WE HAD a fair response to out caption competition included in last week’s issue about the big Bluefaced Leicester tup meeting a wee bulldog.

Some were hilarious, but not suitable for re-print in a family newspaper!

However, The SF and retiring (but certainly not shy) secretary of the Border Union Agricultural Society, Ronald Wilson, have selected the following as the winner – Robert Orr, Lanarkshire, wrote: ‘Dog says: “If you don’t stop looking down your nose at me, I’m going to have sweetbreads for my tea”.’

Robert gets £100 of any purchase at the sales which are being held in the BUAS’ Kelso showground next Friday (September 8). Just don’t buy the dug!

Stickmakers go Welsh

AS AN interesting aside to the usual reporting duties, I visited the stick and poultry tent at Moffat Show and was taken aback to find the champion stick, from Ian McConchie, was made from the horns of a Black Welsh Mountain ram.

According to Ian and the convenor of the stick competition, Phillip Roskell, stickmakers are beginning to favour the Welsh breed over the traditional Blackface ram horns because they have not been interfered with in any way. This makes them easier to work with and there’s less wastage caused by het, twisted and damaged horns.

So, there you have it Blackie men – time to sort the horns out!

Vintage a-go-go

Men of a certain vintage – of which I reckon to be one – seem to be reliving their you through acquiring old tractors.

While those in other business spheres get a highly unsuitable two-seater sports car as their passion in later life, farmers are, as usual, ‘different’.

It seems that the fastest growing section in the round of summer shows is for vintage tractors. And it’s been proving a welcome one too as the tractor parade is now a main-ring feature of many events.

And, they come in useful – I recently witnessed one being put to good use at Mid Argyll Show being used to pull floats out of the showground!

They seems to range, too, from those who have undergone a full restoration to those who have just had the cubicle scraper unhitched and straight to the show. Which is the most real?