A Limousin bull destined for sale at Carlisle later in the year secured the show supreme title at Strathaven Show, which luckily enjoyed a dry, sunny day, after having to be cancelled last year, due to the rain.

Leading the way was Ian Nimmo’s 16-month-old Maraiscote Ember, a Virginia Andy son, out of the home-bred Glespin Classic daughter, Maraiscote Opium. Male champion in his section at the Highland Show, Ember had also won at Stonehouse, much earlier in the show season.

Describing him as a ‘fine example of his breed, in a close contest’, was inter-breed judge, Hugh Kennedy, Stairdale, Carngillan, Tarbolton, who also opted for the Limmy trio in the cattle group of three contest.

That was a team of three young Maraiscote bulls – Ember, Esso and Esprite – which stood ahead of the Ayrshire team, from the Lindsays at Harperfield, Sandilands.

The overall dairy award went to the Holstein best, Overside September Delia, an Ex91 third calver, from Hugh Neilson, East Brackenridge, Strathaven. Sired by Pursuit September Storm, her dam won at Strathaven two years ago.

Best in the sheep lines was the Blackface winner, a one-crop ewe from Robert McInnes and Stuart Heads, Aitkenhead, Fenwick. Bred at Auldhouseburn and bought at Lanark at the in-lamb sale, she was champion at Dalry and overall sheep at Bute. This year, she reared twin lambs by the £36,000 Drumgrange tup.

The Blackies again came to the fore to win the inter-breed pairs title, this time from Andy Woodburn, Netherwood, Muirkirk, with a Bluefaced Leicester tup lamb and ewe lamb from Ben Welsh, Roundshaw, Auchinleck, standing reserve.

See full results and pictures in this week’s issue, out September 11.