Braco Show’s busy sheep rings produced the event’s supreme champion of champions – a Texel gimmer from local breeder, Cammie Gauld, Cairn Farm, Auchterarder.
The gimmer had to fight off competition from across central Scotland to win the sheep interbreed honour, with strong representation from Blue Faced Leicesters, Border Leicesters, well-supported classes of Blackfaces, Scotch Mules, commercial sheep, Beltex, Cheviot, Zwartbles, Ryelands and Suffolks.
Reserve interbreed sheep champion was the Blackface champion,from T and M Paterson, Dunruchan Farm, Muthill. Their winner was a two-crop ewe by an Oldhouseburn sire and out of a Midlock-bred ewe who was on her first show outing.
The support in the sheep rings was in stark contrast to the turn out in the show’s cattle section. There were classes for Aberdeen Angus, Charolais or any other breed, but they failed to attract any entries and there was just a solitary Simmental entry.
The commercial cattle section was strong though and attracted considerable interest, and it was the commercial champion which won the beef interbreed award.
The winner was Randerson Jasmine, a 22-month-old Limousin heifer from Stewart and Lynsey Bett from Castleton Farm, Stirling. This daughter of Emslies Galileo was no stranger to championship rosettes, having already won awards at Drimmin, Gargunnock and Stirling.
In reserve interbreed place was the Limousin champion, a three-year-old heifer who was shown with her bull calf. She came from Ronald Dick, Mains of Throsk, Stirling and she too has had championship success at Drimmin show this year.
Show chairman, Alistair Smith, a farrier at Kinbuck, said sheep and horse entries were booming and a lot of effort had gone into trying to persuade more cattle breeders to take their stock to the show.
“We’ve had a successful day and great weather, lots of trade stands and the Scottish ferret club is here running races this year, so it has been great, but we have struggled with cattle numbers which is a bit disappointing,” he said.
In the heavy horse ring the winner of the interbreed John Maxton trophy was the Clydesdale champion, West Bank Ruby Tuesday, a nine-year-old brood mare from Kevin Wilson of Blackford. She was shown with her two-month-old filly foal, Blueton Willow who seemed to find the judging tiring and could be seen stretched out having a nap between classes.
Ruby Tuesday, who was bred by Peter Keron of Madderty, won a first prize at Doune and Dunblane and a reserve championship at Stirling before her top award at Braco. She is entered for Perth show at the beginning of August.
Reserve heavy horse was the miniature Shetland mare from Adele Stewart, Grange of Elcho Farm, Rhynd. This five-year-old mare, who is under 30″ high, was second at the Royal Highland Show and the novice champion at the breed’s central group show last year.
The champions
Limousin
Champion – Ronald Dick, Mains of Throsk, Stirling with three-year-old heifer, Ronick Intrigue by Rathconville Eugene and out of Ronick Doreen. Shown with her bull calf. Champion at Drimmin, first at RHS, champion at the Scottish National show at Haddington.
Reserve – John and James Graham, Burnbank, Stirling with two-year-old heifer, Burnbank Jojo by Wilodge Fastrak and out of Burnbank Bindy. Reserve champion at Doune and Dunblane, first at Gargunnock and Stirling. Going to National Limousin show at Carlisle.
Simmental
CHampion – T A and E Henderson, Dargill Farm, Crieff with heifer, Annick Trixabelle 15 by Annick Claymore and out of Annick Trixibelle 8. Champion at Stirling and reserve champion at Dunblane.
No reserve
Commercial
Champion – Stewart and Lynsey BettCastleton Farm, Stirling with 22-month-old Limousin heifer, Randerson Jasmine by Emslies Galileo and out of Randerson Gilly. Champion at Stirling, Drimmin and Gargunnock.
Reserve- Ben Radley, Loaningfoot, Dumfrires with 15-month-old British Blue heifer, Scallywag. Second at RHS, champion at Lesmahagow. Going to Dumfries Show and the Winter Fair.
Highland
Champion – D and B MacNaughton, 72 Centre Street, Kelty with two-year-old heifer, Hayley 1st of Rannoch by Connor 2nd of Lagg and out of Hayley 5th of Earn. Champion at West Fife and Doune and Dunblane.
Reserve – D and B MacNaughton with three-year-old heifer, Skye 4th of Rannoch by Fergus of the Isle of Bute and out of Skye 2nd of Rannoch. Champion at Fife and female champion at the Black Isle Highland Gathering in 2015.
Blackface
T and M Paterson, Dunruchan Farm, Muthill, Crieff with a two-crop ewe by a £1400 Oldhouseburn sire and out of a dam by a £1600 Midlock.
Reserve – Remony Estate Partnership, Acharn with a two-shear Auldhouseburn ram by a £25,000 Auldhousebrun and out of a dam by a £27,000 Auldhouseburn sire. Reserve at Perth in 2015.
Scotch Mules
Champion – Heather Gray, Drumnessie, Kilsyth with an April-bron ewe lambb by a Cottage bred tiup ad out of a home-bred ewe. First aat Doune and Dunblane.
Reserve – Heather Gray with a one-crop ewe by a Minty sire and out of a Glenfernate bred dam. Interbreed champion at Gargunnock in 2015.
Blue Faced Leicester
Champion – Colin Mundell, Rockfoot, Craigton Farm, FIntry with a two-shear tup bought as a shearling from Gala Farms. First show outing.
Reserve – Colin Mundell with a two-crop ewe bought from Dreva, by D3 Newbigging Walls and out of a Dreva ewe. Champion at Braco in 2015.
Border Leicester
Champion – S and A Watson, Culticheldoch Cottage, Muthill, Crieff with a gimmer by Didcot Drambuie and out of a ewe by Eildon Eager. First outing.
Reserve – Sandy Haggart, Muirmouth, Madderty with a March-born lamb by Clola Sparkle and out of a ewe by Lammermuir King. First outing.
Texel – Cammie Gauld, The Cairn Farm, Auchterarder with a home-bred gimmer by Milnbank Van Wilder and out of a dam by Ettrick No Limits.
Reserve – Michael Rattray, West Park Farm, Auchterarder with a one-crop ewe by Baltier Thunderbird and out of a dam by a Crailloch ewe. First outing.
Commercial sheep
Champion – J Guthrie, Cuiltburn Farm, Muthill with three home-bred Beltex cross lambs.
Reserve – G Whyte, Pett Farm, Muthill with three cross Beltex home-bred ewes out of a Cuiltburn tup.
Beltex
Champion – Andrew Morton, Lochend Farm with a January-born ram lamb by Gregors Achilles and out of a home-bred dam. Going to Carlisle tup sales in August.
Reserve – Ian Reid, Isle Cottage, Methven with a two-shear ram from Kingledores.
Cheviot
Champion – Steven Paterson, Monzie Farm, Crieff with a three-crop ewe by a Hownam Grange sire . First show outing.
Reserve – Bill MacKinnon, West Dron, Bridge of Earn with a gimmer by a Hownam Grange sire.
Zwartbles
Champion – Nicola Henderson, Whitehouse Farm, Touch, Stirling with a two-crop ewe by Tayfield Sir Benson and out of a Cynefin ewe. Fourth at RHS and third at Doune and Dunblane.
Reserve- Emma Smith, Goirtean Beag Croft, Taynuilt with a Cynefin gimmer by Conic Buddy and out of a Cynefin dam. Bought at Stirling show and sale where she was reserve champion.
Any other breed
Champion – David Taylor, Lowberry House, The Holdings, Crieff with a home-bred, January-born Suffolk ewe lamb on its first show outing.
Reserve – J Milne, Keirhead Cottage, Thornhill, Stirling with a three-year-old Ryeland tup, Bryn Caffo Twm [CORRECT] bought as a lamb at Ludlow breed sales. Third at RHS.
Goats
Melissa Mitchell, 3 Cleikumin Cottages, Airntully, with three-year-old pygmy milker, Izzy with twins.
Reserve – Ailene Charlton, Nether Kirkton Farm, Meikleour with six-month-old pygmy kid, Brucklay Harmony by Moorview Hysopp and out of Bruckley Bess.
Clydesdale
Kevin Wilson, 12 Moray Place, Blackford with nine-year-old brood mare, West Bank Ruby Tuesday by Doura Above All and out of Westbank Miss Dynamite. Bred by Peter Keron, Madderty and shown with her May-born filly foal, Blueton Willow. Reserve champion at Stirling, first at Doune and Dunblane. Going to Perth.
Reserve – Iain Johnston, Kirkton Farm, Falkirk with a yearling filly, Rouoghlands Alana by Arradoul Balvenie and out of Barloughlin Jubilee Princess. First at the Stallion Show this year.
Highland ponies
Champion – Jan and Christopher Grant, Birks Cottage Farm, Heddon Birks, Northumberland with nine-year-old mare, Dunedin Rhiona by Dunedin Marksman and out of Rowan of Dundonnell. Bred by Anne Mitchell, Denny. Champion at Northumberland County show, supreme champion at the breed show at Brechin in 2015.
Reserve – Robert Davidson, Carse of Trowan, Crieff with yearling filly, Trowan Madelein by Strathmore Cameron and out of Trowan Molly. First at RHS. Shown by Mary McCall Smith, Connachan, Crieff.
Shetland – Nicola Marshall, Chapelview, Mains of Struie, Forgandenny with nine-year-old mare, Struie Polly by Highfield Delius and out of Struie Pollyanna. Ridden by her daughter, Anna (6). Qualified for Blair lead rein Mountain and Moorland.
Miniature Shetland – Adele Stewart, Grange of Elcho Farm, Rhynd, Perth with five-year-old mare, Narinian Lottie by Firth Jason and out of Cilla of Tullich. Reserve miniature at RHS, novice champion at Central Group show in 2015.
