The deadline has been extended for cattle, goat, horse and sheep entries for this year’s Scottish Agricultural Show.
The free online event, which takes place on July 31, is hosted by The Courier and The Press and Journal in partnership with the Royal Highland Education Trust (RHET), and with support from main sponsor EQ Accountants.
It features a range of competitions for breeders and riders to showcase their finest animals, and entries will now be accepted until midnight on Sunday, July 4.
The cattle section, sponsored by north-east farmers’ co-operative ANM Group, features eight sections: Aberdeen-Angus, Beef Shorthorn, Highland Cattle, any other native breed, Charolais, commercial cattle, Limousin, and any other continental breed.
The cattle will be judged by two well-respected breeders – Kelso-based John Elliot Jr from the Rawburn Aberdeen-Angus herd, and Stirling-based Stephanie Dick from the Stephick Limousin herd.
Mr Elliot will judge the native breeds and Ms Dick will judge the commercial cattle and continental breeds.
Meanwhile, the goat section – sponsored by dispute management company Squaring Circles, features a range of classes for dairy, pygmy and Boer goats.
It will be judged by Angus stockman and goat breeder Gordon Smith, who has judged all over the UK as well as Australia and New Zealand.
In the sheep section, sponsored by Samaritans Scotland, breeders will get the chance to enter seven classes – Blackface, Suffolk, Texel, Beltex, Bluefaced Leicester, commercial, and any other breed.
The Texel, Beltex, commercial and any other breed sections will be judged by Lanarkshire Texel breeder and graduate surveyor at Davidson and Robertson, Amy Laird.
The Suffolk section will be judged by former ANM Group chairman and chief executive Pat Machray, who runs the Middlemuir flock with his family at Daviot near Inverurie, while the Blackface and Bluefaced Leicester sections will be judged by Peeblesshire farmer Emma Campbell.
Lastly, the horse section features eight categories for riders and breeders.
These are: Clydesdales; Highlands; Shetlands; Mixed Mountain & Moorland Large & Small Breeds (excluding Highland & Shetland) of any age and any sex; Riding Pony/Hunter Pony of any age or sex, but not exceeding 153cm at maturity; Hunters of any age or sex; pure-bred, part-bred or Anglo Arab of any age or sex; and coloured native/cob/traditional non-native/any other breeds of any age or sex.
The native horse sections – Clydesdales, Highlands and Shetlands – will be judged by well-known Shetland pony breeder Harry Sleigh who runs the Wells Stud at St John’s Wells, Fyvie.
The Mixed Mountain and moorland, pure-bred, part-bred or Anglo, and coloured native/cob/traditional non-native/any other breed sections will be judged by Perthshire rider Rose Macpherson, the Riding Pony/Riding Hunter section will be judged by Angus rider Jane Smith, and the Hunters will be judged by Angus rider Loraine Young.
The show also features sections for young handlers across all categories – cattle, sheep, goats and horses.
Details on how to enter are on the show’s website at scottishagriculturalshow.co.uk
Each submission requires a video to be filmed and uploaded on to YouTube and a £5 donation via JustGiving in support of RHET.