JUDGING finished just in the nick of time to avoid a cold shower of rain from the west on what was otherwise a warm and sunny day at Dundonald Show.

With the strongest entry numbers in the sheep lines, it was a stylish Bluefaced Leicester ewe hogg from husband and wife duo, James and Jamie Nisbet, that was awarded the inter-breed tri-colour ticket by judge Willie Boyd, Lamington. Known at home at Beauty, she is sired by the G42 Midlock sire.

Reserve here was Ashley Bothwell's Suffolk champion, a Solwaybank Major-sired one-crop ewe bought from Lakeview at the in-lamb sale at Carlisle in December.

Among the cattle it was Jean Mackay's Beith Show champion, a 16-month-old Limousin cross heifer named Cherry Berry, that stood supreme over the dairy champion, a heifer in milk named Monktonhill Authority Tess, from Russell Davidson.

From a strong line-up of Clydesdales, it was Kilmaclasser Bonnie Lily from Charlotte Young that caught the eye of Allan Craig, from Coylton. This three-year-old filly by Cloondaff Setanta was bought from the Tanners in Ireland last year.

See this week's issue of The Scottish Farmer, out May 7, for the full report from Dundonald, including all the leading awards and photos of the section leaders.