NAP, 2009 National Finals Champion

  Nap won the Central District Nursery league in Scotland with Andy Carnegie shortly before breaking his leg in a fall off an ATV in late 2004. After his operation and a year of rehab Andy was concerned that Nap would re-injure himself on the rocky, heathery hills of Tigh-Na-Blair farm and so offered him to me.

 Since his arrival in August 2006, Nap has proven to be a prolific winner with the qualities to do well wherever we trial, on both hair and wool sheep.

Nap is a dog with a lot of scope and can flank, rate, shed and pen very well.  If I had to fault Nap, it would be that he was too cautious at the lift when we first got him, but he seems to have that figured out now too.

 I was very pleased with Nap's performance in the double lift final as he listened better than he did in the qualifying, did a great job of lifting the first lot of sheep (that were trying to break back on the spotters) and was both patient and positive in the shedding ring.

 I would like to thank Andy for selling him to me, Tricia for letting me buy him at a time when it was not prudent to buy another dog, and Nap for producing a great performance in the Final. 

 I would also like to thank Eileen Stineman for once again letting me run the remarkable little Star, to the Reserve Champions spot. Congratulations also to Scott Glen and Don, a son of Eileen’s Star sired by Eileen’s Don, on winning the National nursery final.

Alasdair MacRae & Star

2009 National Reserve Champion

 I was given Star’s mother Tib, as an eight week old puppy by Bob Ford out of his Megan. I trained her to open ranch level and then sold her to Dal Kratzer for a cash sum plus 2 puppies out of Tib.

Dal ran in the National Finals and took 12^th place with Tib and then he bred her. His wife picked two pups out of the litter, a rough coated black and white dog, Kirk ,that I was 5^th with at the Nursery Finals, and a tri-colored, smooth coated female, Star.

Star is a very active dog with an electric burst of acceleration when needed. She is quite biddable and very much a team player although, she could sometimes be faulted for trying too hard! While off sheep she is very affectionate, and if I am still for more than 10 seconds, she will start nudging for my attention.

Star is exceptionally effective around the farm whether it is with a ewe and her lamb or a flock of 300, she makes the toughest task look easy and is a pleasure to partner with at home or on the trial field.

Star was sold to Eileen Stineman of Texas in the fall of 2005 and has the run of her house from late September until March , when the trial season is quiet. During the winter months, she enjoys helping Eileen with her large flock of Dorpers.