IT was finally Ord Tinkerbell’s time to shine at the National Stallion Show when the yearling filly from Eric and Miranda Johnstone secured the supreme Clydesdale championship and Prince of Wales Trophy at Ingliston. 

The annual event, which was a month earlier than usual and held in the Highland Hall due to prior bookings, brought in a stellar entry of Clydesdales, but it was this youngster from the Ord stud near Muir of Ord, Inverness-shire, that first took the champion female title before getting the nod for the overall. Born in May, last year, it was a case of always the bridesmaid and never the bride for this home-bred filly as she stood reserve female champion at the majority of the winter foal shows, only taking the overall title at the Grampian Foal Show. 

“She’s the outstanding animal here today,” commented John Henderson on behalf of himself and fellow female judge, Campbell Steel. 
“There’s a great topline on the filly and she has very true movement – I liked everything about her,” added Mr Henderson. 

The breeding here includes the reserve Cawdor Cup winner from last year, Eskechraggan Ernest, on to the successful show mare Ord Envy, a past champion of champions at Grantown Show and twice supreme champion at the Aberdeen City Clydesdale Show.

It was a good outing for Charlotte Young and father Jim, of Hall Farm, Ayr, when their five horses secured five red tickets as well as the remainder of the male and female champions. Going all the distance to stand reserve supreme was the duo’s five-year-old stallion Doura Master Eddie, a Glebeview Sir Charles son bred across the water by Victor and Raymond Scott. Bred out of Bannview Dawn, he’s had a good turn at the Stallion Show, winning the Cawdor Cup as a two-year-old and scooping the same reserve title here last year, while in 2015 he stood reserve champion at the Royal Highland Show. 

As Master Eddie was ineligible for the Cawdor Cup, being a previous winner, that title went to the Youngs’ Doura Aird Ambition, another stallion but this time a three-year-old by Doura Kingmaker, out of Lagavar Clossom and bred by A Love. Going one better than his reserve Cawdor Cup title as a yearling, he’s another with a proven track record as he stood champion at Ayr and the Great Yorkshire as a yearling as well as reserve male to another Doura stallion at last year’s Highland Show.

The tickets kept on coming for the Youngs as their Forneth Lucky Daisy, a seven-year-old mare bred by Donnie Laing, stood reserve female. She’s won too many titles to mention, but most notably stood reserve supreme here last year as well as champion at the Winter Fair. She’s a Collessie Whinhill President daughter out of Blueton Princess. 

Taking the honourable Cawdor Cup mention was Harry Emerson’s Lutterington Harry, a yearling colt that has dominated the winter foal shows and stood reserve supreme at the Winter Fair. Brought out by Ronnie and Pete Black, this March-born Arradoul Balvenie son is out of Middlebank Carlogie Anna Maria. 

Among the geldings it was Annette Noble’s Peggyslea Andy that made his way to the top of the line-up. This six-year-old by Millisle Solway Bay and out of Ingleston Princess has turned his hoof to the ridden job and qualified for the Horse of the Year Show last year.

See this week's issue of The Scottish Farmer, out February 18, for the leading awards and photos of the champions.