Double delight weekend for Jim and Rainow Jim

Set on undulating ground that sloped downhill to the lift with a fetch of approximately 220 yards, the course was gathered mainly to the right. This was the safer option as the sheep were released from the right hand side and often tried to break back to the holding pen.

The Texel and Charolais crosses required firm but gentle handling, for although they would stand and face the dogs, they would not stand pressure. John Brotherton judged the entry of 14.

Running at number six, Jim had a faultless right hand outrun before losing two marks from his lift for line deviations, while three were lost from his fetch. Driving was back down the hill to the right, the cross drive being just to the handler’s side of the fetch then returning back uphill to the pen. For off-line straying, smooth coated Jim dropped seven marks in total before finishing with a clean pen to score 78 of 90 points. At nine Elaine Hill and Kate made a strong challenge, but with 77 points they were the runners-up.

Second win of season

Jim, born in December 2006, won the local nursery class in June at the Harden Moss trials and has now gained his second win of the season.

Jim Cropper’s Ford earned his second title at the Holme nursery held at Brindle, where Danny Wild judged the entry of 53. Running was with Texel hoggs over a course that dipped in the middle. The sheep responded best to a quieter approach.

At 19 Ford had a very good trial, hitting all obstacles and finishing with a clean pen to score 85. Two runs later Shirley Cropper’s Tess had another good outfield run, but losing more points at the pen put her in second place.

Two trials were held over the weekend by The Ryedale Society. On Saturday at Kirkby Misperton, Tony Bell judged the entry of 42. Sloping slightly downhill to the lift, the course had a fetch of approximately 200 yards with a lengthy cross-drive. If handled carefully and from a distance, the Scottish Blackface and Mule hoggs were reasonable to manage. At 36 Philip Exelby took the lead with Perrydale Lisa on 70 points, but they were beaten with run number 40 when David Bristow went to the post with Parksfarm Bella. Bella had a steady controlled run catching all three gates and finishing with a clean pen.

Her main faults were at the start of her gather where she ran deep, a wide turn after the first drive obstacle and deviations over the cross drive. With 72 points she took her second nursery title of the season.

On Sunday John Atkinson judged the entry of 39 at Clock Farm near York. With a fetch of about 180 yards the flat course was gathered mainly left handed as the sheep pulled to that side. The Texel and Beltex gimmer lambs required careful handling, being more settled in the morning when the weather was wet. In the afternoon the wind picked up making them touchy, yet throughout they were good to pen.

Winning run

At 14, James Howard had the winning run with Rainow Jim. After being off-line over the first half of the fetch Jim had a very good round to score 82 points. At 27 Alison Salisbury was the runner-up with Angus on 79. This was Jim’s second win of the season.  

Sheep dog trialing returned to the Isle of Man after a three-year absence, with Bishopscourt Farm the venue for a charity trial that raised £650 for the Manx Children’s Hospice, Rebecca House. Judged by Eddie Callow, the running was over a sizeable flat field on ewe lambs that ran consistently well giving all competitors an equal chance.

Stan Skinner won the open class with his four-and-a-half-year-old tri-coloured dog Chip. With no real faults, apart from slight deviations of line, they scored 91 of 100 points. In second place were Brenda Swinbank and Nell who, jointly with Stan and Chip, won the Craine Shield for the best outrun, lift and fetch.

There were a number of new faces in the working class, a shorter course with just an outrun, lift, fetch and pen for less experienced handlers. Bernard Davenport won this class with his eight-month-old bitch Molly who showed real class and style for her age.

Have your say

Please do not complete the following form field for security reasons.

Name

E-mail

Comment

Post as

Anonymously

Display name