Neil Gillon’s Boss puts them in their place at New Cumnock

A calm lift in a tight space set up Peter Martin’s unregistered 16-month-old Ivy for a nicely balanced run at Strathnaver.

The Cheviot ewes generally behaved well on the flat course, but they were tricky to pen.

Ivy had no problem taking them round the course and the pen only required patience, before a good shed completed her winning run.

Kennel mate Daisy ( D Naylor’s Straid Moss, P Martin’s Jill) worked similarly, but a more combative shed made her runner up, a single point behind Ivy.

The cast Cheviot ewes at Durness behaved on the flat course in the morning, but were not easily penned and as became less tractable on the course the day wore on.

Michael Shearer’s Tib (MC Shearer’s Jim, IM Brownlie’s Star) ran out and up on to the rise where the sheep were released, lifted them nicely and kept them going smoothly. Although they came low on the cross drive, Tib turned them up and through the gate and finished the winning run with a good pen and shed.

Kennel mate, Michael’s Heilan Rab (T Coghill Robertson’s Dahl and Dot) had another good run, but as the ewes approached the fetch gate on a good line, they realised that they were heading for the gate; they side stepped it, but returned to the straight and narrow and continued nicely round the course. Rab worked well at hand, but took second place for the blip on the fetch.

Iain MacDonald’s Ben (D Rees’ Cap, R Shaw’s Bet) stopped on his outrun, but once Iain had him moving again, he worked well, and matched Rab’s points, but took third place for losing points so early in his run.

The Mule ewes at Ellemford were wary of the woodwork on the drive and at the pen, running on a big flat course on a fine day.

Dean Aitken’s Tweeddale Viki (E Gray Tweeddale Jamie, D Aitken’s Tami) established a good relationship with the sheep, never upsetting them and got the best out of her packet.

She handled them very well outbye, but on the drive away, where some handlers had already given up, one ewe broke and took off. Viki stopped her, gently settled her and guided the packet through the gate with a tight turn and went on to complete an otherwise very good run in first place.

The Blackface ewes at Carrick ran on a gently rising course, although the drive was flat, but despite that they were not easily persuaded through the gates.

Fraser Shennan’s Belle (F Shennan’s Spot, J Shennan’s Rose) ran out and lifted cleanly, fetched well with a just a slight deviation of the line and had another waver on the cross drive. A clean pen and a successful shed completed the run in first place.

Iain McConnell’s Joe (D Shaw’s Ben, J Shanks Kim) got off to a good start, but had a slight waver at the start of the fetch; his turn round Iain’s feet was a little wide and affected the line of the drive away. A clean pen followed and when the shed was made, the work took second place.

EADING awards

Strathnaver (Judge: N Sutherland, Strathnaver). Open – 43 ran –1, P Martin’s Ivy, Glenlyon, 94; 2, P Martin’s Daisy, Glenlyon, 93; 3, V Shearer’s Viking Misty, Westfield, 90 outbye; 4, D Worthington’s Ace, Skarfskerry, 90 outbye; 5, A Stewart’s Jim, Lockerbie, 90; 6, H MacKenzie’s Nap, Kinbrace, 88.

New Cumnock (Judge: AB Mundell, Moffat). Open – 63 ran – 1, N Gillon’s Boss, Dailly, 92; 2, A Kent’s Cass, Dunoon, 91; 3, K Donald’s Bill, Dalrymple, 90 outbye; 4, W Welsh’s Doug, Dalcairney, 90 outbye; 5, C Caygill’s Seth, Whinnyliggate, 90; 6, A Kent’s Myllin Jill, Dunoon, 86; 7, AR Mundell’s Rob, Moffat, 84; 8, A McCulloch’s Maid, Dalmellington, 83.

Carrick (Judge: F McMillan, Moniaive). Open – 49 ran – 1, F Shennan’s Belle, Barr, 92; 2, I McConnell’s Joe, Lamlash, 88; 3, J Paterson’s Scalpsie Roy, Kirkcowan, 81; 4, J Thomson’s Northtyne Spear, Carsphairn, 80; 5, W Welsh’s Cap, Dalcairney, 78 outbye; 6, A McCulloch’s Sam, Dalmellington, 78. Confined – 1, F Shennan’s Belle, Barr, 92; 2, W Welsh’s Cap, Dalcairney, 78; 3, B Welsh’s Meg, Beoch, 66. Nursery –1, L Gast’s Scalpsie Ace, Scalpsie, 88; 6, B Welsh’s Meg, Beoch, 66; 3, SL Davidson’s Finn, Sandbank, 62.

Durness (Judge: J Ogston, Killin). Open – 55 ran –1, MC Shearer’s Tib, Westfield, 91; 2, MC Shearer’s Heilan Rab, Westfield, 90 outbye; 3, I MacDonald’s Ben, Staffin, 90; 4, J MacKillop’s Viking Jed, Fort Augustus, 88; 5, J Lamont’s Ben, Portree, 89; 6,V Shearer’s Viking Misty, Westfield, 86 outbye; 7, K Keith’s Foinaven Skye, Lockerbie, 86; 8, A Stewart’s Malta Mollie, Lockerbie, 85; 9, D Worthington’s Ace, Skarfskerry, 82; 10, S Campbell’s Bell, Uig, 81. Local – 1, K Keith’s Sassy, Durness, 86; 2, J Sutherland’s Flo, Durness, 78; 3,N McKenzie’s Sue, Auchiltiebuie, 59; 4, M MacKay’s Buzz, Durness, 56; 5, S Curtis’ Pip;

Lintrathen (Judge: C Maitland Gardner, Muthill). Open – 56 ran – 1, AD Carnegie’s Suus, Comrie, 90; 2, D Aitken’s Tweeddale Viki, Peebles, 85; 3, S MacFarlane’s Willow, Blairgowrie, 83; 4, E Nilsson’s Ivy, Balintore, 82; 5, E Nilsson’s Tweeddale Fergie, Balintore, 80; 6, A Cameron’s Sally, Callander, 79; 7, S MacFarlane’s Jim, Blairgowrie, 77; 8, M Gallagher’s Shep, Alyth, 73 outbye; 9, A Wilkie’s Lyn, Glenmoy, 73; 10, AD Carnegie’s Gwen, Comrie, 70. Local – 1, A Wilkie’s Lyn, Glenmoy, 73; 2, M Watt’s Hemp, Kirriemuir, 63; 3, M Caul’s Denwyn Mist, Balkello, 56; 4, M Watt’s Dale, Kirriemuir, 49; 5, D Beaton’s Cap, Memus, 40.

Ellmford (Judge: J Mitchell, Broughton). Open – 33 ran – 1, D Aitken’s Tweeddale Viki, Peebles, 90; 2, D Wallace’s Jock, Blyth Bridge, 88; 3, J Robinson’s Jim, Coldingham, 72; 4, IM Brownlie’s Don, Dunbar, 84; 5, P Anderson’s Cap, Michigan, 71 outbye; 6, H Brown’s Mac, Coulter, 71.

Abington (Judge: S McCrindle, Stranraer). Open – 52 ran – 1, Lockhart’s Kemi Sia, Dalrymple, 81; 2, W Welsh’s Cap, Dalcairney, 80; 3, A McCulloch’s Sam, Dalmellington, 76 outbye; 4, K Donald’s Bill, Dalrymple,76; 5, RB Henderson’s Bob, Broughton, 74; 6, R Henderson’s Roy, Crawford, 71.