A clean start and clean work at hand gave Jasmine Grant’s Lad victory at Knocknagael.

Lively Blackface cross Cheviot hoggs ran consistently well on a good, flat course, set just below the spectators, and were co-operative at the pen.

Lad (G Simpson's Lad and Gin) ran out cleanly and lifted in a controlled manner. His fetch was good, with just minor wavers. The line twisted a little as the hoggs came round Jasmine’s feet, but the drive went well from there, with just a slight wide turn through the cross drive gate to fault it. Clean work at hand set the seal on the winning run.

Jeff Moore’s Catterlen Bob (MC Andrew’s Glen, R Dent’s Marchup Nell), also started his run with a clean outrun and lift and although his fetch wavered rather more than Lad’s, he put his sheep through the fetch gate and went on to make a good job of his drive. A clean pen followed, and although Bob was a little slow to come in on his shed, once the split was successfully completed, he earned second place.

The trial is likely to be the last in a 35-year series of fund raising trials organised by Hugh and Marlene Munro in aid of local charities. Over the years, the couple has raised more than £25,000, donated to local branches of charities supporting Hearing and Guide Dogs, Special Needs Education, Riding for Disabled people, Maggie (Highland) Cancer support, Seagull Trust boat trips for elderly and disabled people, amongst others.

The event has moved around the North, initially starting at Dell of Inches in aid of Motor Neurone Disease, when a local family, affected by that illness began fund raising. Since then, it has moved to Slackbuie, when Hugh worked at Leys Castle, and on his retiral to Inverness, moved to Bogbain and latterly to Knocknagael, which provided an excellent panorama view for spectators.

Marlene Munro said, “We have had tremendous support from the competitors, who have been very generous in their contributions to our efforts. This year, as usual, we have had people travelling from Skye, Mull, Wester Ross, Caithness, Sutherland, Aberdeenshire, Perthshire and Glasgow, but as ever, the money goes to local, Highland charities. This year we raised our biggest sum £1200 and it will go to Loch Ness and North Kessock branches of RNLI.”

LEADING awards

Knocknagael (Judge: A MacLean, Tain). Open – 49 ran – 1, J Grant’s Lad, Dunbeath, 91; 2, J Moore’s Catterlen Bob, Gruline, 88; 3, S Campbell’s Queen, Uig, 86 outbye; 4, H Munro’s Bea, Inverness, 86 outbye; 5, I Sutherland’s Cap, Strathnaver, 86; 6, P Martin’s Daisy, Glenlyon, 83; £1200 raised for RNLI (Loch Ness & North Kessock).

Four Nations, Slindon (Judges: GC Gardiner, Scotland; T O’ Sullivan, Ireland). Nursery – Four teams of 10 ran – 1, P McKillop’s Tide, Ireland, 181/200; 2, D Howell’s Wyverne May, Wales, 178; 3, C Toner’s Lyn, Scotland, 168; 4, A Lyttle’s Aughafoy Gen, Ireland, 167; 5, B Smith’s Ben, England, 154; 6, J Watson’s Nedwin Eddie, England, 152. Team – Wales.