A steady trickle of rain was much needed in Kintyre, but not perhaps for the show day in Campbeltown last weekend.

The other dampener on proceedings was the fact that dairy cattle numbers were decimated by local TB restrictions, with several well-known herds missing from the fray as a result. Numbers were about half of that normally expected at what is one of the best shows of dairy cattle in Scotland at this time of year.

All credit then to those who did turn out and it was a bit of a walkover for the Ralston family in both the Ayrshire and black and white sections.

Top of the leader board was John Ralston's Holstein winner from Kilkivan, a third calver by the home-bred sire, Kilkivan Ivor, which edged ahead of the Ayrshire leader, the freshly calved junior cow in milk from his cousin, Tommy Ralston, East Drumlemble, as placed by visiting Rothesay umpire, Robert Macintyre.

But these winners had to hold sway in the champion of champions judging to young Fraser Lines (10), Killocraw, who was delighted with his win in the beef lines with the late May-born British Blue cross heifer calf, Georgie Ezra. He was ably assisted by his sister, Megan (12), for the photoshoot – and the celebrations thereafter.

A busy sheep schedule saw the overall going to a well-shown tup lamb from Mrs Jean McLachlan, the wife of show president, John McLachlan, the 'herd for Joe and Mary Turner, at Kildalloig. This son of Mossvale Master Plan had already proved his worth at the Highland after being made reserve male champion there and there was a bit of luck involved in this too as he was got by a gift of semen from that sire.

Mrs McLachlan also had another entry in for the inter-breed, having also won the Suffolk championship with a Cairness-bred one-crop ewe.

But reserve supreme sheep was the Blackie leader from David and Ian McArthur, of Arnicle. This was their well-known show ewe, Khaleesi, which is now a four-crop ewe and is a former winner at Kintyre and inter-breed champion at Mid Argyll.

Also in for the champion of champions ticket was the Clydesdale winner, a filly foal called Gar-cal-fra Sweet Iona, shown by Callum MacPhail. She was bred out of a former show star, Gar-cal-fra Sweet Chloe and got by Dillars Ollie.

LEADINGawards:

Ayrshire (Judge: A McWilliam, Colfin, Stranraer). Champion – TM Ralston and Sons, East Drumlemble, with the second calver, East Drumlemble Jewel 18, by Tiger Lily Lad. At her first show in milk, she is calved three weeks and giving 42 litres per day. Reserve – TM Ralston and Sons’ East Drumlemble Sophie 13, a fourth calver by Nexus Dream, making her show debut. Heifer calf (junior leader) – Jack Ralston, East Drumlemble. Heifer calf (leader 14-25) and calf champion – Alison Wylie, Machrihanish. Yearling heifer (over 25 leader), two year-odl back calving heifer, youngstock pair, youngstock champion, youngstock reserve, heifer in milk, junior cow in milk, senior cow in milk, pair – TM Ralston.

Holstein (Judge: S Braid, Lochwood Cottage, Moffat). Champion and overall dairy champion – J Ralston, Kilkivan, with a third calver by the home-bred sire, Kilkivan Ivor. Third last year in the junior cow class, she is six months calved and is following a second lactation of 8500 litres. Reserve – A and J Pirie, Machrihanish Farm, with Killearn Bolton Jill, a fifth calver which has been reserve before as a young cow. Calved in mid-February, she is giving 40 litres per day. Heifer calf (leader under 14), youngstock champion – Erin Ralston, Machrihanish. Heifer calf (14-25 leader), yearling (14-25 leader) – Jenny Semple, Kilkeddan. Yearling (over 25 leader), two-year-old back calving heifer, heifer in milk, milk records, 8000-litre class – A and J Pirie. Junior cow in milk, group of three – P Littleson, Killegruar. Senior cow in milk, pair – J Ralston. Youngstock pair, back calving cow – G Semple, Kilkeddan.

Beef (Judge: J Semple, Lochhead, Ellary). Champion – Fraser Lines (10), Killacraw, with a late May born heifer calf, Georgie Ezra, by a Netherwood-bred British Blue sire and out of a Limousin cross cow. Reserve – F Turner, Strath, with a pure-bred Hereford heifer calf. Autumn-born bullock, autumn-born heifer, spring-born bullock – DW Semple, Dippen. Spring-born heifer calf, pen of three – A Hamilton, Kilwhipnach. Calf led by juvenile – F Lines. Calf (led by 14-25 leader) – S Currie, Low Dunasherry. Pair – J Lines, Killacraw. Pure bred – F Turner.

Clydesdale (Judge: A Campbell, Netherwood Cottage, Kilmacolm). Champion – C MacPhail, Garcalfra, with Gar-cal-fra Sweet Iona, an end of February-born filly foal by Dillars Ollie and out of gar-cal-fra Sweet Chloe. Reserve – J McLatchie, 182 Moy, with the second prize filly foal, the March-born Moy Majestic Mary, by Dillars Jura and out of Peggyslea Alice. Foal, brood mare, yeld mare, pair – C MacPhail. Horse (14-25 leader) – Sarah Bateman, Langholm. Horse in harnes – Michell Mayberry, Bellochantuy.

Blackface (Judge: E McMillan, Lurg, Fintry). Champion – D and I McArthur, Arnicle, with the well-known show ewe, the four-crop Khaleesi. She is by the £20,000 Auldhouseburn and out of a dam by Ronaldo, a £17,000 Connachan. She’s a former Kintyre winner and also at Mid Argyll, where she was inter-breed sheep champion, and reserve at Dalmally. Reserve – D and I McArthur’s gimmer, by a home-bred son of a £16,000 Merkland and out of a dam by the £20,000 Auldhouseburn; first at Strachur last year. Confined shearling, confined ewe, confined suckled gimmer, confined gimmer, open and confined ewe lamb, confined champion – Gillespie and Preston, Crosshill. Open tup lamb, open ewe, open suckled gimmer, open gimmer, ewe with lamb, group of three – D and I McArthur. YF gimmer – Elsie McArthur. Confined tup lamb – P McKerral, Tangy.

Bluefaced Leicester (Judge: M Gray, Low Espley, Morpeth). Champion – Mrs J McLachlan, Kildalloig, with a tup lamb which was first and reserve male at the Royal Highland this year. He is by Mossvale Master Plan, via a gift of semen from Phil May, and out of a dam by an Ashes sire. Reserve – J and M Turner, Kildalloig, with a gimmer by a Shewbridge sire and out of a dam by the Ashes sire. Aged tup, ewe lamb – T Cameron, Gartveigh. Shearling tup, ewe, tup lamb – Mrs J McLachlan. Gimmer, group of three – J and M Turner.

Suffolk (Judge: Mrs N Gray, Low Espley). Champion – Mrs J McLachlan’s one-crop Cairness-bred ewe, by a Cairness sire. Reserve – T Cameron, Gartveigh, with a tup. Aged tup, gimmer, ewe lamb, group of three – T Cameron. Ewe _ Mrs J McLachlan.

Mule (Judge: M Gray). Champion – J and M Turner’s ewe. Reserve – R McCallum, Putechan, with a ewe. Ewe – R McCallum. Gimnmer – J and M Turner. Ewe lamb – Gillespie and Preston..

Texel (Judge: H Gamble, Hill Farm, Bangor, Co Down). Champion – Mrs S Woodrow, Nemains, Islay, with a home-bred one-crop ewe by Stainton Vigilante and out of a Nochnary-bred ewe. She was second as a ewe lamb at Islay. Reserve – Mrs S Woodrow’s home-bred gimmer, by Strathbogie Yes Sir and our of a Milnbank-bred ewe. Aged tup – I McKendrick. Shearling tup – R Colville, Langa. Ewe, gimmer, tup lamb, group of three – Mrs S Woodrow. Ewe lamb – J and M Cairns, Lochside.

AOB continental sheep (Judge: Mrs N Gray). Champion – J Parkhouse, Inverawe, with a home-bred Charollais one-crop ewe by Meiklehills Picasso; first show. Reserve – R Smith, Balliemore, with a gimmer. Tup, ewe – J Parkhouse. Gimmer, ewe lamb, group of three – R Smith. Ewe lamb – C McMillan, Low Tirfergus.

AOB native sheep (Judge: E McMillan). Champion – A Wilson, Baraskomill, with a Jacob ewe lamb. Reserve – R Semple, Dalbhradden, with a gimmer. Tup, ewe, ewe lamb, group of three – A Wilson. Gimmer – R Semple.

Prime lambs (Judge: N Gray). Champion – I McKendrick, High Dalrioch. All classes – I McKendrick.