A combination of top quality stock and perfect weather conditions ensured a busy and upbeat crowd around the sheep rings on the first day of the Highland.
Entry numbers were up by 100 on the year to almost 1,900 the highest they have been for eight years.
The Blackface judging is always particularly popular with spectators, and this year was no different, with Hugh Blackwood, from Muirkirk, Ayshire, selecting the best of the breed. He chose a shearling ram from Archie and John MacGregor, Allanfauld, Kilsyth, as best overall. Home-bred, this tup is by the £60,000 Dalchirla sire, bought at Dalmally two years ago.
In the Lleyn lines, it was a day to remember for Stonehaven-based couple David Henderson and Becka MacLeod, who secured the champion and reserve titles, with a home-bred shearling and a gimmer that had been bought at Carlisle. The pair, due to be married in three weeks, have 100 ewes in their Bardspark flock.
Winning their ninth championship at the Highland, Willie and Edith Crowe, who keep just four Jacob ewes at Heughhead, Arbroath, lifted the top title in that section. Their winner was the gimmer Gowanbank Emmy, a Hyndshaw Ryan daughter.
Another repeat winner was Arabella Johnston, of Bothkennar, Falkirk, who won her third championship in the Berrichon section, this time with two-shear tup Kirkton Mercury, which is sired by past champion Kirkton Jupiter and is out of a home-bred dam, one of 70 ewes in the flock.
Taking his fourth Highland championship in a row, in the North Country Cheviots, was Roderick Runciman, of Allanshaws, Galashiels. His best this year was a gimmer by Synton Bulls Eye a tup which was champion himself in 2012 and also bred last year’s champion.
Opening day sheep results were as follow.
North Country Cheviot
J Runciman & Sons, Allanshaws, Galashiels, with a home-bred gimmer by the past Highland Show champion Synton Bulls Eye, out of a home-bred ewe.
Reserve: WA Thomson, Howman Grange, Morebattle, Kelso, with Loopsie, a two-crop ewe which was champion at the Great Yorkshire in 2012, by Synton Simba, out of a ewe by Crookston Fine Start.
Lleyn
WG Henderson, Nether Toucks, Stonehaven, with a home-bred shearling by a Carlisle-bought tup that was bred by Robert Johnston & Sons, out of a ewe bred by David Alexander.
Reserve: WG Henderson’s gimmer, bred by Farmstock Genetics and bought at Carlisle for £250 in a pen of five. She is by last year’s Highland Show breed champion, a Derek Steen bred tup.
Ryeland
Colin Arthur, Greenaton Farm, Carnwath, with Broomwell Supernatural, a two-shear tup by Broomwell Johnny Depp, bought privately as a lamb from Susan Bryden.
Reserve: D and R McEwen-King, Galtress Piece, Nemphlar, Lanark, with Galtress Ursa, a home-bred ewe lamb by Galress KF Bear, out of Galtress Serenity.
Suffolk
Judith and Iain Barbour, Rosefield, Annan, with last year’s Suffolk champion, a two-crop ewe by the 12,000gns Rhaeadr Rastifari, out of a ewe by Solwaybank Santana.
Reserve: Kenny Mair, Kinnermit, Turriff, with a tup lamb by the 5,500gns Rhaeadr Red Devil, out of a home-bred gimmer from the family’s Deveronside flock.
Blackface
Archie and John MacGregor, Allanfauld, Kilsyth, with a home-bred shearling by a £60,000 Dalchirla sire, out of a ewe by the McTavish son, Macallan.
Reserve: W Ramsay & Sons, Milnmark, Dalry, with a home-bred gimmer by a £26,000 Crossflatt sire, out of a ewe by a £6,000 Milnmark.
Commercial: Andrew Baillie, Carstairs Mains, Carstairs, Lanark, with a Millennium Bleu gimmer, by Clary Pink Panther, out of a Bleu du Maine ewe, on her first show outing.
Reserve: Andrew Baillie’s three-crop ewe, by a Texel cross Beltex tup, out of a Cheviot ewe. She was shown with her two lambs, by the Beltex sire Tiree Superman.
Cheviot
Norman and David Douglas, Catslackburn, Yarrow, with a home-bred two-crop ewe by the £8,000 Stirkfield Senator, out of a home-bred ewe that was shown successfully as a gimmer.
Reserve: JF Irving & Son, Mountbenger Farm, Yarrow, with Catslackburn Ace, a two-shear tup bought at Lockerbie for £3,500, by Hyndhope Harbour.
Berrichon Du Cher
Arabella Johnston, Kirkton Farm, Bothkennar, Falkirk, with Kirkton Mercury, a two-shear tup by a past Highland champion, Kirkton Jupiter, out of a home-bred dam by Keitle Adonis.
Reserve: Arabella Johnston’s two-crop ewe, by Kirkton King Kong, out of a home-bred ewe which is a twin sister to Kirkton Jupiter.
Jacob
Mr and Mrs W Crowe, Heughhead Farm, Froickheim, Arbroath, with a home-bred gimmer by Hyndshaw Ryan, out of a home-bred ewe.
Reserve: Mrs H Baillie, Rowanbank, Carluke, with Hope Topnotch, a shearling bought at St Boswells last year for 2,000gns. By Hyndshaw Highland Laddie and out of a Hope-bred ewe.
Border Leicester
Jim Brown, Eildon Cottage, Mindrum Mill, Northumberland, with a home-bred three-crop ewe by Eildon Ultimo Regalis, out of a home-bred ewe by Bonnybraes Mac’s Last.
Reserve: Jennifer Brown, Milmoor Farm, Lanark, with a home-bred three-crop ewe by Eildon Elevenses, out of a home-bred dam.
North Country Cheviot Hill
WD Allen, Stouphill, Humbleheugh, Alnwick, on their Highland Show debut, with a home-bred three-crop ewe, by Stouphill Katie’s Boy, out of a home-bred ewe.
Reserve: JM Elliot, Woodside, Yetholm, Kelso, with a home-bred shearling by a tup sold last year for £2,000, Woodside Noteable, out of a ewe by Hethpool Kaiser.