ABERDEENSHIRE breeder, Robbie Wilson, from North Dorlaithers, Turriff, took his first Texel championship after several years in the show ring at the Highland, having picked up four Suffolk championships in the past, as well as one commercial cattle championship.

Party celebrations continued well into the night after the previously unshown gimmer from the 50-strong Milnbank flock, took the top title in another impressive, bumper line-up of Texels. By the 16,000gns Glenside Willy Nilly and out of a ewe by the noted 60,000gns Teiglum Tornado, she later sold for a five-figure sum on the day to Robert Jones, from Wales, who runs a recycling business.

A home-bred two-crop ewe from Robert Laird’s 80-ewe Cambwell flock, at Biggar, settled for reserve. This daughter of the 5000gns Strathbogie Usher and out of ewe by Cambwell Laird – which has now produced six first prize winners at the Highland ­– took the reserve championship at Lesmahagow this year, and at Biggar last year. She was also supreme championship at Abington, in 2015.

Robbie Wilson had more to celebrate when he and Jim Innes, Strathbogie, Dunscroft, Huntly, saw their shared shearling stand male champion. Shown on his first outing by Strathbogie’s shepherd, Michael Leggat, he is by the 14,000gns Millar’s Windbrook and out of a dam by Castlecairn SAS Commander.

More so renowned for showing Suffolks, and having picked up the reserve honours in that section on the same day, Bryden and Johanna Nicolson, from The Knock, Duns, enjoyed more success in their first ever outing with Texels, when they stood runner up in the males. On just their second year in the breed and now having a flock of 20 ewes, their reserve male champion was a tup lamb by a home-bred sire, Knockem Yabba Dabba Doo, and out of a dam by Hull House Space Cowboy.

LEADING awards:

Judge: IP Jones, Bryn Clochydd, Llangwm, Corwen, Denbighshire.

Supreme – RH Wilson’s gimmer; reserve – RJ Laird’s ewe.

Male – JC Innes and Sons shearling; reserve – B Nicolson’s tup lamb.

Female – RH Wilson’s gimmer; reserve – RJ Laird’s ewe. 

Aged ram – 1, J Wight and Son; 2, JC Innes and Sons.

Shearling tup – 1, JC Innes and Sons; 2, RN and C Orr; 3, J Wight and Sons.

Tup lamb – 1, B Nicolson; 2, RH Wilson; 3, RH Wilson. 

Performance recorded ram lamb – 1, DJ McKerrow; 2, IF Murray; 3, Firm of G Gray.

Ewe – 1, RJ Laird; 2, WJ Knox; 3, Procters Farm.

Gimmer – 1, RH Wilson; 2, Firm of G Gray; 3, J and H Clark. 

Ewe lamb – 1, JC Innes and Sons; 2, Procters Farm; 3, M MacTaggart.