Robbie Welsh and Maid set high standard

The Blackface ewes behaved fairly well overall but were tricky to handle at the fetch gates on a rising course.

The reversal of the usual drive to one crossing from the right to the left side of the course confused some dogs and created problems for handlers.

Robbie and Maid had no problems. Maid enjoyed a faultless lift and fetched well, but the sheep wavered a little off line between the fetch gate and Robbie’s feet and there were very minor wavers on the drive.

Maid (W. Welsh’s Dave and Dot) penned cleanly, but one ewe, trying to break from the other three, made it difficult for Robbie to find an opportunity for Maid to split them into two pairs, but he managed without too much harm to the run.

The Scottish Mules were fleet of foot on a rolling grass field in a new venue for Thornhill trial and inclined to bolt from the top if they felt any pressure from the dog behind them.

Some dogs ran out square to the roadside fence, but John Templeton’s Fan (J.J. Templeton’s Sam, M. Kinnes’ Nan) ran out very well, with one of the best outruns of the day.

The sheep had drifted from the post, but Fan took them in a straight line from where he lifted and lost nothing on the fetch. The drive was good, with only minor wavers, and a clean pen and shed finished the run in first place, comfortably ahead of the field.

The mule ewes at Glendevon ran well on a gently raised course, but they were difficult to pen. Alec Watson’s Jake (P. Sheelan’s Crudgel, T. Grady’s Nell) had no trouble penning and worked well over the piece.

Jake ran out and lifted cleanly, fetched and drove very well, with only minor wavers against him. He penned cleanly and finished with a good, if slightly indecisive, shed.

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