Jim’s trusty Ford motors to Deerplay win

After a prompt start, fog delayed proceedings over the morning for about 45 minutes before clearing. Over a sizeable gently rising course set on rough ground the running was on Cheviot shearlings. If handled quietly the sheep ran well but they were unforgiving once upset.

Robert Tarbatt, of Darwen judged the entry of 38 dogs.

At 12, Shirley Cropper set the standard with Tess gaining 85 of 90 points. After a slightly untidy lift Tess settled her sheep to have controlled outfield work followed by a good pen. She held the lead until, at 30, Jim Cropper’s Ford matched her score.

Ford had a very good left-hand gather and a controlled lift. He kept a nice line down the fetch and had a tight turn into the left-hand drive, where he slipped one sheep at the first obstacle.

The smooth-coated black and white dog had slight deviations over the lengthy cross-drive but hit the last obstacle well and finished with a clean pen. Ford’s better start won him the day and, on outbye decision he took his first nursery title. He was bred in August 2008 by Charlie Pickford, of Rainow, out of Midge and sired by Shirley Cropper’s Black.

For the second time this season, Philip Exelby gained a double victory over the weekend with Perrydale Lisa. On Saturday, they won the Ryedale nursery held at Stainsacre, North Yorkshire, where Colin Jones judged the entry of 23.

Undulating course

Over an undulating course with a fetch of approximately 200 metres, the running was on Scottish Blackface ewes. Although the sheep were quite good to manage over the outfield, they were difficult to pen. Charles Cutler took the lead with Spud, gaining 68 points before, running in the mid-teens, Philip and Lisa took a clear lead on 72.

On Sunday, Philip travelled into the West Riding to compete at the Yorkshire nursery held near Oakworth. Although scheduled for Saturday this trial was post phoned until Sunday due to fog. Ian Salter judged the entry of 20 dogs as they worked Swaledale shearlings and two shears over a rising compact course. If handled quietly and from a distance the sheep were manageable over the outfield, but were tricky to pen.

At 13, James Dewhurst set the standard with Glen, scoring 82 points. However, at 17, Philip and Lisa pulled ahead. Gathering left- handed the tri-coloured bitch had a clean outrun before dropping three marks from her lift, plus one from her fetch.

Over the first leg of the drive, a dog came on to the course and disrupted her run, therefore, she was given a re-run and scored from that point. Keeping her sheep settled, she had a clean drive and cross-drive before losing two marks for line on her return.

She finished with a clean pen, the only one of the day, to score 84 points and take her fourth title. Bred in February 2008 by Maurice Gregory out of Astra Pride, Lisa was sired by Ian Gregory’s Glen.

Windy conditions

The annual Longshaw Bolton Cup and Novice Trial took place in windy weather conditions on Sunday at Lydgate.

Sloping downhill to the lift the course had a fetch of approaching 250 metres, but with compact driving. Throughout the Herdwick ewes were difficult to manage over the outfield, but good to pen. There were four competitors in the Bolton Cup where both handler and dog must not have won anything other than a beginners, nursery or novice prize.

The title was taken by Stuart Jarvis with Cim. After a good start they lost points for line deviations and bringing their sheep back through the last obstacle. Finishing with a decent pen they scored 66 points. Stuart first competed with Cim in last winter’s nurseries, having run a bitch called Fly the previous winter.

Smooth-coated and tri-coloured, three-year-old Cim was bred by John Wood, of Norland, out of Jen and sired by Alun Jones’ Bill. Best novice went to Elaine Von Dinther running Bill and scoring 70 points. The majority of their points lost went for deviations of line. Bill was bred in May 2007 by the runner-up, John Harvey, out of Mist and sired by Wayne Allen’s Astra Jasper.

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