A TORRENTIAL downpour coupled with the rumble of thunder wasn't enough to deter showgoers at Braco Show where, despite the much-needed rain, exhibitors were in good form while showing the best of their stock. 

It was the turn of local man and previous chairman of the Ardoch Agricultural Society, James Dawson, to pick the champion of champions and he found his winner in Morven Campbell's Highland pony mare, Knockandy Abigail, which won the Highland pony section here last year too. The 11-year-old mare by Moss-side Lairig Ghru, shown by Anna Roberts during the Highland classes before Erica Hood took over the reins for the supreme, was also best of the yeld mares at the Highland Pony Breed Show and stood second in her class at the Royal Highland. 

Some of the strongest entries were seen in the sheep lines where John Dykes, from West Linton, awarded the inter-breed rosette to Ally Baird's Zwartbles ewe, Greystone Cranachan. This two-crop Greystone Alan daughter which is a double champion at the Royal Highland Show also lifted the tri-colour ticket at Gargunnock, Stirling and Doune and Dunblane shows earlier this season. Ally had more to celebrate when his trio of Zwartbles landed the group of three inter-breed ticket ahead of three Texels from Cammie Gauld's Cairnam flock. 

Reserve here was a Cheviot ewe from Tom Kerr's Colony flock. A three-crop on her debut outing, she is by a Cashlie sire. 

It was a clean sweep for Wilson Peters in the cattle section with his commercial entries landed the individual, pairs and group of three tickets under judge, Matt Jack, from Glenrothes. Wilson's individual leader was Adora Derriere, a 14-month-old Powerhouse Harlequin daughter that secured the same honours at Kirriemuir a couple weeks previously. 

Aberdeen-Angus females from the Rettie family were reserve to the commercial winners in all sections, with the reserve individual ticket going to Retties Lady Ruth S351, a March, 2016-born heifer by Billenge Magic Jack Eric which was reserve at Fife earlier in the season. 

Kevin Wilson's Clydesdale mare, Westbank Ruby Tuesday, scooped the heavy horse championship and her fourth Clydesdale title in a row. An 11-year-old by Doura Above All, she has won many championships over the years. 

LEADING awards:

Continental cattle (Judge: I Millar, Port of Menteith). Champion – Brailes Livestock, with an April, 2017-born Charolais heifer named Bassett Nadia. This first prize winner from the Royal Highland which also stood second at the National held at the Great Yorkshire, is sired by Harestone Domino and out of Bassett Ursula. Reserve – W Lawson, with a Limousin bull named Windsole Nico. Sired by the 140,000gns Trueman Hagger and born in May, 2017, out of Windsole Flora, he stood champion at Alyth and Fife shows. Bull – W Lawson. Cow in milk, calf – TA and E Henderson. Heifer born after January 1, 2017 – Brailes Livestock. 

Native cattle (Judge: I Millar). Champion, reserve beef inter-breed and reserve – R and C Rettie, with two Aberdeen-Angus heifers from their Retties Lady Ruth family. Taking the championship and reserve inter-breed ticket was Retties Lady Ruth S351, a March, 2016-born Billenge Magic Jack Eric daughter bred out of the home-bred Lady Ruth N259. She was reserve at Fife Show this year as well as part of the winning pairs, and did well on the winter calf circuit. In reserve was another Billenge Magic Jack Eric daughter in the shape of Retties Lady Ruth S359, which was born in the same month but this time out of Lady Ruth N224. These two were part of the reserve pairs and reserve group of three. Bull – G McFadzean. Heifer born in 2016, heifer born in 2017 – R and C Rettie. 

Commercial cattle (Judge: J Paul, Glenrothes). Champion, beef inter-breed champion and reserve – WA Peters. Going all the way for Wilson was Adora Derriere, a 14-month-old Limousin cross heifer which won the same title at Kirriemuir Show to follow on from her section championship at Doune and Dunblane. Bought at the Royal Northern Spring Show from the Robertsons at Newton of Logierait, she is by Powerhouse Harlequin and out of a Limousin cross British Blue cow. In reserve was a home-bred September-born heifer by the Monzie stock bull, Carmorn Lionbar, and out of Wilson's 2012 show heifer, a Limousin cross. This un-named heifer has been first in her class on every outing, including Fife, Angus, Alyth, Doune and Dunblane, and Kirriemuir. Wilson also won the inter-breed pairs and group of three competitions. One-year-old bullock, one-year-old heifer, suckled stot calf, suckled heifer calf, suckled calf born after December 31, 2017, champion calf – WA Peters. Cow with calf – P Rattray. 

Cattle young handler – Wallace Mackie. 

Blackface (Judge: D MacArthur, Biggar). Champion and reserve – Aberuchill Estate with Bonnie, a gimmer bought from Auldhouseburn as a lamb in a pen of three for 1700gns apiece. On her first outing since when brought out by shepherd Craig Paterson, and his dad Ian, she is by Joeco, an Auldhouseburn-bred son of the £160,000 Dalchirla, and out of an Auldhouseburn ewe. Reserve for the estate was an unshown April-born ewe lamb by the Gass-owned £12,000 Crossflatt. She is out of a a Dalchirla ewe which was bought for 1700gns as a rough hogg, which is in turn by a son of a £30,000 Aitkenhead. Aged ram – Remony Estate Partnership. Two-shear ram, shearling ram, gimmer, ewe lamb – Aberuchill Estate. Ewe in milk, ram lamb – Tay and Torridon Estate. 

Scotch Mule (Judge: J Pirie, Drymen). Champion and reserve – J Laidlaw, with two April-born ewe lambs. The champion was sired by a Blairnavaid loan lamb and out of McLarty-bred ewe, while the reserve was by the same sire but this time out of a Turnault-bred ewe. Gimmer, ewe lamb – J Laidlaw. Pen of three ewe lambs – T Adam. 

Border Leicester (Judge: G Reid, Muthill). Champion and reserve – K Buchanan, with two bought-in gimmers. Champion for new breeder Katie, who runs just three females at the moment, was a gimmer bought from Duncan Whyte at Carlisle back in January. She is by Eildon Last Chance, as was the reserve bought at the same time, and they stood second and fourth in their class at Doune and Dunblane. Ewe, gimmer, ram lamb – K Buchanan. 

Texel (Judge: M Jack, Glenrothes). Champion – C Gauld, with a 2013-born ewe by Baltier Thunderbird bred out of a ewe by Garngour Onyx. On her first outing of the year, she was champion here as a two-crop and had triplets at foot this year, with her Garngour Aladdin-sired tup lamb first in the ring at the Lanark sale. Cammie also landed the reserve honours in the inter-breed group of three. Reserve – G Reid, with a home-bred tup lamb. Shearling ram, ram lamb – G Reid. Ewe, gimmer, ewe lamb – C Gauld. 

Commercial sheep (Judge: A Paul, Glenrothes). Champion – J Guthrie, with a trio of prime lambs by different Beltex sires and out of Beltex cross ewes. On their first outing, they'll be at Perth Show before selling through United Auctions. Reserve – G Whyte, with a pen of three-gimmers by Beltex tups and out of ewes by Cuiltburn-bred Beltex rams. Ewe with pair of lambs – M Rattray. Three continental-sired cross lambs, single cross lamb – J Guthrie. Three AOB-sired cross lambs, three gimmers, three untrimmed cross lambs – G Whyte. Three cross-bred ewes – C Gauld. 

Beltex (Judge: J McLean, New Deer). Champion – A Morton, with Mortons Diplomat, an ET-bred tup lamb born in February out of Mortons Whammy. Selling at Carlisle later in the month, this third prize winner from the Highland Show is by the 10,000gns Kingledores Battleaxe shared with the Feoch, Beachy and Sinclairs flocks. Reserve – I Reid, with his champion from Stirling Show which also stood reserve at Kirriemuir, Aviemore Wilma. This ewe is by Artnagullion Top Dog and out of Aviemore Pepsi. Aged ram, ewe – I Reid. Shearling ram, ram lamb, gimmer, ewe lamb, group of three – A Morton. 

Cheviot (Judge: G Reid). Champion and reserve sheep inter-breed – T Kerr, with a home-bred three-crop ewe from his Colony flock. On her first outing, she is by a Cashlie tup bought at Lairg, while her mother is by a Keppoch sire. Reserve – WA MacKinnon, with a home-bred gimmer on her debut outing. She is by a Philiphaugh ram bought at Lockerbie which has proved to be a good breeder, while her dam is home-bred. Aged ram – A Lambie. Shearling ram, ewe – T Kerr. Ram lamb – I and M Davidson. Gimmer, ewe lamb, group of three – WA MacKinnon. 

Zwartbles (Judge: J Strawhorn, Lockerbie). Champion and sheep inter-breed champion – A Baird, while his double Royal Highland Show winner, Greystone Cranachan, a two-crop ewe by Greystone Alan and out of a Tardoes ewe. She was also champion at Doune and Dunblane, Stirling and Gargunnock shows. Ally also won the inter-breed group of three ticket with three of his Zwartbles. Reserve – N Henderson, with Aquila Canada, another two-crop which has been second in her class to Cranachan every time, including at the Highland. She is by Torrinyard Arran and out of Aquila Alaska. Aged ram, shearling ram – N Henderson. Ram lamb, ewe, gimmer, ewe lamb – A Baird. 

Any other sheep breed (Judge: T Sands, Abernyte). Champion – D Green, with a two-crop white Ryeland ewe on her first outing. Reserve – E McLaren, with a ewe lamb. Ram, ewe – D Green. Ewe lamb – E McLaren. 

Sheep young handler – Ben Smith. 

Goats (Judge: Mrs M Ross, Balhelvie). Champion and reserve – C Bailey. Clare's champion was a pygmy buck called Richmor Celticlark, which goes by the name Rocket, and she was reserve with a pygmy goatling. Pygmy milker – A Charlton. Pygmy goatling, pygmy kid, pygmy buck – C Bailey. 

Clydesdale (Judge: J Greenhill, Forfar). Champion and heavy horse champion – K Wilson, with West Bank Ruby Tuesday, an 11-year-old Doura Above All daughter which won her another heavy horse championship at Braco. Bred from Westbank Craigs Miss Dynamite, she has won many championships over the years for Kevin and her fourth at Braco. Reserve – J Graham, with his two-year-old filly, Doura Joules, which stood reserve at the Kittochside Heavy Horse Show and well as senior champion at Kilpatrick Foal Show. She is by Doura Jackpot and out of Mill Barbara. Yeld mare – K Wilson. Gelding, ridden – V Osborne. Brood mare, colt foal – D Stewart. Two-year-old filly – J Graham. Yearling filly – D and L Young. 

Highland pony (Judge: J Dykes, West Linton). Champion, light horse in-hand champion and champion of champions – M Campbell, with Knockandy Abigail, an 11-year-old mare that stood champion here last year as well as at the Central Scotland Spring Show earlier this year, yeld mare champion at the Breed Show and second at the Highland. She is by Moss-side Lairig Ghru and out of Winnie of Craignetherty. Reserve – A Taylor, with Tarquin of Forglen, an eight-year-old gelding which has done well in the show ring. Brood mare, fill foal – A Curle. Three-year-old filly – J Alexander. Two-year-old filly – A Roberts. Yearling filly – WKA Allan. Gelding – A Taylor. Yeld mare – M Campbell. 

Standard Shetland pony (Judge: Mrs L Wilson, Ceres). Standard and overall Shetland champion – T Stuart, with Scapa of Auckhorn, an eight-year-old mare bought a couple weeks previously as an early birthday present for Tam's 60th later in the year. She is by Millhouse Impressive and out of Raeburn Spiggy. Reserve standard – S Bridgeman, with Eynhallow Bowes, a seven-year-old Harviestoun Purdhu daughter bred from Clashan Doreen Beauty. Bought by Sue as a three-year-old, she was champion at Howe this year and is a previous champion at the group show. Stallion, yearling filly – Mawcarse Shetlands. Mare with foal – Transy Stud. Foal – A McConville. Two or three-year-old filly or gelding – S Bridgeman. Yeld mare or gelding – S Stuart. 

Miniature Shetland pony (Judge: Mrs L Wilson). Champion – RS Pitcairn, with Eiger Nijinsky, the supreme Shetland champion from Kittochside Heavy Horse Show. This seven-year-old stallion was also champion at the North of England, Skelton and Cumberland shows. Reserve – S McKay, with Alichbrae Eddie. Four-year-old and over – RS Pitcairn. Two or three-year-old – A McKay.