ONE of Scotland’s best known ridden hunters again made his presence felt at last weekend’s glorious Dalkeith Show, winning the inter-breed horse and prestigious overall champion of champions.
The event, which was again staged at a scenic Dalkeith Country Park, saw Clive Storey’s 11-year-old coloured gelding, Masquerade, a former supreme overall at Northumberland, Haddington, Peebles and here, again take all the plaudits in front of a packed ringside.
“The ridden hunter gelding demonstrates horsemanship at its very best,” said the overall judge, John Dykes, West Linton.
“When it gets down to selecting an overall champion of champions, it is very much a matter of opinion, and the hunter is just about perfect in every way – movement, conformation, style and he’s so well behaved,” said Mr Dykes.
Taking all the plaudits, the stylish Masquerade is Irish-bred being sired by Derrymore Boy, and out of Maree Queen. Bred in Co Galway, he has been owned by Mr Storey for eight years and has won many local events since. However, he has only been shown lightly this year due to the hard ground, and came first in his class at Northumberland.
For the supreme overall, Masquerade triumphed over the Clydesdale, inter-breed sheep, supreme beef, dairy calf and prime lamb champion winners.
The largest section, the sheep which attracted no fewer than 11 breed winners forward for the overall title, saw inter-breed sheep judge, James Herdman, find his supreme in the lead Texel, a ewe lamb from Dave Preacher, who runs just a handful of pedigree females alongside a larger Blackface enterprise at Holylee, Walkerburn.
Going all the way here, to secure a first breed and inter-breed title for the 12-ewe flock established in 2012, was a daughter of the £8000 Milnbank Wisconsin, the reserve male champion at last year’s breed sale at Lanark, purchased by the Dunlops at Elmscleugh and used on loan. The dam was a Rascarrel gimmer by Stainton Uncle Sam, bought three years ago. 
“The Texel is a really good commercial animal with great shape, size, length and she’s very good on her legs. She’s also got fantastic hair,” said Mr Herdman, pointing out that his business back home at Edlingham Newtown is very much commercially orientated.
For his choice of reserve he selected the Blackface leader from Sam McClymont and sons William and Scott, Tinnis, Yarrow, with the Bluefaced Leicester best from Ian and Craig Borthwick, standing second reserve.
Blackie best was a two-crop ewe by a £5000 Balliemeanoch that stood third in her class at the Highland, last month, with the Blue leader being a ewe lamb by a home-bred son of the H2 Skeughdale, on her first outing.
The Blackie, Blue and resultant progeny also starred in the inter-breed pairs, with a duo from the Thornborrow brothers, Craig and Gary, Easter Dawyck, landing the supreme with a Blue pairing comprising the gimmer that stood reserve in her section and a suckled gimmer bought at Carlisle in January from Martyn Archer, Carry House.
Two Scotch Mule ewe lambs by a home-bred son of a G21 Nunscleugh from the Dicks at Hamildean, Peebles, picked up with blue and white sash, with a Blackie pairing from Angus Kennedy and son Angus, Mitchellhill, Biggar, bagging the second reserve. This was made up of a two-shear Williamhope-bred ram and a home-bred gimmer.


LEADINGawards

Clydesdales (Judge: A Johnston, Falkirk). Champion – G Gray, Fawnspark, Linlithgow, with the seven-year-old mare, Fawnspark Emily, brought out with assistance from daughter Heather Fraser. Emily is by Hillhouse General Elect, our of the well known show mare, Fawnspark Elizabeth and was shown with colt foal by Mollinhillhead Celebrity. She did well as a foal and was on her first outing of the year. Reserve – A and A Jackson, The Boat, Thankerton, Biggar, with Boat Lady Victoria, a three-year-old filly by Dillars Top Gun, out of Boat Lady Bethany. She was fourth at the Highland on her sole previous outing. Senior filly, colt or gelding – A and A Jackson. Brood mare, foal – G Gray. Yearling – A Greenan, East Linton.
Dairy (Judge: B Weatherup, Crossgates (cattle) and R Weir, Penicuik (calves and young handlers). Champion – D Laird, Cauldcoats, with Cauldcoats Dalliance Ballerina, a six-month-old heifer calf shown by stockman Gavin Redpath and son Connor (14). She is by Wilder Dalliance and bred from the VG87-3yr Cauldcoats Tabasco Ballerina. Reserve – D Laird, with Cauldcoats Zero Anya, a five-month-old heifer calf shown by John Redpath (7), by Cauldcoats Zero and out of Cauldcoats GB Anya. Both were on their first outing from the 160-cow herd based at Pathhead. Champion young handler – Ruth Allison (5), Crossgates, with a two-month-old Holstein heifer calf that also saw her win the same award at Central and West Fife Show, last month. Heifer calf under six months to be shown by person under six years – Ruth Allison. Heifer calf under six months to be led by person 7-14years – Connor Redpath. Heifer calf under three months – Janice Laird, Dalkeith. Heifer calf over three months but under six months, heifer calf, cow – D Laird.
Commercial cattle (Judge: I Murray, Berwick Upon Tweed). Champion – Ross Farms, Gorebridge, with the previously unshown six-year-old pedigree Charolais cow Blelack Helen, by Balmyle Dingle. She was purchased at a Blelack production sale, is out of the Coolnaslee Adversary daughter, Blelack Delicieuse and was shown with October-born bull calf at foot by the 10,500gns Kerseknowe Iron, which is to be sold at the Bull Sales at Stirling in February. Reserve – Gillian Scott, Gateside, Linlithgow, with the Stirling Show champion, Tickle Me Fancy, a home-bred three-quarter-bred red Limousin cross heifer by Melbreak Hero. Single continental-bred – G Scott. Bred cow and calf, cow and senior calf, senior calf – Ross Farms. Cow and junior calf, junior calf – A Kennedy and Sons, Haddington.
Blackface (Judge: J Kay, Lauder). Champion and reserve overall sheep – S McClymont and Sons, Tinnis, Yarrow, with a two-crop ewe that stood third at the Highland Show. She is by a £5000 Balliemeanoch, out of a ewe by a £5000 Glen, Gatehouse and was on her first outing since. Reserve – A and A Kennedy, Mitchellhill, Broughton, Biggar, with a two-shear Williamhope-bred ram bought at Lanark last year for £4500. He is by a £15,000 Midlock, and out of a ewe by a £6000 Connachan. The tup and a home-bred gimmer by a £3500 Mitchellhill also made up part of the reserve inter-breed pairs. Aged ram, ewe lamb, pair – A and A Kennedy. Shearling ram, ewe, gimmer, tup lamb – S McClymont and Sons.
Bluefaced Leicester (Judge: A Brown, Thornhill). Champion and second reserve overall – I and C Borthwick, Melrose, with a ewe lamb by a home-bred son of an H2 Skeughdale bought at Hawes, bred from a ewe by an F2 Skeughdale – one of only nine ewes owned by the drystone dyking father and son duo. The sire is bound for the ram sales at Kelso.  Reserve – M Thornborrow and Sons, Easter Dawyck, Peebles, with a gimmer by the £15,000 Midlock Topgun, shared with Hamildean, out of a ewe by a £23,000 Carryhouse. She and a Carryhouse-bred suckled gimmer bought at Carlisle in January from Martyn Archer, made up the winning inter-breed pair. Shearling ram, tup lamb – G McDonald, Stobo. Ewe, group of three – T Dick and Sons, Hamildean, Peebles. Gimmer – M Thornborrow and Sons. Ewe lamb – I Borthwick.
North Country Cheviot (Judge: R Strawhorn, Lockerbie). Champion – S Turnbull, with the champion winner from Haddington, a home-bred gimmer from the Jethart flock that stood third at the Highland. She is by Muirton Tip Top Tup and out of a ewe by Hownam Grange Wee Tam. Reserve – S Anderson, Galashiels, with a home-bred one-crop ewe by Bardnaclavan Saracen, a tup used on loan from Balnacree, out of a Brockhouse ewe bought privately. She was fifth at the National at Kelso, last year. Aged ram, ewe – S Anderson. Shearling ram, ewe lamb – A Pate, Heriot. Gimmer, ram lamb, group, pair – S Turnbull.
Jacob  (Judge: Linda McKendrick, Cupar). Champion – M Harper, Hawick, with last year’s champion, the home-bred shearling ram, Harbell Lincoln, a four-horned ram by Arkleside Dudley bred from a home-bred Harbell ewe. Champion and reserve inter-breed sheep at Haddington Show, he is destined for the breed sale at St Boswells. Reserve – R Locker, Greenlaw, with a gimmer by Gowanbank Max out of a home-bred  ewe. She was first at Staffordshire County and Fife Shows. Ram – M Harper. Ewe, gimmer, ewe lamb, pair – R Locker. Ram lamb, group – M and G Harper, Hawick.
Young handlers (Judge: R Patterson, Dunblane). Under 10 years – TT McDonald, Stobo; 2, Kirsty Turnbull; 3, James Dick. 10-16 years – 1 and champion, Daniel Fleming; 2, Adam Pate; 3, Archie Hendry.
Scotch Mule (Judge: A Brown, Thornhill). Champion – Kath Dun, Heriot, with a one-crop Midlock-bred ewe bought privately from the Wight family as a ewe lamb. She was placed as a gimmer and was shown by son Angus. Reserve – T Thornborrow and Sons, Easter Dawyck, Stobo, with a ewe lamb by a Shafthill sire bought at Bentham last year, out of a home-bred ewe. Ewe – K Dun. Gimmer – W Sanderson, Pathhead. Ewe lamb – M Thornborrow and Sons. Pen of three ewe lambs, pair – T Dick and Sons.
Shetland (Judge: B Watson, Cumbria). Champion – Joan Brunton, Fieldview, Haddington, with the first prize white gimmer from Haddington Show, Fieldview Zinnia. A daughter of Fieldview Damien, she is out of Fieldview Sarah. Fieldview also won the reserve coloured championship with Fieldview Glen, a shearling ram that is to be retained for use after being used as a lamb. Previously unshown, he is by Fieldview Miller and out of Fieldview Venus. Reserve – P, D and A Playfair, with the coloured champion, Kaimknowe Leilani, a home-bred moorit gimmer out of the show winning female, Rivendell Surprise, a 2015 purchase that was reserve at the Border Union in 2016 and won several other classes that year. Leilani’s is the equally well known, Kaimknowe Eustace, a tup that was champion at the Border Union and Yetholm in 2014.The couple also picked up reserve white honours with Kaimknowe Myrtle, a ewe lamb bred from two Highland Show winning parents. Her sire is Kaimknowe Goldplated and she is bred from St Baldred’s Myrtle. White ram, white shearling ram, white ewe, white ewe lamb, white group, white pair, coloured ram, coloured ewe, coloured gimmer, coloured ram lamb, coloured ewe lamb, coloured pair – P, D and A Playfair. White gimmer, coloured shearling ram, coloured group – J Brunton.
Suffolk (Judge: T Fitzsimmons, Dumfries). Champion and reserve – S and G Brown, Woodhead, Gorebridge. Supreme was a home-bred three-crop ewe that was champion at Peebles as a gimmer.  She is by Penman Finale and out of a ewe by Howeburn Last Laugh. Reserve from the 30-ewe flock was a ewe lamb by Salopian Hes the Boy out of a ewe by Penman Finale.  Ram – A Anderson, West Linton. Shearling ram, ewe, gimmer, ram lamb, ewe lamb, group, pair – S and G Brown.
Texel (Judge: R Wilson, Turriff). Champion and supreme sheep – D Preacher, Holylee, Walkerburn, with a ewe lamb by the £8000 Milnbank Wisconsin, a tup sold to Elmscleugh, but used on loan, out of a Rascarrel-bred gimmer bought at Carlisle three years ago, by Stainton Uncle Sam. She was fifth at the Highland. Reserve – G Gray, Lindean, Selkirk, with a gimmer by Ettrick Yagerbomb, a tup retained for breeding by a Douganhill sire. Previously unshown, she is out of a ewe by Ettrick Rainbow Warrior which also bred the second prize ewe at the Great Yorkshire and a 10,000gns gimmer last year. Ram, shearling ram, ewe, group, pair – J and C Connell, Lauder.
Any other breed accredited (Judge: R Patterson, Dunblane). Champion – D and Clare Gray, Lindean, Selkirk, with Midnight Burberry, a Blue Texel gimmer bought at the Midnight Blue dispersal last year, that stood seventh in her class at the Highland, this year. She is by a Millside sire amd out of Millend Wilma, by a Millside sire. Reserve – G Maxwell, Melrose, with a March-born Beltex ram lamb by Mortons Toyboy, a ram shared with Andrew Baillie, and out of a home-bred ewe. He was on his first outing and is destined for the breed sale at Carlisle, next month. Shearling ram, ram lamb, ewe lamb, ewe – G Maxwell. Gimmer – D and C Gray.
Any other breed or cross non accredited (Judge: A Smith, Hawick). Champion – Daniel Fleming (13), Heriot, with a pure Texel gimmer by Strathbogie Terminator out of an Ettrick ewe bought in Wales. Reserve – JB Pate and Sons, Toxside, Gorebridge, with a Suffolk ewe lamb by a Glenrath sire bought at Kelso in 2016 and out of a home-bred ewe. She was second at Haddington. Ram, shearling ram, ewe, group – A Smellie. Gimmer – D Fleming. Ram lamb – Ross Farms, Gorebridge.  Pair, ewe lamb – JB Pate  and Sons.
Prime lambs (Judge: I Murray, Berwick upon Tweed). Champion – Firm of Saughland, with a pen of three March-born lambs by a Dalchirla-bred Texel cross Beltex ram bought at the Stirling Rendezvous sale that also bred the firm’s champion winners here last year. They were brought out by Neil Shaw and David Colthart. Reserve – J and J Grant, Pathhead.