A TESTING double gather sheep dog trial was organised on Sunday by Stuart Walton, of Kendal.

Set in the scenic Winster valley conditions were ideal.

Spectators had a panoramic view of the downhill course and the day was still with beautiful sunshine.

Allowing 20 minutes of time for each run, Stephen Thexton, of Sedbergh, judged the entry of 27.

Stuart ran first and set a good standard with five-year-old Dug.

Two runs later, Derek Scrimgeour took the lead with his Irish-bred bitch Lyn.

However, it was run number 20 that ultimately took the title, once again Derek Scrimgeour, but this time with Ben.

Ben's first task was to gather left-handed three Gritstone-cross hoggs that stood 400 metres away.

A slight distraction at the start of his outrun caused him to run a little straight, but after Derek cast him out, he went well.

After a good lift he brought the hoggs across the field, through a set of obstacles and to a feed block where he left them.

The blow back to the right was difficult, the dogs had to go square to be on the correct line and they could not see their sheep.

Ben went back well but his second packet of three hoggs had strayed from the post to a wall side.

This made his second lift awkward but he never faltered and lifted them well.

After working the hoggs through a second set of fetch gates he united the two groups.

The sheep, which were quite heavy and needed pushing, had to be brought down the fetch to a post, then turned into the left-hand drive.

The first fetch obstacle doubled up as the first drive gate and the cross-drive was the second fetch hurdle.

Working close behind his hoggs, Ben kept them flowing and had good lines.

He particularly showed his authority over the steep climb back to the pen where the sheep required constant pressure.

After a faultless pen and shed, Ben had lost 24 of his possible 180 points, which gave him a clear lead.

Ben was bred in Ireland out of Michael Corry's Bess, which goes back to David Carlton's Tony.

Seven-year-old this coming June, his sire is D.

Cahill's Tass, a son of Tim Flood's Pip.

Exactly 12 months ago foot-and-mouth disease was confirmed on Derek's farm at Lonscale.

Everything stopped - his training courses, the sale of his dogs, trips abroad and even his wife' s bed-and-breakfast business came to a standstill.

In contrast to the devastation of 2001, this year April 7 brought much happier emotions for Derek, who showed that, despite all the adversity, neither he nor his dogs have lost their ability on the trial field.

Results

WINSTER, Double Gather: 1 Derek Scrimgeour (Lonscale) Ben, 156 of 180; 2 Derek Scrimgeour, Lyn, 149; 3 Stuart Walton (Kendal) Dug, 134; 4 Joe McRobert (Tweedsmuir) Spot, 131; 5 Peter Ellis (New Hutton) Jack, 128; 6 Thomas Longton (Quernmore) Lad, 120.

HOLME.

Deerplay, Open: 1 Alastair Gilchrist (Llangollen) Rhaiadr Roy, 82 of 90; 2 Peter Hallam (Reapsmoor) Jay, 78; 3 Alastair Gilchrist, Mac, 77, OLF; 4 Richard Briggs (Wennington) Wenndale Ben, 77; 5 Stephen Hepworth (Denholme) Carrie, 76, OLF; 6 John Chamberlain (Barnsley) Chip, 76.

DIARY - April 13.

WENNINGTON Open, Old Hutton Farm, Wennington, Lancashire, 8am start, enter on field.

SWARTHDALE FARM Open, postponed until a later date.

April 14.

HOLME Open, Deerplay, on A671 between Burnley and Bacup, Lancashire, 8am start, enter on field before 12 noon, caterer on site.