A SMALLER show of British Blues saw the best from Ian McGarva’s Abington herd, at Biggar, top the seniors, when the youngest judge of the day, Miss Issy Hartley, of the Pendle herd, Lancashire, gave Abington Lilly the winning slap. 
Brought out by Duncan Davidson and Kelly Blackwood, this August, 2016-born AI daughter of Tenace De La Praule, is out of Tamhorn Grace. Having topped the senior section last year with Abington Lionel, Lilly was on her debut outing. 
Standing reserve to her in the seniors was the second prize heifer from the same class, Swalesmoor Libby from Daniel Spours’ Brownridge herd from Twizell, Belford, Northumberland, who has been breeding British Blues for just five years alongside 300 commercial cows.
Bought with its recipient mother at Carlisle from the Swalesmoor herd, Lauderdale, this September, 2016-born daughter of Tweeddale Guiness, is out of Ridge Dean FeeFee. 
Amongst the juniors, Blair and Shona Comrie, who run 20 British Blues at Stonebyres, Lanark, and who have been competing in this competition since the very start, achieved their best result yet when they stood both male and female champion. 
Topping the junior bulls and going on to take the overall junior championship was Stonebyres Minstrel, a February-born AI son of Kersey Geronimo, which stood reserve male champion at this year’s Agri-Expo. He is out of Stonebyres Jazz. 
Following behind for the Comries was Stonebyres Miranda, an eight-month-old daughter of Bonerard Cantona and out of the herd’s foundation cow, Pendle Dotty. 


LEADING awards:

(Judge: I Hartley, Pendle Valley, Nelson, Lancashire)
Seniors –  Bulls born Oct 18 to Nov 21, 2016 – 1 and senior male champion, M Haigh’s Luce Water Lord of the Rings, by Solway View Firecracker; 2, R and L Nelson’s Landhigh Lion, by Carrock Galieo. 
Heifers born Aug 1 to Dec 11, 2016 – 1, senior male and senior champion, I McGarva’s Abington Lilly, by Tenace De La Praule; 2, reserve senior female and reserve senior champion, D Spours’ Swalesmoor Libby, by Tweeddale Guiness; 3, A and S Stevenson’s Bello Lawna, by Grommit Hof Ter Zilverberg. 
Juniors – Bulls born from Jan 8 to May 28, 2017 – 1, junior male and junior champion, A and C Comrie’s Stonebyres Minstrel, by Kersey Geronimo; 2, and reserve senior male, T and A Cockburn’s Kingside Mister Harvey, by Cromwell Fendt; 3, J Hyslop’s Netherton Magie, by Tweeddale Forte. 
Heifers born Jan 4 to Feb 15, 2017 – 1 and reserve senior female, P Brannen’s Moorsley Molly Malone, by Affute Du Pre Rosine; 2, D Spours’ Brownridge Madeleine, by Grommit Hof Tgr Ziluerberg. 
Heifers born Mar 18 to May 29, 2017 – 1,junior female and reserve junior champion, A and C Comrie’s Stonebyres Miranda, by Bonerard Cantona; 2, I McGarva’s Abington Maisey, by Tweeddale Ebony; 3, K Blackwood’s Blackstane Majestic, by Almeley Giggs.