‘FANATASTIC ring presence’ gave the red and white champion the nod for the supreme dairy animal at the show, according to the inter-breed judge, Edward Crank, from Chester.

“She’s every part a champion,” said Mr Crank, “And that udder is just welded on to her.”

This was Arthur and Susan Lawrie’s Cuthill Towers Classic Ellie, a third calved cow shown by their sons, James and David, from the family unit at Cuthill Towers, Milnathort.

She was ahead of Alastair and Colin Laird’s Blythbridge Goldwyn Rosalee, the Holstein winner from Blythbridge, West Linton. This cow was giving the Laird family its seventh championship at the Highland and her sire also went on to father the progeny group prize winners.

For the junior title, Mr Crank opted again for the red and white section’s top heifer in milk and reserve champion, Morwick Ruth 158, from Michael Howie, Morwick, Acklington, Morpeth, which was selected ahead of Colin Laird’s Holstein heifer, Blythbridge Sid Jackie.

That heifer from the Lairds teamed up with two from Jack and David Brewster, Boclair, Bearsden –­ the second calver, Boclair Sid Hope, which was also reserve breed champion and the second prize senior cow, Boclair Goldwyn Elegance – and Brian and Michael Yates’ third calver, Logan Sid Edie, to win the group of four title for the black and whites.

They were ahead of the Dairy Shorthorn team which comprised the champion, David Dent’s sixth calver, Winbrook Wren 2 and a herd mate from their base at Winton House, Kirkby Stephen, plus John Teasdale’s reserve breed champion, Brafell Rosalyn, a third calver from Brickhouse, Kirkbean, Dumfries and the heifer in milk, Bilbro Butterbur, from Martin Jackson, Richmond Farm, Topcliffe, Thirsk.

See this week's bumper issue of The Scottish Farmer, out July 2, for all the action from the Highland.