THE threat of snow and the closure of the M74 motorway did not deter heavy horse exhibitors and spectators from travelling to Lanark on Saturday for the Clydesdale Horse Society’s Winter Fair held in conjunction with the Scottish National Fatstock Club’s Highland and Shetland pony show.
In the Clydesdale ring the champions were no strangers to the limelight, with the supreme champion honours going to Forneth Lucky Daisy from Charlotte Young, Hall Farm, Ayr. By Collessie Whinhill President, this six-year-old mare is out of Blueton Princess. She is a prolific show winner, most recently having stood champion at Strathaven and Wigtown and reserve at Perth this summer.
Champion foal and reserve supreme was Lutterington Harry – the April-born colt by Arradoul Balvenie from Harry Emerson of Weardale, Co Durham, which has dominated this season’s foal shows with championship wins at Aberdeen, Kilmarnock, Lanark, Fife and Lothian. Harry is out of Middlebank Carlogie Anna Maria and was born and produced from Ronnie Black’s Collessie stud in Fife and ably shown on the day by Pete Black.
Both the Collessie and Hall studs had more to celebrate, with Collessie Flashgirl taking the filly foal and reserve overall foal titles. Bred by Ronnie Black and now owned by Charlotte Young, she stood overall reserve at both Lanark and Fife foal shows. She is another by Arradoul Balvenie but this time out of Old Greenlaw Jura.
Progeny of Arradoul Balvenie certainly proved popular as another by the stallion that stands at stud at Collessie took the reserve senior title. That was Iain Johnston's Roughlands Alana, from Kirkton, Falkirk, a yearling filly out of Barlauchlan Jubilee Princess. She was reserve at Braco and champion at Kinross during the summer season, and stood reserve senior at the North of Fife foal show.
Judge, Ian Craig, handed the reserve filly foal award to Eric and Miranda Johnstone's Ord Tinkerbell, from Muir of Ord. A May-born daughter of Eskechraggan Ernest, and out of the Dillars Scottie Boy-sired show mare, Ord Envy, she had been reserve filly foal at Lanark and overall filly foal winner at Lothian.
Reserve colt foal was the junior class winner, George Gray’s Fawnspark Ambassador. By Carnaff Ambassador, he is out of Fawnspark Elizabeth.
In the Highland Pony ring, Balmoral Estate’s Sylvia Ormiston had the task of placing those forward. Champion was Willie Allan’s Madeline of Millfield from Freuchie, Fife. This three-year-old filly is by Glenmuir Lochaber and on the dam line is sixth generation home-bred, being out of Myleene of Millfield. She was a first prize winner and overall junior champion at the Royal Highland, and was reserve champion at Kinross and the Central Scotland breed show this summer.
Willie and Jean Ralston from Methven, Perth, took the reserve championship with Moss-side Heather Beth. Another three-year-old filly, she is home-bred by Moss-side Iain Mhor and out of Moss-side Lynfield Lady. She was champion at Drymen as well as taking firsts at Perth and Blair.
The foal championship was taken by John and Kate Dykes’ filly, Majesty of Mendick, a daughter of Islesman of Mendick, out of Xenya of Mendick.
The Shetland pony ring saw victory for Andrew Forde’s Halstock Netta from Dalrymple, Ayrshire. This 13-year-old miniature mare is by South Sands Pip and out of Halstock Natalie. She has numerous championships under her belt south of the border before she was bought by Andrew.
Standing reserve was Jimmy Wilson’s 11-year-old mare, Warrackston Guylian from Leys, Muckhart. By Titus of Hutton and out of Gatebeck Crystal Gleam, she has been an asset to the Wilsons' stud for many years having won numerous breed championships and five supreme championships, including the prestigious Moniave Horse Show and she was champion at last year’s event in Lanark.

See this week's issue of The Scottish Farmer, out November 26, for all the leading awards from the Winter Fair.