Jasmine Grant’s Lad wins big at Badanloch trial
JASMINE Grant’s Lad worked cleanly outbye and got all his gates, giving him a long lead over the field at Badanloch, where the Cheviot gimmers behaved well on the rough hill ground, but were tricky to pen.
Although the sheep were generally visible at the top of the field, some young dogs struggled to find them, in the wet and misty conditions and a number crossed the course.
Lad (G Simpson’s Lad and Gin) ran out to his sheep and although they had moved off before he reached them, he covered them well and brought them back on to line. He took them down the fetch on a good line and at a steady pace. Turning round Jasmine, they wanted to head to the exhaust pen, making a wider than ideal start to the drive, but once on line, they went straight through the gate, and turned neatly on to the next leg.
The cross went well, with just a slight waver and again, they went through the middle of the gate. They turned on to the return, where they were drawn to the exhaust again, speeding up and moving slightly past the direct line to the pen. Lad turned them back, but ironically, the ringleader saw the open pen gate and seeing it as an escape, ran straight into the pen, with the others following, sheep-like into captivity. At the shed, the sheep were drawing for the exhaust again; Lad came in to the split, and although two bolted for freedom, Jasmine flanked Lad to come in for the last two, which he did and earned first place.
Hugh MacKenzie’s Langdale Spot (S Campbell’s Flint, J MacKenzie’s Meg) ran out cleanly, and came on to his sheep a little harshly. They had moved off from the post, but Spot got them on line, but despite that, they slipped by the gate. The drive started well, but the gimmers missed the cross drive gate. A good pen and a clean shed completed the run in second place.
Mixed lots of cross and Blackfaces ewes ran well at the Great Glen, if not put under pressure, but they were not keen to be penned.
The course was set on a flat field that rose gradually towards the far end, but the combination of a drain at the top end of the fetch and soft ground below the gate made it hard to keep a good line. Rough ground beyond the drive away gate hampered dogs from keeping tight turns there.
Mike McNally’s Ash (M McNally’s Killiebrae Moss, N Campbells Cass) ran out well, with a steadying whistle helping her to keep out on a good line. She worked well on the fetch, but her turn round Mike was slightly wide and Ash struggled to get the sheep turned quickly through the first drive gate, but the cross drive went well. The ewes resisted the pen, but Ash got them in and and completed the winning run with a good shed.
John MacKillop’s Zak (C Davidson’s Cap, SL Davidson’s Gillieglen Queen) responded to a whistle on his outrun and worked well from there, until the ewes took off on the cross drive, but he got his gate. The ewes were unsettled at the pen, but Zac penned, shed and finished in second place, with kennel mate, Viking Jed, coming up behind.
Jed (JW Common’s Grit, B Smith’s Lass) needed a whistle on the way out, and worked well from there, but in an effort to keep up the standard with a tight turn through the drive away gate, he turned three sheep back through the gate. The rest of the run was better and Jed took third place.
Northumberland League
Carlcroft (Judge: D Corbett, Rochester) Nursery – 19 ran – 1, K Preston’s Ace, Elsdon, 88; 2, M Davidson’s Hendre Gwen, Lilburn, 87 Outbye; 3, D Henderson’s Burndale Lexi, Allendale, 87; 4, R Mitcheson’s Belle, Belsay, 82; 5, M Davidson’s Glen, Lilburn, 72; 6, D Henderson’s Moss, Allendale,70; Novice - R Mitcheson’s Belle, Belsay 82.