Jim Cropper and Max win by a single point to take Meltham championship

Driving was to the right at Peat Ponds Farm, Lindley Moor, where the Mule ewes were very manageable over the outfield, but difficult to pen. Iain Ibbotson judged the trial entry of 28 and the concluding championship of six.

At 20, Shirley Cropper and Tess took the lead on 74 marks, before John and Jim gained a single-point advantage at 25.

After losing two marks from his gather, Jim lifted his sheep nicely, dropping a single point. The lengthy first section of driving was quite tricky as sheep had to pass over ice, but Max kept them moving at a steady pace.

Keeping a good line over the cross-drive which traversed the hillside, he brought his sheep down over boggy ground on the return to the pen. Five marks were lost from his drive.

Often at the pen, one sheep would break. Jim lost five points before securing them to earn the winning score of 75. Jim won one nursery trial last season and has taken four titles this time.

In the championship, drawn to run third, John Chamberlain took the lead with Molly, gaining 80 of 100 points. All six competitors gathered right-handed, but towards the end of her outrun Molly pulled up short, losing four marks for extra commands.

She had a good lift, losing a single point before losing three for deviations down the fetch. Six marks were lost in driving.

The tri-coloured bitch worked well at the pen, where her sheep were stubborn and she lost three marks. Three went at the shed, where she momentarily turned on to the wrong two ewes.

Jim and Max took the title by a single point on the following run. Max lost two points from his gather and one from his lift.

As he was bringing his four sheep down the fetch, they suddenly veered to the right just before the obstacle. However, Max was quick to cover and work them through the hurdles. Three marks were lost from his fetch.

He took a wide turn into the drive as the sheep pulled to one side, before keeping a good line over the ice and through the first drive obstacle. After a marginally wide turn, he kept a very good line over the cross-drive, although his sheep came to a halt on the boggy ground on the return.

Ten points were lost from his driving, two at the pen and one at the shed. With 81 points, Max took his first championship title and Jim retained the trophy, having won it last year with Calderdale Tess.

Windermere

At Windermere Society’s championship day, Raymond MacPherson judged the entry of 34 and the final of five.

Held at Lee End Farm, Quernmore, running was over a mostly flat pasture on Herdwick hoggs.

Running first, Tim Longton set a good standard on 82 of 90 points with Bob. On run four, Tim had an outstanding round with Kim.

After a faultless right-hand gather, Kim kept an almost perfect line round the course with no stops, and then a clean pen. She lost two points for minor deviations on driving to score 88 of 90.

Joe Lowry, running Sky, was the highest-pointed new handler and took the new handler aggregate.

Arthur Temple and Bob, who have won twice at Windermere, won the nursery aggregate, while David Harrison with Roy won the committee aggregate.

Drawn to run second, Dennis Purdham and Meg took the championship title. After a clean gather, Meg lost two points from her lift and two from her fetch. For deviations over the right-hand drive, she dropped five points. Three went as she worked her hoggs into the ungated pen, before a clean shed led her to score 88 of 100.

At the following trial, Tim and Kim were the runners-up on 82.

In their first nursery season, Dennis and Meg won in December at North Westmorland and in January at Windermere. Now they have a championship title.

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