For a young Angus McTaggart, like his father before him, it was always one of his greatest ambitions to win the Blackface section at the Highland Show, and that passion has certainly been passed on to his middle daughter Isla, who hopes to one day emulate the show success of her father and grand-father.

The family run 150 Blackface ewes, alongside their 41 pure Aberdeen-Angus cattle at Muirhouses, Duntocher, where Angus’s grand-father, also Angus, moved to from Islay in 1928. Some of the Blackie flock originated from Islay, but it wasn’t until Angus’s father Johnnie took over the running of the business that the sheep began to take on a more prominent role.

“My dad learned his genetics from breeding poultry and then applied that knowledge to the breeding of Blackface sheep – he was a dedicated sheep man; sheep and people were his main interests,” explained Angus.

It was probably that combination of interests which encouraged Johnnie to start showing his stock, both locally and nationally, and it was in 1947 that he first ventured to the Highland. He was reserve champion in 1962 with the tup Knight Errant, with the late Ben Wilson of Troloss judging. Six years later, he eventually realised his dream, winning the breed championship in 1968 for the first time, with the ewe, Duchess.

“When I was young, I was aware that my father was always aiming to win at the Highland. But, a lot of people show good sheep there year after year and never win a championship, so it meant a great deal to him, to finally take the top spot,” said Angus, who first showed sheep himself aged 12, at the local Dumbarton Show.

“Dad always said that, unless you truly believed yourself that you could win something, you’d never have a chance, and having grown up with that attitude, the passion for showing was installed in me too,” he added.

It wasn’t long before Angus proved his own talent in the show ring. After travelling and working abroad for two years, he returned home to take over the business aged 25, and a year later, in 1972, under judge Jim Kay of Gass, he secured the female and overall championship at the Highland in his own right, with a home-bred gimmer.

That marked the start of a decade of success – he won the overall title twice more, the inter-breed sheep award once, and the female championship a further five times.

For Angus though, there’s one winner which particularly sticks in his mind – the 1979 female and reserve overall champion, Bright Eyes, a home-bred two-crop ewe. “In my eyes, she was as near perfection as you could get. She was natural and didn’t take a lot of sorting, with a great skin and eye. I’m sure even today she would look good,” he said.

Despite this success, or perhaps because of it, Angus admits that, with a young family to concentrate on, his enthusiasm for showing dwindled, following his last female win at the Highland in 1984. But, it’s recently enjoyed a resurge, as daughter Isla’s keenness on the Blackface breed and on showing, has brought a refreshing optimism back to Muirhouses.

Always eager to help out when she was younger, Isla recently went off to work abroad for 18-months, before deciding that the farm was definitely where she wanted to be, and returning home to work at the beginning of last year. She knows she has a lot to learn, but crucially, she’s more than willing to learn, and to take advice, and she seems to have that all-important characteristic – patience.

“I know the type of sheep that I like and the type I want to breed, but I also realise that I’ve so much to learn. I try to watch what other people do and take in different viewpoints, while still keeping in mind my own preferences. For me, the ideal sheep has to immediately catch the eye, with a bit of class and style about it, and good hair and skin are really important,” explained Isla.

“I love working at home and I love the shows and sales, and the social side to farming too, but I’ve definitely inherited a competitive streak, I don’t like to be beaten!”

Now at Muirhouses, Angus says there’s a lot more discussion goes on, before any decisions are made, and Isla has a 50% say in what tups are bought. Last year’s purchases included lambs from Connachan, Midlock and Craignell, and Angus and Isla say they’re pleased with this year’s progeny.

“The Craignell lambs especially, have great colour and hair, right modern-type lambs. I’m never that keen on following fashions, but Isla’s attitude is much more up-to-date than mine. I believe the saying – ‘if you’re always following the pack, you’ll always be behind them.’

While always aiming to improve the Blackface flock, the family have also been concentrating on developing their Aberdeen-Angus herd, which goes under the prefix, Mac. Last year, they bought four embryos from Canada, by RDDA Overload and Stevenson Moneymaker, which have resulted in three promising looking calves, two bulls and a heifer.

On the showing front, Isla has ventured out to a few local shows this year and last, picking up a reserve champion ticket at last year’s East Kilbride, and the breed title at Stonehouse a few weeks ago. This year’s show team, with some heading to Ingliston, includes nine sheep, plus lambs. And, there’s also two Angus females entered, so the rest of the family – Angus has four daughters and a son – will likely be drafted in to help out.

“We really treat the Highland as a holiday – we go to enjoy ourselves, and as long as we’re happy with the sheep that we’re showing, that’s the main thing,” said Isla.

“Obviously, I do hope to win it one day though – and I can see myself still showing Blackface sheep in 50 years time!”