mot), Glenmoy, 55; 10, M MacNally's Ash, Invergarry, 54. Local – I Wilkie’s Pip Keithhall, 76.

North Mavine, Shetland (Judge: J McKenzie, Alyth). Open – 28 ran – 1, J Ramsay’s Fly, Ollaberry, 96 /100; 2, J Ramsay’s Spot, Ollaberry, 89 outbye; 4, B Smith’s Chip (Flash), Dunrossness, 89; 5, B Smith’s Lass, Dunrossness, 86; 6, D Murray’s Sweep, North Roe, 85; Championship – 5 ran – 1, B Smith’s Lass, Dunrossness,101 /110; 2, J Ramsay’s Fly, Ollaberry, 99; 3, D Murray’s Jill, North Roe, 99. Limit – 14 ran – 1, D Murray’s Meg, North Roe,49 /60; 2, R Colclough’s Dot, Westsandwick, 39 outbye; 3, C Williamson’s Joe, Ollaberry, 39.