Spectators braved the blustery conditions to witness a strong turnout of stock in the sheep lines over the first two days of the Royal Highland, with entries up by more than 100 on the year, to 1,972 head.
The Blackface section proved the biggest draw on Thursday morning, with a two-crop ewe from the Wight family of Midlock, Crawford, coming up trumps there.
A daughter of the £90,000 Dalchirla sire, she was picked out as best by judge Willie Graham, of the Craigdarroch flock in Sanquhar, who was particularly impressed by the females on show.
“The ewe class was very strong right through and that’s where I found my champion and reserve animals. The champion carried herself well and is a really good, correct ewe,” he said.
Much later in the day there were celebrations for Barbara Webster, of Higham Farm, Newburgh, who won for the first time in the Jacob section. Her winner was the two-shear tup Blackbrook Fireballs, which was bought privately last year and is the main stock tup in the Carochy flock, established 42 years ago.Meanwhile, it was a poignant day for Northumberland-based Border Leicester exhibitor Jim Brown, who won the section on his last year showing at the Highland.
Having sold the ewes from his Eildon flock last year, he will disperse the gimmers at Lanark this summer bringing an end to 50 years of breeding and showing sheep for the family.
A large Texel section yesterday morning was won by a ewe from the Clitheroe-based Procters flock, with reserve overall in that section going to a shearling ram shown by the McKerrow family of the Grougfoot flock at Bo’ness, and jointly owned by breeders Alasdair Beaton and John Tough.
Collecting a first overall championship in the busy Hebridean classes were Jack and Morna Cuthbert, of Ardoch House, Fossoway, Kinross, with Bearslair Lilly, a one-crop ewe from their flock of 30 females, established just four years ago.
The Steven family John, Carolyn, Rebecca and Rowena of Rosebank Farm, Currie, Midlothian, took the lead in a strong Shetland section, with a Grey Katmoget two-year-old tup, Rosebank Neptune, while Pencaitland-based Andrew Bain stood reserve with his two-crop white ewe Greenacres Svannah.
farming@thecourier.co.ukRESULTS
NORTH COUNTRY CHEVIOT
W and T Thomson, Hownam Grange, Morebattle, Kelso, with a home-bred gimmer by Duran Peebles, a tup bought in 2013, and out of a home-bred ewe by Crookston Fine Start. Reserve: WD Allen, Humbleheugh, Alnwick, with North Synton Ring Master, a two-shear tup bought at Lockerbie last year for £4,000, sired by Wester Sensation.
LLEYN
JA & R Geldard & Sons, Whitbarrow View, Middle Foulshaw, Kendal, with a home-bred shearling from the family’s Wraycastle flock. Reserve: Farmstock Genetics, Over Whitlaw Farm, Lindean, Selkirk, with a home-bred gimmer by a home-bred tup that also bred last year’s female champion. Her dam is one of 1,100 ewes in the Walling family’s flock.
RYELAND
SP & J Maddock, Bennel Cottage, Dalbeattie, with a gimmer which was bought privately as a ewe lamb from Susan Bryden. She is by Mansel Solitair and out of a Broomwell ewe by Broomwell Johnny Depp. Reserve: Mrs Susan Bryden, Broomwell, Lochmaben, Lockerbie, with the sire of the champion, Mansel Solitair, a three-shear tup which was bought as a lamb. Champion at Dumfries last year, he is by Pembroke Nemesis.
SUFFOLK
Stuart G Mair & Sons, Kinnermit, Turriff, with a one-crop ewe by the 8,000gns Rhaeadr Roger Ramjet, out of a ewe by Strathisla Speed. She was placed at the show last year as a gimmer. Reserve: WG Troup, Corrennie House, Shaggart Farm, Sauchen, Inverurie, with the shearling tup, Rhaeadr High Roller, a Rhaeadr McCoy son bought at Stirling last year for 4,200gns. On its first show outing, his son won the tup lamb class and stood reserve male champion.
BLACKFACE
J Wight & Son, Midlock Farm, Crawford, Biggar, with a home-bred two-crop ewe by the £90,000 Dalchirla sire and out of a ewe by Midlock Big Al. She stood first as a gimmer at Biggar Show. Reserve: W Ramsay & Sons, Milnmark, Dalry, Castle Douglas, with a three-crop ewe by a £26,000 Crossflatt sire, out of a ewe by Milnmark Emperor. She was reserve three years ago as a gimmer.
COMMERCIAL
Jim and Wallace Kennedy, Lyonpark, Maybole, with a home-bred Suffolk cross gimmer, by a Thrunton sire and out of a three-quarter Beltex ewe. Reserve: Andrew Baillie, Carstairs Mains, Carstairs, Lanark, with a home-bred Millenium Bleu gimmer, sired by Clary Pink Panther, on its first show outing.
BRITISH BERRICHON
Mrs Frances Barbour, Newark, Sanquhar, Dumfries, with a two-crop ewe by a home-bred sire which also bred the 2012 champion and reserve winners at the Highland. On her first show outing, she is out of one of 35 ewes in the flock. Reserve: Ewan Burgess, Maryfield Farm, New Abbey, Dumfries, with a home-bred gimmer by Newark Kaiser and out of the best breeding ewe in the flock, Criffel Jess.
CHEVIOT
James Common & Son, Crossdykes Farm, Lockerbie, with a home-bred gimmer by Hislop Storm and out of a home-bred dam, one of 870 ewes in the flock. Reserve: James Common and Son, with a two-crop ewe by Eskdale Danny Boy, out of a home-bred dam. She stood first at the show as a gimmer.
NORTH COUNTRY CHEVIOT HILL
JM Elliot, Woodside, Yetholm, Kelso, with the home-bred gimmer, Woodside Lilias, by the Lockerbiebought tup Attonburn LSD, and out of a ewe by Woodside Looker. She was on her first show outing. Reserve: W & T Thomson, Hownam Grange, Morebattle, Kelso, with Hethpool Napalm, a four-shear tup bought at Lairg in 2013, sired by Attonburn Grandslam.
BORDER LEICESTER
James Brown, Eildon Cottage, Mindrum Mill, Northumberland, with a home-bred shearling ram by Drennans 007 Solo, out of a ewe by Eildon Regalis. Reserve: David Walker, Laigh Alticane, Pinwherry, Girvan, with a home-bred gimmer by Atok Atomic, a tup owned jointly with Jack Lamb, and out of a ewe by Hill Billy.
JACOB
Barbara Webster, Higham Farm, Newburgh, Fife, with Blackbrook Fireballs, a two-shear tup bought privately last year, by Overdale Ben The Bully. Reserve: Paul Murray, Kirkland Howe Farm, Whitehaven, Cumbria, with a two-crop Inside Hype ewe,
by Carochy Juniper, out of a Dun Mor ewe.
BLUEFACED LEICESTER
J Wight & Son, Midlock, Crawford, with a home-bred three-crop ewe by the C2 Hewgill tup, out of a ewe by B4 Tanhouse. She stood champion at Abington Show last year. Reserve: S McClymont & Son, Tinnis, Yarrow, with a two-shear tup which was bought as a lamb from Sauchrie Mains at Castle Douglas. A first prize winner at the Highland as a shearling, he is by a Midlock sire.
HAMPSHIRE DOWN
EB & SA Jones, Maes-Glas, Wolfcastle, Pembrokeshire, with a homebred one-crop ewe, by a home-bred sire and out of one of 150 ewes in the flock, established 20 years ago. Reserve: J & R McFarlane, West Lecropt, Bridge of Allan, with Lecropt
Ebony, a ewe lamb by Yarcombe Dynamo, out of a home-bred ewe, one of 28 in the flock.
SWALEDALE
S & P Brogden, Helbeck Farm, Brough, Kirkby Stephen, with a home-bred gimmer, sired by a Paul Hallam-bred tup which was bought at Hawes two years ago, and out of a ewe by Brackenburgh General. Reserve: MR Ewbank, Intake Farm, Middlesmoor, Harrogate, with a home-bred shearling ram by a Grayrigg sire, out of a ewe by a Wayne Winspear-sired tup.
CHAROLLAIS
A Gray & Son, Langside Farm, Kirkfieldbank, Lanark, with a shearling tup bought at Worcester last year, Oakchurch Ozil, by Banwy Ninja. He stood reserve at Lesmahagow Show. Reserve: A Gray & Son with a home-bred one-crop ewe by Banwy
Moonshine, out of a ewe by Rhaeadr Juror.
TEXEL
Procters Farm, Woodhouse Lane, Slaidburn, Clitheroe, with a one-crop ewe on her first show outing, by Scholars Twenty Twelve, out of a Haddo Ringleader daughter which bred an 8,000gns lamb last year. Reserve: John McKerrow, Riverview House, Bo’ness, West Lothian, with Cressage Vagabond, a shearling ram bought at Lanark last year and jointly owned by Alasdair Beaton and John Tough. Sired by Garngour Upperclass, he stood first at Ayr and Lesmahagow.
HEBRIDEAN
J & M Cuthbert, Ardoch House, Fossoway, Kinross, with Bearslair Lilly, a one-crop ewe on her first show outing, by Grimish Cathal, out of Strathmore Dalgarven. Reserve: CG & KE Heeley, Brinsop Hall Farm, Westhoughton, Bolton, with Brightside Tain, a home-bred shearling ram by Cinderhill Jotun, out of Brightside Randolph. He was champion at Stafford County Show this year.
BRITISH ROUGE
Percy Tait, Broughton Manor, Mill Lane, Broughton Hackett, with Knighton Priscilla, a home-bred gimmer by a Sue Wilkinson-bred ram and out of the show ewe that won the Great Yorkshire three times. Reserve: James Kerr, Nuthill Road, Moira, Co Armagh, with the shearling ram, Ferryglen Prada, by the French-bred tup Duc and out of Ferryglen Lightening. He was champion at Lurgan Show and stood second at Balmoral.
NORTH OF ENGLAND MULES
Ron and Fran Wilson, Carrholme, Armathwaite, Carlisle, with a one-crop ewe which won her section last year as a gimmer. She was bought from the Ridleys’ Woodhall flock and is by a Busby sire. Reserve: Ron and Fran Wilson, with a gimmer bred by Philip and Jennifer Dawson, Kentmere Hall, and bought in the champion pen of 10 at Lazonby last year. She is by C16 Kentmere Hall and out of a Swale ewe by a Haltcliffe sire.
BELTEX
Jack Buckle, Buckles Farm, Barras, Kirkby Stephen, with Broxty Wispa, a home-bred gimmer by the 16,000gns Ardstewart Super Mario, out of Broxty Riverdance, a Dooley Napal daughter. Reserve: Richard Wood, Kingledores, Broughton, Biggar, with
a home-bred tup lamb by Kingledores Wurzle, out of Kingledores Philippa.
ZWARTBLES
AJ Thorburn, Holmlea, Lowthertown Eastriggs, Annan, with Stonebyres Winstane, a four-crop ewe bought as a lamb from Carlisle, out of an imported ewe. She has won several championships, including a win at the Three Counties recently.
Reserve: Colin and Helen Duffy, The Smiddy Bungalow, Dunragit, Stranraer, with the tup lamb, Smiddyhill Caeser, by Aquila Aftershock.
SCOTCH MULE
Gavin Kerr, Sauchrie Mains, Maybole, Ayrshire, with a home-bred ewe lamb, by a home-bred son of D4 Midlock, out of a home-bred ewe. Reserve: HJ Paterson and G Donald, Craigview, Sandford, with a gimmer bought at St Boswells as a ewe lamb, where she was part of the champion pen. Bred at Midlock, she is by a home-bred son of C63 Midlock.
BLEU DU MAINE
Percy Tait, Broughton Manor, Mill Lane, Broughton Hackett, with the gimmer, Perdi Mona Lisa, by Tighnahinch Jumping Jack. She was champion at Shropshire, Stafford and the Three Counties shows. Reserve: Laine Daff, Greenside, Uplawmoor, Renfrewshire, with the four-crop ewe, Tighnahinch Heather, bought at Carlisle as a gimmer from Peter Fraser and sired by Calla Finlay. She won the overall title at the show last year.
SHETLAND
John, Carolyn, Rebecca and Rowena Steven, Rosebank Farm, Currie, Midlothian, with a Grey Katmoget two-year-old tup, Rosebank Neptune, by Field View Teddy and out of Cragfast Arcturus. Reserve: Andrew Bain, Boggs Holdings, Pencaitland, with the white two-crop ewe, Greenacres Svannah, a St Baldreds Nevil daughter out of Rench Dahlia.