KILMACOLM’S exceptional showfield was at its spectacular best on Saturday, with the crowds bundling in early to enjoy the livestock competition, then staying for a long sunny day of entertainment.

Once again, the Highlanders made the event their own, with a good turnout of stock producing the overall cattle champion in the shape of Chorrach 13 of Pollok, a cow in milk from Glasgow City Council’s famed Pollok fold. By Uallach Ruadh 3 of Pollok, out of Charroch of Pollok, shown with calf at foot, Chorrach 13 was champion of champions at Beith and Largs last year as a three-year-old, and now looks set for this year’s Royal Highland Show.

Topping the sheep section was Robin Blair’s Bluefaced Leicester section leader, a home-bred ewe hogg, by a Blairnavaid sire, out of a home-bred ewe hogg that lambed last year by mistake – an illegitimate origin that perhaps, ventured Robin, explained its rather feisty nature.

There was also a good show from the Clydesdale contingent, who appreciated the epic hillside setting for their well-groomed pride-and-joys. That produced a champion for locals A and E Campbell, of Netherwood, with their yearling Pacemuir Elizabeth, by Dillars Jura out of Rashillhillhouse Becky. She was reserve champion at Kilmacolm as a foal last year, and reserve champion at Neilston last week.

Topping the points contest on the day was Russell Baxter, of Gibblaston, who totted up the best total with a dairy section champion and the lion’s share of the classes in the Bluefaced Leicester ring.

Leading awards Dairy (Judge: A Logan, Kilbirnie). Champion – R Baxter, Gibblaston Farm, Bridge of Weir, with a yeld Holstein cow, carrying its third calf. Both bred and brought out by Tom Stuart, of Wellees, Houston, the cow, by Picston Shottle, was champion at Houston and reserve at Kilbarchan last year. Reserve – R Baxter’s Holstein cow that produced her third calf a month ago, and is now giving 30kg a day. By Abbeyhouse Mr Gold, she was reserve at Houston and champion at Kilbarchan last year. Cow in-milk, yeld cow, yeld quey, pair, points trophy, confined – R Baxter. Children’s dairy calf – D Wright.

Commercial beef (Judge: A Logan). Champion – J Laird, Cairncurran, with Cairncurran Casper, a five-week-old male calf by a Limousin sire out of a British Blue cross cow. Reserve – W and J Howie, Auchentiber, with a Charolais-sired calf out of a British Blue cross dam. Beef cow and calf, beef calf, confined – J Laird. Children’s beef calf – E Laird. Children’s beef calf under 200kg – C MacDougall.

Highland cattle (Judge: E Mackay, Killearn). Champion – Glasgow City Council with Chorrach 13 of Pollok, a cow in-milk from the Pollok fold, by Uallach Ruadh 3 of Pollok, out of Charroch of Pollok, shown with calf at foot. Reserve – Glasgow City Council with Chorrach 14 of Pollok, a half-sister of the champion, by the black bull Uallach Dubh. Bull, cow in milk, three-year-old heifer, pair, points – Glasgow City Council. Two-year-old heifer – A Prentice. Heifer stirk – R and E McMillan. Young handler – J McLachlan.

Blackface (Judge: D McVicar, Argyll). Champion – A and A Fletcher, Laigh Hatton, with a Millpark-bred two-crop ewe on its first show outing. Reserve – K Wilson, Yonderfield, with a four-crop Netherwood ewe, by a £9000 Midlock. The reserve’s twin ewe and tup lambs, by an Auldhouseburn son of an 85k Elmscleugh, each topped their respective classes. Aged tup, tup hogg – A Paterson. Ewe with lamb at foot, ewe hogg – A and A Fletcher. Tup lamb, ewe lamb – K Wilson.

Suffolk (Judge: J Cannon). Champion – Rigfoot Suffolks, Uplawmoor, with a home-bred ewe hogg out of the reserve champion ewe and sired by Landale Samson, which won its class as a ewe lamb last year. Reserve – Rigfoot Suffolks’ Sunnyhill-bred ewe by Flodden Magician. Tup hogg, tup lamb, ewe with lamb, ewe hogg, ewe lamb, bred, group, confined – Rigfoot Suffolks.

Bluefaced Leicester (Judge: J Cannon). Champion – R Blair, Pennytersal Farm, with a home-bred ewe hogg, by a Blairnavaid sire, out of a home-bred ewe hogg, on its first show outing. Reserve – R Baxter, with a ewe lamb. Tup hogg, tup lamb, ewe with lamb, ewe lamb – R Baxter. Ewe hogg – R Blair.

Texel (Judge: J Cannon). Champion – Miss A Wright, Laverock Farm, with a three-year-old ewe, bought from Greenbank, shown with lamb at foot, having been supreme sheep champion at Kilmacolm last year. Reserve – Miss A Wright, with an embryo tup lamb by Crailloch Action Man out of the champion ewe. Tup lamb, ewe with lamb at foot, ewe lamb – Miss A Wright. Ewe hogg – Rigfoot Suffolks.

Cheviots (Judge: D McVicar). Champion – W and J Howie, Auchentiber, with a three-shear home-bred tup, by a Murdieston sire, winning for the first time. Reserve – W and J Howie’s home-bred ewe hogg, by Murdieston Thingammyjig, on its first show outing. Aged tup, tup hogg, ewe with lamb, ewe hogg, ewe lamb, tup lamb – W and J Howie.

Clydesdale (Judge: J Rochead, Blantyre). Champion – A and E Campbell, Netherwood, Kilmacolm, with Pacemuir Elizabeth, a yearling by Dillars Jura out of Rashillhillhouse Becky. Reserve – JM McMillan, Greenan Mill, Bute, with Mill Lady Jane, a yearling by Dillars Ollie out of Mill Elliebelle, on her first show outing. Brood mare, foal, filly or colt – A and E Campbell. Yeld mare, yeld gelding, ridden – G Robertson.