Jim Cropper’s Fleet masters awkward hoggs

Working mainly Scottish Blackface hoggs, every other packet had a Mule hogg, and the sheep proved to be unexpectedly awkward, improving as the day went on.

There were very few markers on the field to help handlers judge lines on the long fetch, and the lengthy drive around the obstacles. The sheep were pulling to the bottom right hand corner of the field, particularly so on the fetch, the drive away, and the leg back to the pen. Tricky at the pen, the handlers and dogs had to work hard to get the hoggs in, singling proving not too hard.

Mark Elliott with Tip, followed closely by his 2009 reserve International Champion Gail led after the morning. The winner, Jim Cropper, came in the afternoon with his half-white headed Fleet.

The dogs needed to stop slightly short to pick the sheep up on the correct line. Fleet went to twelve o’clock, losing a point apiece from the outrun and the lift. He had a perfect fetch to the post and mastered the sheep on the driveaway, losing just three points on the drive. They had a good pen, and lost a point off the single.

Young handler Craig Stewart impressed the judge with his dog Tan, their run was good enough to be in the prizes.

At Hutton Buscel, York, the strong Suffolk shearlings proved to be touchy. Running in fives, on the small field, they were reluctant to go around the post, eager to bolt off on the drive, and difficult to pen. Charles Cutler led the running in the morning with Sam, with the better runs coming in the afternoon, winning with his other dog Ben.

The new venue at Great Harwood was successful. Peter Ellis was the winner, with Brock. The Trawden summer trial on Twiston Moor also had the sheep working well. Arthur Temple retained the lead with an early run with Meg, with John Palmer and Jim finishing one point behind him, again with a morning run.

At Priors Dean in Wessex, Dick Roper and Jed Watson were both in contention, taking a trial apiece. The Suffolk crosses were run in packets of four, working more amenable on the second day.

At Fulwood Booth, the running was on clipped Swaledale hoggs, in threes. The championship began with a right-hand outrun and the same fetch as the open class. The turn back was to the left and again with the same fetch. There was a split after the pen. James Gilman won the first day with Peggy. David Wood won the second day, and the double gather championship with Sal.

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