Wick farmer, James Manson, had just cause to celebrate when he not only won the supreme cattle championship at Latheron Show for the first time in more than 30 years, his winner went on to bag the overall champion of champions accolade.

Mr Manson and his partner, Louise Mackay, from Upper Northfield, Hempriggs, went straight to the top with their five-year-old British Blue cow, Graymar Halle, a former female breed leader at the Royal Highland Show and local show winner by Empire D’Ochain.

Champion of champion judges, brothers Jim and Bill Manson, from Skaill, Thurso, described the cow as: “a tremendous beast," and were never in any doubt that that’s where the top award should go.

Their deliberation on the reserve was more difficult with it being a tight decision between the supreme sheep, a two-crop North Country Cheviot daughter of Durran Rover, that had given Andrew Polson, Roadside, Smerlie, Lybster, the championship at last year’s Black Isle Show and the overall horse, Mastermind IV, a four-year-old thoroughbred gelding, from Ruth Sutherland, Balnasmurich, Dunn, Watten. The horse eventually won through, with the judges claiming it had less faults than the ewe.

Andrew Polson also took reserve North Country Cheviot with another by Durran Rover, this time it was Smerlie Wizzard, a dinmont tup, being show for the first time.

Willie Budge and his son Coby, from Achalone, Halkirk, took reserve supreme in the sheep lines, with their Suffolk champion, a gimmer by a home-bred tup. They also secured the reserve award with a two-crop ewe.

Texel champion and reserve went to John Forbes, Boultach, Latheron, with a two-crop ewe by a Clougher sire and a home-bred gimmer by a Cornmore tup, respectively.

Gordie Begg, The Manse, Canisbay, won the reserve cattle title, with his cross cattle leader, Double or Quits, a January-born British Blue cross heifer by the stock bull, Cassius. He was supreme at Canisbay Show and is to be retained for breeding.

Latheron Agricultural Society’s president, Raymond Gunn, West Clyth, Lybster, picked up the continental reserve with his six-year-old British Blue bull, Tannachie Hugo.

Reserve overall horse was the champion Clydesdale from Micheal and Jacqueline Munro, 1 Achscrabster, Westfield, West Glen Apple Blossom, a four-year-old mare by Collessie Steppingstone.