First Dumfries and Kirkcudbright Nursery Sheep Dog Trials of new season

Oct 28 2011 by Susan Bryden, Dumfries Standard Friday

THE FIRST Dumfries and Kirkcudbright Nursery Sheep Dog Trials were held on Saturday at Cocklicks Farm, Annan, by the kind permission of Mr Gilbert Marshall. The judge was Mr Mark Elliot from Cumbria.

Eight dogs ran in total over the flat, national type course.

The sheep were well presented Scotch mule ewes which were good to handle over the course but tricky to pen.

Winner this week was Gilbert Marshall with Spot. Gilbert sent Spot on the right hand outrun which Spot went a little wide dropping one point.

Spot was a little sluggish to lift the sheep but managed to get them moving at a good pace for the fetch.

Gilbert and Spot tried to navigate the fetch gates but unfortunately they just slipped past at the last minute on approach to the gates.

This cost Gilbert and Spot to lose seven points out of 20.

Gilbert and Spot turned the sheep nicely round the handler and had a good line on the first leg of the drive there were only minor points dropped for slight line deviations mainly on approach to the second drive gates.

The sheep provide difficult for Gilbert and Spot at the pen with them going round a few times before Spot finally mastered them and went in the pen, however this meant that they lost seven points out of 10.

The shed was next with a split of four sheep and Gilbert and Spot pulled this off in style with a maximum of 10 points awarded. The total score out of 100 was 76 for Gilbert and Spot and was good enough to take first place.

The breeding of Scott is: sire G Marshall’s Max; dam K Hall Queen.

Second placed went to Alasdair Mundell and Bob.

Alasdair and Bob also ran out to the right hand but they had a better start than Gilbert and Spot, only dropping one point out of 30 for the lift.

Alasdair and Bob also had good pace on the fetch but the sheep again dodged the gates which cost them eight points lost out of 20.

A good turn round the handlers’ feet set the sheep up nice for the first leg of the drive but unfortunately a set of gates were missed and this cost Alasdair and Bob the first place.

Alasdair and Bob had a better pen than Gilbert and Spot but a little hesitation on the shed put Alasdair and Bob into second place with a total score of 73 points out of 100. The breeding for Bob is: sire JH Weir’s Rock and dam JH Weir’s Gwen.

Results: 1 Gilbert Marshall, Annan, Spot 76; 2 Alasdair Mundell, Moffat, Bob 73; 3 Joe McRobert, Moffat, Sarnfaean Spotan 64; 4 Gilbert Marshall, Annan, Fly 60; 5 Allan Common, Lockerbie, Nan; 6 Alasdair Mundell, Moffat Mirk; 7 Bob Malcolm, Gatehouse of Fleet, Holly.

The next nursery trial is due to be held at Crossdykes Farm, Lockerbie on Saturday October 29 starting at 11am. All welcome.

For further information contact Fiona McMillan on Mob: 07743 977313