A HOLSTEIN cow with an impressive udder proved the star attraction at Strathaven Show on Saturday, where she was awarded the champion of champions title by local man, Willie Barrie.

There was a large turnout of stock, exhibitors and members of the public at the site just outside Strathaven, where a pipe band and pig race kept the crowds entertained in between judging.

But it was the Holstein leader, Overside Baltimore Elusive from the Neilson family, East Brackenridge, that first secured the dairy inter-breed before winning the champion of champions.

"She is a very worthy champion, being a tremendous, milky cow shown in full lactation. She's got all the attributes of a great cow and I couldn't go passed her," said Mr Barrie, of Lambhill Farm, Strathaven.

Elusive recently achived a VG89 classification and was paraded yielding 62kg having calved her fourth in July.

Representing the beef section in the supreme line-up was the Limousin champion from Iain Nimmo, Bogside. His Maraiscote Mistique, a Macschoice Chris daughter, was champion of champions at Carnwath, champion at Biggar and reserve junior female champion at the Scottish Grand Prix held at Dumfries.

Reserve to her for the beef inter-breed, as picked out by Andrew Clark, Blackhill, was eight-year-old Gregor and 11-year-old Ross Watret's commercial heifer Black Betty, from Muirfield, Hightae.

The top pick in the sheep lines, again chosen by Mr Clark, was a Beltex ewe that headed up the MV-accredited any other continental breed section for the Cunningham family, Walkerdyke. Their three-crop ewe, Walkerdyke Super Sal, is by Viagrow and was in the top draw at the Highland Show.

A Blackie ewe lamb from Michael Rorison, Clonrae, secured the reserve sheep honours. She is by a £16,000 Merkland sire and was fourth at Muirkirk.

Heading up the Clydesdale was Gavin Stewart's four-year-old mare, the Mollinhillhead Celebrity-sired Mollinhillhead Donna's Dream. A home-bred Australorp bantam cockerel from John McCready was the best of the poultry section and Jean Smith's black Labrador, George in the Mist, was dog champion.

See this week's issue of The Scottish Farmer, out September 9, for the full report, leading awards and photos of the section leaders from Strathaven Show.