There is a well known saying, 'no pain, no gain' and that will be ringing true in the minds of Milk Link’s 1,600 producers, who are on the brink of reaping just reward for 12 years of loyalty and investment.WORKING DOGS
Black and Jim's near-perfect trial
RUNNING early at eight on the first day of a two-day trial at North Reston, Lincolnshire, last weekend, Jim Cropper had a near-perfect trial with Black, to take the title on 98 of 100 points.
For the second consecutive year, James Read hosted the trial at which more than £2,000 was raised for the local church, and for cancer research.
The course could be gathered either way and had a fetch of 250 yards. As each section of driving was lengthy, the total drive measured more than 300 yards and there was a single after the pen.
On Saturday, David Sykes judged the entry of 73, seeing a high standard of competition as the Scotch half-bred shearlings were very good to manage.
Jim Cropper was also placed third with Fleet, Black’s full litter brother. That same pair went on to win the brace contest, where the entry of four was judged by Ian Murdoch.
The two dogs were bred in October 2005 by J.B. Fothergill, of Hawes.
On an outbye decision, Gordon Watt’s Wallace was the runner-up on 96.
On Sunday, when the course was changed to a right-hand drive, John Bee judged the entry of 61.
Tricky sheep
The sheep were tricky to manage and pulled strongly towards the holding pen in the morning, but became more settled as the day brightened.
It was at 20, when the sheep were difficult, that Tom Lawrenson had the winning trial with Spot on 96 points, one clear of Gordon Watt who ran Flo at 54 and, once again, had to settle for second place.
At the annual Lowgill Open on Saturday, Pat Noble judged the entry of 43.
A pasture sloping gently downhill to the lift enabled a fetch of 250 yards. Most gathered left following a hedge as dogs could be lost from sight to the right.
The Swaledale and Dalesbred hoggs were difficult to pen, with young handler Alex Briggs being the only competitor to finish without fault.
Running third, Arthur Temple and Meg failed to be matched.
Following a clean gather, Meg lost two points from her lift and three for deviations over the fetch.
Her driving was excellent as she dropped just two points throughout and with two marks lost at the pen her score of 81 gave a five-point lead over the runner-up Joseph Relph’s Mac.
RESULTS
NORTH RESTON Charity Trial, Louth, Lincolnshire, Saturday Open (Judge, D. Sykes, Bardby, 73 ran) 1, J. Cropper (Deerplay) Black, 98 of 100; 2, G. Watt (Saham Toney) Wallace, 96 OLF; 3, J. Cropper, Fleet, 96; 4, J. Wood (Norland) Sal, 93 OLF; 5, H. Loates (South Leverton) Sweep, 93; 6, C. Cropper (Water) Roy, 93.
Sunday Open (J. Bee, Bourne, 61 ran) 1, T. Lawrenson (Brindle) Spot, 96 of 100; 2, G. Watt, Flo, 95; 3, S. Cropper (Deerplay) Boss, 94; 4, S. Little (Kerdiston) Brad, 93 OLF; 5, G. Dermody (Nantwich) Jess, 93; 6, D. Wood (Derwent Valley) Sal, 92.
Brace (I. Murdoch, Sutton on Forest, 4 ran) 1, J. Cropper, Fleet and Black, 119 of 140; 2, J. Read (Louth) Jess and Swift, 112.
Money raised for North Reston Church and cancer research amounted to over £2,000.
LOWGILL Sports, Lancashire, Open (P. Noble, Quernmore, 43 ran) 1, A. Temple (Holmrook) Meg, 81 of 90; 2, J. Relph (Borrowdale) Mac, 76; 3, T. Huddleston (Caton) Udale Spring, 75; 4, F. Noble (Wearhead) Bob, 74; 5, R. Briggs (Wennington) Bill, 73; 6, J. Howes (Hamsterley) Meg, 72.
CORNWALL, Roughtor Trial, Camelford, Saturday, Maltese Cross (H. Ross, Tregony, 9 ran) Novice, 1, J. Nicholls (Buckland Brewer) Gail; 2, J. Nicholls, Joe.
Open Maltese Cross, 1, G. Watson (Brecon) Gail, 74 of 80 OLF; 2, G. Watson, Craig, 74; 3, R. Hawke (Salisbury) Mac, 68; 4, R. Watson (Holdsworthy) Lad, 55.
Saturday Novice Driving (S. Jones, Bodmin, 14 ran) 1, M. Capes (Lydney) Holly, 71 of 100; 2, M. Fox (Dorchester) Gem, 70; 3, J. Holdsworth (Moretonhampstead) Dusk, 67; 4, G. Watson, Jake, 64.
Open Driving (27 ran) 1, G. Watson, Rob, 85 of 100; 2, G. Watson, Mirk, 80; 3, J. Nicholls, Dan, 77; 4, J. Carter (Delabole) Jen, 76; 5, J. Harper (Jacobstowe) Dee, 75; 6, P. Johnson (Stoke on Trent) Mist, 74.
Sunday Novice Maltese Cross (T. Hopper, Veryan, 9 ran) 1, J. Nicholls, Gail, 50 of 70 OLF; 2, G. Watson, Jack, 50; 3, J. Carter, Jim, 42; 4, J. Nicholls, Joe, 41.
Open Maltese Cross (11 ran) 1, R. Watson, Lad, 62 of 80 OLF; 2, R. Montgomery (Bristol) Flo, 62; 3, M. Carter, Blue, 61; 4, G. Watson, Craig, 60; 5, N. Dalgarno (Tregony) Esk, 56 OLF; 6, J. Carter, Jake, 56.
Novice Driving (G. Coombs, Pontypridd, 12 ran) 1, J. Holdsworth, Dusk, 77 of 90; 2, G. Watson, Jack, 73; 3, B. Evans, Mirk, 70; 4, J. Nicholls, Kim, 69.
Open Driving (30 ran) 1, G. Watson, Rob, 82 of 100; 2, N. Dalgarno, Cap, 81; 3, G. Watson, Mirk, 80; 4, R. Macrae (Canterbury) Yazz, 79; 5, J. Holdsworth, Wisp, 78; 6, J. Harper, Dee, 77.
SANDUCK CROSS Charity Trial, Sanduck Cross Farm, Lustleigh, Newton Abbot, Devon (P. Symons, Cornwood) Maltese Cross Open, 1, K. Cropper (Shap) Try, 76 of 90; 2, J. Harper (Jacobstowe) Dee, 68; 3, I. Bickle (Chillaton) Star, 59; 4, M. Hopper (Veryan) Tweed, 58 OLF; 6, W. Evans (Virginstow) Fay, 58.
Maltese Cross Novice, 1, J. Nicholls (Buckland Brewer) Gale, 72 of 80; 2, A. Blackmore (Ledbury) Wisp, 69; 3, A. Hendy (Diptford) Ted, 66.
Brace, 1, I. Mackay (Lustleigh) Slip and Lyn, 91 of 140; 2, A. Hendy, Lad and Ted, 83; 3, T. Hopper, Bess and Tweed, 77.
Open Driving (35 ran) 1, L. Lock (Plymouth) Moss, 79 of 100; 2, A. Hendy, Lad, 78; 3, M. Derrick (Kingsteignton) Shep, 77; 4, J. Nicholls, Dan, 76; 5, G. Martin (Lydney) Tan, 73; 6, V. Pitts (Exminster) Flax, 72.
Novice, 1, A. Blackmore, Floss, 66 of 100; 2, R. Hayes (Witheridge) Mint, 64; 3, A. Blackmore, Sweep, 62.
Best OLF joint winners, K. Cropper, Try, J. Nicholls, Gale and A. Blackmore, Wisp.
Also in: Black and Jim's near-perfect trial
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