David Bristow’s Bella claims first open title

Although mainly flat, a narrow gully ran diagonally across the course. It caused problems on both the gather, where some dogs cut in prematurely, and on the approach to the first drive obstacle.

Overall the mainly Texel shearlings ran quite well, though they could face the dogs both at the lift and at the pen and tended to stick together at the single.

Alexander Wilkinson judged the entry of 41 and running at 12, Charles Cutler set the standard with Sam gaining 84 of 100 points. David and Bella ran at 37. With four points lost from her gather, one for her driving and three going at the single Bella’s score of 92 gave her a clear lead.

Bella was bred in April 2008, by John Bell of Howden, out of Fern and sired by his Ben.

At the Northumberland Open at Debdon, Paul Turnbull and Mirk took their second title of the season on a course set on rough hill ground.

“For dogs under good command, the Scottish Blackface hoggs ran well, but those that over flanked unsettled them,” remarked Bill Elliot, who judged the 38 entries.

Faultless

Following a faultless left-hand outrun, Mirk had a clean lift and fetch. His main fault was over the right-hand drive where his sheep skimmed the top side of the last obstacle.

Eight points were deducted from his driving and losing one mark at the chute and one at the single, gave a score of 90 points.

John Edgar and Molly had good outfield work on a later run, dropping just five points, but with four lost at the chute and two at the single their score of 89 put them in second place.

Host, Stuart Stevens judged the entry of 42 at the Hillside Farm trial held on Sunday where £100 was raised for the Cardiac Care Unit at Chesterfield Royal Infirmary.

The course was set over two fields with a difficult gather approaching 550 metres (600 yards). Running was on mixed breed shearlings, which proved difficult to pen in the morning. “The dogs with purpose handled them well,” commented Stuart.

The two top runs came close together with Wayne Allen earning the winning score of 88 of 100 points with Matt running at 18.

Two runs later, John Chamberlain and Whiterose Cap were the runners up on 86. Best in the novice class, where there was no shed, was Richard Saxon with Cammen Rip who gained 73 points with run 33.

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