History was made in the SAYFC Stockman of the Year contest at the Highland, when it was won – for the first time ever – by a female!

Leading the way, from the Lanarkshire A team, was 23-year-old Ann Laird, of Blyth Bridge, West Linton.

She had taken part in the dairy section in the morning part of the competition, before making it through to the afternoon, where she won by a convincing lead of 15 points ahead of her nearest rival.

Although struggling for words to describe her joy, a delighted Ann said it had always been an ambition to win the much sought after title, and that she was ‘shocked’ that she had achieved her dream. She thanked the district’s trainers – Willie Baillie, Malcolm Coubrough, Andrew Clark and Mark Graham – and also the support of her family, her mother and father, Alister and Kathleen, and brother, Colin.

“I’m sure my dad is sick of hearing me practise my demos around the farm and on the float!” said Ann, who qualified with a first in animal science at Edinburgh’s SAC, before working in New Zealand for a year and then returning home to join the family business, milking 500 Holsteins.

Halting the Ayrshire domination of the past four years, it was another from Lanarkshire who made it to second place. Amassing 586 points was Robert Parkin, from Davies Dyke, Newmains, while Ayrshire’s Drew Wilson finished third on 578 points.

In the team contest, however, it was Ayshire back to the fore, with their A team securing the Glasgow Herald Trophy, with a combined score of 1427.

The team included Alastair Watson, John Cousar, David Smith, Andrew Ireland, Ian Kennedy and John Gilmour. Two from that group, Alastair Watson and John Cousar, also won the Changue Trophy for the best pair in the dairy section, with Alastair finishing top dairy individual too.

In second place, with 1403 points, was Lanarkshire’s B team of Robert Parkin, Tom Linton, Scott Bourman, Scott Sommerville, Alistair Jackson and Gavin Jackson, while Lanarkshire’s A team finished third. The two Scotts from the second placed team went onto win the Morphie Trophy for best beef pair, while Scott Sommerville was top beef individual.

Top two in the sheep section, winning the NFU Trophy for the second year in succession, were Orkney’s Charles Copland and Allan Lennie, while best individual in the sheep was James Frame, from Ayrshire.

Gaining the highest score in the junior section was Ayrshire’s Hugh Fergusson, with 283 points, ahead of joint second placed (on 281 points) Struan McGregor, of Ayrshire B, and James Orr, from Fife and Kinross.

Best junior team, meanwhile, was a trio from Ayrshire, Andrew Wyllie, Hugh Fergusson and James Hodge, who picked up the Lawrie and Symington Salver with 811 points.

Runners-up on 784 points, were Lanarkshire’s Andrew Gibb, James Gibb and David Paterson, while third place went to Tom Linton, Scott Bourman and Euan Orr, also of Lanarkshire.

The associate stockjudging was won by Andrew Orr, Craig Douglas and Sandy McGowan, from Fife and Kinross district.