I WAS reminded of the old story about the late Jack Kay, of Burncastle, Lauder, last week at Abington Show.

He reputedly sold a collie pup to someone which subsequently drowned in the sheep dipper. The man came back for what was the last of the litter to replace and was aghast that Jack was asking £100 more for this pup and asked him why – "Weel, it's quite simple, this yin kin swim," was the great man's reply.

Well, when Hugh and Alan Blackwood come to sell their show ram lamb from this year, they can also add that to its CV! For the stoater of a lamb escaped from its pens and owners clutches at Abington and bounced into the Clyde putting on a fair impression of an Olympic gold medal winner.

It raced across the Clyde in award-winning fashion, which was in a bit of a spate, and merely shook itself on the other side. Luckily, it was later retrieved in good heart. No doubt by sale time it will have grown a name – The Paddler, Mr Wilkie, The Lemming, or The Frog come to mind!

Who wants to be Sybil?

FANCY BEING the next ‘Sybil’ in This Farming Life. With filming almost finished for the second series, the producers have already been sussing out the potential for a third series of what was farming most watched TV programme last year.

While the third series hasn’t been given the green light just yet – the production company has sounded out The SF to find some potential candidates.

The format is quite well established. Over the course of 12 months, the crew will film farmers’ struggles and triumphs in some of Scotland’s most beautiful and remote landscapes.

A spokesman said: “We’re particularly keen to widen our focus on all different types of farmers – perhaps from a long-line of farming families or a young couple who have decided to attempt to become farmers for the first time.

“The series would be a great promotion for their farm and let our audiences know how rewarding a farmer’s life can be. We’re keen to film farmers from a different background, interesting characters with a story to tell, or perhaps they’re an individual attempting an entirely different business model.”

However, there’s no pressure on anyone to commit to taking part in the series just yet.

Let us know if you or anyone you know would fit the bill. However, there will always only ever be one Sybil!

This hardy breed

IT HAS to be said: Highland cattle and the folk that have them are a hardy breed.

Last weekend, the breed was out in the foulest of weathers at two shows which mustered more than 40 entries each. There’s not many breeds that could do that and to put it into perspective, the Limousin Grand Prix at Dumfries had about 40 entries.

The two Highland shows were a bit of a contrast, though. While those at Appin had to plowter through ankle deep mud and suffer some driving rain showers, those at the West of Scotland Club’s 25th anniversary show were shown on hard standing with a backdrop of Pollok House, in Glasgow.

Two ladies should be singled out for making it all happen – Maureen O’Hara was the driving force behind a well-run show of the breed at Appin; while the First Lady of the WoS Club, Catherine McKechnie, whipped everyone into shape at Pollok.

As ever, the coos just got on with it!