Langside wins first big one at local show

The father and son team have previously won the top sheep honours with a Suffolk and a Charollais, and this time notched up a third such title with a home-bred Charollais gimmer on her show debut. She is by the former Royal Highland inter-breed sheep champion, Oakchurch Ozil and out of a home-bred ewe by Banwy Moonshine – one of 35 pedigree Charollais in the flock.

“She’s an outstanding sheep full of breed character, size, length and shape,” said Jim Hamilton, Melrose, the overall champion of champions judge who had to select a supreme winner from the lead dairy, beef, sheep, Clydesdale, light legged horse, and poultry champions.

The gimmer was placed supreme sheep by Andy Woodburn, Netherwood, Muirkirk, who found his reserve in the leading Texel – a section which again attracted a huge entry from many leading flocks. Taking the plaudits was a previously unshown ewe lamb by the 15,000gns Knock Yardsman, from the Clark boys – Alan, Andrew and David, and their mother Helen, Lesmahagow.

Mr Woodburn also selected the overall beef winners and presented the champion and reserve honours to two blacks.

“This has been a first class show of quality stock and the champion, the British Blue, is an exceptionally nice beast – she’s the one I’d like to see at home,” said Mr Woodburn, who presented runner-up trophy to the commercial leader.

Supreme was David and Lynn Watret’s Criffelview Kendra, an in-calf heifer by Cromwell Fendt, bred from the former show cow, Criffelview Gracious – one of only three British Blues in the herd from Muirfield, Lockerbie.

Just pipped at the post was Archie Lindsay’s commercial calf, Ace, a 16-month-old, home-bred bullock shown by 16-year-old Jane Lindsay, Kepscaith, which scooped the runner-up title.

The event was also host to the first of the sheep shearing qualifying competitions for the world championships in France, next year, which saw Callum Shaw, Saline, win the open competition and Scotland take the honours from England in the team test.

LEADING awards

Dairy cattle (Judge: W Fleming, Hillhead, Kirkpatrick Fleming). Champion – JD Baillie and Sons, Dalserf, with the champion from Stonehouse, Dalserf Goldfish Dellia Ex92, a third calver by Toc-Farm Goldfish, bred from an Ex-classified Buckeye sired home-bred cow. Calved in November and still giving 60 litres per day having produced more than 15,000 litres in her second, she was also reserve here and at East Kilbride, last year. Reserve – W Bryson, Dykehead, Lesmahagow, with Carnduff Comet Girl Red, a second calver by Carrock Comet, giving 55 litres per day, that was reserve at Stonehouse. Cow, pair, bred –JD Baillie and Sons. Heifer, calf – A and E Lawrie, Grangehall, Pettinain.

Continental cattle (Judge: J MacGregor, Drumtroder Cottage, Allanfauld, Kilsyth). Champion – R McCulloch, Overhill House, Armadale, with Overhill House Giggle, a two-year-old in-calf Simmental heifer by Curaheen Drifter out of Woodhall Effie. Placed at Ayr and a member of the reserve inter-breed beef team there, she was paraded by stockman, Cammy Jackson and is due in August to Denzies Gigantic. Reserve – J Wight and Sons, Midlock, Crawford, with a 13-month-old home-bred Charolais bull by the 14,000gns stock bull, Blelack Jerrylee, on his first outing. Bull – J Wight and Sons. Senior female, group – R McCulloch. Calf – A and AJ Forrest, Hillend, Roberton, Biggar.

British Blue (Judge: Mrs J Green, Wrangham, Colpy, Aberdeenshire). Champion and inter-breed beef – D and L Watret, Muirfield, Lockerbie, with Criffelview Kendra, a 2½-year-old in-calf heifer by Cromwell Fendt out of the former show cow, Criffelview Gracious by Ballygrange Alex. She was first at Ayr. Reserve – K Hill, Crawfordwalls, Carluke, with the three-year-old calved heifer, Kenray Krista, paraded with two-month-old heifer calf. She is by Kenray Iain and bred from Bidwell Henrietta, a heifer purchased some five years ago at Chelford. Bull – T and A Cockburn, Kingside, Leadburn. Cow, calf – K Hill. Heifer – D and L Watret. Maiden heifer – I McGarva, Nether Abington, Abington. Pair – B and S Comrie, Stonebyres, Lanark.

Commercial cattle (Judge: J MacGregor). Champion and reserve and reserve inter-breed beef – A Lindsay, Kepscaith, Longridge, with home-bred cattle by a home-bred Limousin cross British Blue bull. Champion, shown by 16-year-old Jane Lindsay was Ace, a 16-month-old bullock out of a pure Limousin cow that stood reserve at Stonehouse. Reserve was Miss Diva, also bred from a pure Limousin cow. This yearling heifer was first at Stonehouse. All classes – A Lindsay.

Limousin (Judge: J MacGregor). Champion – J Smith, Old Greentower, Cartland, with Roundhill H Giro Flee, a six-year-old daughter of the French sire, Acajou, bought at the Roundhill Limousin sale in Roscrea in 2014. She was shown with heifer calf at foot by the AI sire, Powerful Irish. Reserve – I Nimmo, Bogside, Carnwath, with Maraiscote Niel, a previously unshown 13-month-old bull by Millgate Jukebox out of Maraiscote Foxy. Bull, pair – I Nimmo. Cow, heifer – J Smith. Calf – A Lindsay, Kepscaith.

Native breed cattle (Judge: Mrs J Green). Champion – M Lockhart, Rosebank, Crossford, with a Beef Shorthorn bull brought out by stockman, Jock Currie. Balgay Jouneyman, a three-year-old bought privately was on his first outing and is by Glenisla Zetor. Reserve – A Jackson, Headlind, Woodyett, with the two-year-old home-bred heifer, Headlind Kitty, a Glenisla Gandolf daughter that stood champion at Peebles and reserve at Biggar last year. She is bred from the foundation female, Fingask Rosette Hester, bought at Stirling. Bull – M Lockhart. Cow – M Galbraith, Millmoor. Heifer, pair – A Jackson.

Young handlers – 1, Mark Bryson; 2, K Watret; 3, K Watret. Dairy calves – 1, A and E Lawrie; 2, T Armstrong; 3, M Bryson.

Suffolk (Judge: J Cannon, Redbrae, Wigtown). Champion – R and G Hiddleston, Shawhead, Dumfries, with a previously unshown home-bred gimmer by Muirton One Direction and out of a Strathisla-bred ewe. Reserve – T Fitzsimmon, Sunnyhill, Dumfries, with a Cairness-bred shearling bought last year at Stirling as a ram lamb. He is by the €31,000 Cloonagh Chieftain and out of a ewe by Cairness Liam. He was male champion on his sole previous outing at Ayr. Ram – T Fitzsimmon. Tup lamb, ewe, gimmer, ewe lamb – R and G Hiddleston.

Charollais (Judge: J Cannon). Champion, inter-breed sheep and overall champion of champions – R Gray, Langside, Kirkfieldbank, Lesmahagow, with a previously unshown gimmer by Oakchurch Ozil, a former breed and inter-breed sheep champion at the Highland. He is out of a home-bred ewe by Banwy Moonshine, one of 35 pedigree ewes in the flock that also run alongside pedigree flocks of Suffolk and Texel sheep. Reserve – B Radley, Loaningfoot, Georgetown, Dumfries, with a two-shear ram bought at Worcester as a tup lamb from the Ingram’s Loanhead flock. Loanhead Ringo Star is by Rhaeadr Orlando and was a class winner at several shows last year. Ram – B Radley. Ram lamb, ewe, gimmer, ewe lamb, group – R Gray.

Blackface (Judge: J Hamilton jnr, Aitkengall, Dunbar). Champion and reserve – M Coubrough, Hartside Farms, Lamington. Supreme was a previously unshown two-crop ewe by a £20,000 Dyke and out of a ewe by a £6500 Midlock. Reserve was a gimmer by an £8000 Elmscleugh, bred from a ewe by a £4000 Dalchirla brought out by shepherd Gordon MacDougall. She was also on her first outing. Ram – G Donald. Ram lamb – A Provan, Parkhall. Ewe, gimmer, ewe lamb – M Coubrough. Ewe lamb, group of five – I Fleming, Firm of Shawhead.

Texel (Judge: J Aiken, Proctors Farm, Slaidburn). Champion – Clark Farms, Lesmahagow, with a ewe lamb by the 15,000gns Knock Yardsman, whose first eight sons sold last year averaged in excess of £8000, out of a ewe by Teiglum Winfall which is also a full sister to farm’s 70,000gns Sire of the Year, Youngun. Reserve – R Cockburn, Hill of Errol, Errol, Perth, with the second prize ewe lamb. A daughter of the 2800gns Procters Yankee, bought at Worcester in 2016, she is bred from a full sister to the 145,000gns Knap Vicious Sid. Ram and male champion – W Fleming. Shearling ram – K Johnstone, Boghouse, Lanark. Ram lamb and reserve male, ewe, gimmer – R Cockburn. Ewe lamb – Clark Farms. Bred gimmer, pair – G Gray, Sunnycroft, Selkirk. Young handlers – 1, Fiona Currie; 2, Kirsty Currie; 3, Jenna Johnstone.

Border Leicester (Judge: J Lamb, Ayr). Champion and reserve – S and A Watson, Culticheldoch Farm Cottage, Muthill, Crieff. Supreme was a home-bred gimmer by Eildon Rob Roy bred from a former Highland Show champion by Didcot Drambuie. She was on her first outing. Reserve for the 24-ewe flock was a ram lamb by the 2016 purchase, Drennans Dazzler, bred from another Drambuie-sired ewe. Both were on their first outing. Ram – Miss J Brown, Millmoor, Sandilands, Lanark. Ram lamb, ewe, gimmer, ewe lamb, fleece, group – S and A Watson.

Beltex (Judge: S McCormack, Easter Hillgate, Penicuik). Champion – A Jackson, Maulscastle, Annan, with a shearling ram bought last year at Lanark from the Lawries, Grangehall. He is by Clary Prankster, out of a Grangehall-bred ewe and was on his first outing for his 20-ewe Tip Top flock. Reserve – R Wood, Kingledores, Tweedsmuir, Broughton, Biggar, with a ram lamb by Clary Chancer out of Kingledores Betty Boo, a former champion here and at the Highland, by Clary Ablaze. Aged ram, shearling ram – A Jackson. Ram lamb, gimmer, ewe lamb, group of three – R Wood. Ewe – K O’Connor.

Shetland (Judge: A Bain, Tranent). White champion and reserve and overall – A MacLarty, Duneaton Shetlands, Springhill, Douglas. Supreme for the second year in succession was the three-shear ram, Munchester Ethan. He is by an Island-bred sire and out of an Island-bred ewe. Reserve for the five-ewe flock was a tup lamb by the champion. White ram, white ram lamb – A MacLarty, Springhill, Douglas. Coloured ewe, coloured gimmer – H Hill, Low Whitehouse, Lesmahagow. Coloured ram, coloured ram lamb, coloured ewe lamb, coloured group – F Frame, Douglas.

White Ryeland (Judge: Ms B Aiken, Slateford Road, Edinburgh). Champion – Mrs S Bryson, Lochmaben, for the third consecutive year with the home-bred two-shear ram, Broomwell Wallander, a son of Broomwell Utherpendragon out of a Hayton-bred ewe. He was reserve at Ayr. Reserve – Wellhill Ryelands, New Cumnock, with the breed leader from Ayr, a home-bred gimmer by Carsfad Valencia out of an Orchard House ewe bought at Carlisle. Ram – Mrs S Bryson. Ram lamb, ewe, ewe lamb, group – G Arthur, Greenaton, Carnwath. Gimmer – Wellhill Ryelands.

Coloured Ryeland (Judge: Ms B Aiken). Champion – CP Smyth, Urrall, Kirkcowan, with Barony Yetti, an end of February-born ram lamb by the privately purchased Carsfad Usher, out of Barony Urchin, on his first outing. Reserve – L White, Islesteps, Dumfries, with a previously unshown gimmer by Greenlea Warrior out of a home-bred Pleasance ewe. Ram lamb, gimmer – CP Smyth. Ewe, ewe lamb, group – L White.

Clydesdales (Judge: A McMillan, Rothesay). Champion – J Rochead, Malcolmwood, Blantyre, with the Stonehouse champion, Malcolmwood Isla, a yearling filly by Dillars Jura out of Mill Moonlight, by Dillars Leader. Reserve – R Hamilton, with the yearling colt, Dillars Idaho, a son of Dillars Speedy that was reserve male at the Lothian and Borders Foal Show. He is out of the Dillars Scotty Boy daughter, Howgillside Lucky Lady. Senior gelding – B Lindsay, North of Hillend, Crossford. Yearling male – R Hamilton. Yeld mare – J Speirs. Yearling filly – J Rochhead. Young handlers – Hannah Lindsay.

Sheep shearing – Open – 1, Callum Shaw; 2, Hamish Mitchell; 3, Grant Lundie. Senior – 1, Stephen Morgan; 2, Lewis Harkness; 3, Cameron Wilson. Intermediate – 1, Cameron Wilson; 2, Ryan MacLean; 3, Stuart Robson. Junior – Billy Grey; 2, George Mari; 3, Ben Wight.