A LIMOUSIN cross bullock and his British Blue mother landed the Robertson family another commercial cattle championship before scooping the champion of champions trophy at Aberfeldy Show. 

They've dominated the cattle section over the years and leading the way this year for the Robertsons – brought out by John, sister Margaret and John's son Craig – was a November-born bullock by the Limousin stock sire that has bred a number of money makers for the Newton of Logierait team, Powerhouse Harlequin, and his pedigree Blue dam, a six-year-old Ballygrange Alex daughter called Headlind Hiespy. 

Cattle judge, Andrew Steel, of Craignathro, Forfar, was pleased to see the 'good yoke' rise to the top of the show, adding it was the bullock that really tipped it for the pair during the cattle judging. 

During the champion of champions judging, the ponts-based system deemed Sally Murray's Highland pony mare, Lurgan Tay Mhor, overall heavy horse champion. The nine-year-old by Red Rock Dunain has been in the tickets in-hand but has done better under saddle, winning the ridden championship here last year before going on to stand reserve novice ridden at Blair a few weeks later. Tay, as she is known, edged ahead of a former heavy horse champion here, Kevin Wilsons' 11-year-old Clydesdale mare, Westbank Ruby Tuesday, which will now enjoy her retirement from the show ring having won many championships over the years. 

Also forward for the supreme accolade were the two leaders from the sheep section, which were landing their young breeders their first tri-colour ticket. First to take a championship was Thomas Muirhead's Blackface ewe lamb, which is by a £1000 Crossflatt and won her class at Doune and Dunblane as well as Perth Show. 

Heading up the prime lamb and cross sheep entry was a Scotch Mule ewe lamb from James Rock, which is by a loaned Firth lamb and was on her first outing. 

LEADING awards:

Highland pony in-hand (Judge: B Halliburton, Darroch Cottage, Muirton, Blairgowrie). Champion, overall Highland pony champion and heavy horse champion – S Murray, with Lurgan Tay Mhor, Sally's nine-year-old mare that was securing her first big in-hand win having done well under saddle. She is by Sally's former stud stallion, Red Rock Dunain, and out of Tessa of Alltnacailleach. Reserve – WD Simpson, with Chapehill Kyle, a two-year-old colt by Sally Murray's current stallion and former Aberfeldy champion of champions, Glenwestcastle Loch Rannoch, and out of another previous in-hand champion here, Chapelhill Tess. First at Fife on his only other outing this year for Willie and family, last year he was first at the Royal Highland Perth and Braco, and stood reserve male at Perth as well as best opposite sex to the champion at Braco. 

Ridden Highland pony (Judge: B Halliburton). Champion – Mrs BJ Malim, with Jasmine of Meggernie, a 12-year-old mare by Tower Clyde and out of Shastra of Meggernie. Brought out and ridden by Ross Pirie for Mrs Bev Malim, she has only been lightly shown having bred two foals but did well when shown down south. Reserve – S Murray, with her in-hand champion, Lurgan Tay Mhor. This home-bred mare was novice and overall ridden champion here last year and was reserve in a large novice section at Blair, also last year. 

Clydesdale (Judge: Mrs J Farley, Fullwood Farm, Kilncadzow, Carluke). Champion – K Wilson, with his heavy horse champion from last year, Westbank Ruby Tuesday, that has been heavy horse champion at Braco four times. Sired by Doura Above All and out of Westbank Craigs Miss Dynamite, the 11-year-old mare has won many championships over the years for Kevin and will now enjoy her retirement. Reserve – C Young, with Glebeview Lady Izzy, a two-year-old filly by Glebeview Sir Charles and out of Glebeview Cassie. She was champion at both Neilson and Drymen shows earlier this year for Charlotte. Mare with foal, foal – D Laing. Mare – K Wilson. Gelding – D Duncan. Two-year-old filly, one or two-year-old gelding – C Young. Decorated horse and harness, decoration, groomed horse – C McCulloch. 

Commercial cattle (Judge: A Steele, Craignathro, Forfar). Champion, champion of champions and reserve – J Robertson and Co, Newton of Logierait, Ballinluig. Champion for the Robertson family – John and Jean, John's sister Margaret, John's son Craig and his wife Eilidh, was a pure British Blue cow and her Limousin-sired bullock calf at foot. The cow, a six-year-old called Headlind Hiespy, is by Ballgrange Alex and out of a Headlind Winter Flash daughter, and was bought as a calf at foot. Her November-born bullock is by the Powerhouse Harlequin stock bull, a full brother to Powerhouse Elite, and will be on offer at Caledonian Marts' Premier sale next month. In reserve for the Robertsons was another by the Harlequin bull that has bred a number of money makers, this time the March-born bullock that was reserve calf at Perth Show. He will be for sale at the Thainstone Spectacular. Cross cow, breeding heifer, spring-born Limousins-sired heifer calf, Limousin-sired reserve, yearling heifer, reserve calf, opposite sex to calf champion – Ballechin Farms, Ballechin, Ballinluig. Cow and calf, pure continental breeding female, autumn-born Limousin-sired stot calf, autumn-born Limousin-sired heifer calf, spring-born Limousin-sired male calf, best Limousin-sired calf, best calf – J Robertson and Co. Spring-born continental-sired male calf, spring-born continental-sired heifer calf, best AOB-sired calf – Messrs Marshall, Borlick, Aberfeldy. Spring-born native-sired calf, pair of calves, Aberdeen-Angus-sired champion, Aberdeen-Angus-sired reserve, AOB-sired reserve – B and J Menzies, Baledmund, Tulliemet, Ballinluig. Yearling stot – Messrs Kennedy, Borlick, Aberfeldy. 

Blackface (Judge: E Bennie, Blairennich, Gartocharn). Champion – T Muirhead, Ptarmigan House, Blair Atholl, with an end of April-born ewe lamb that has been lightly shown, standing first at both Doune and Dunblane and Perth shows. Landing a first championship for young Thomas who was reserve here last year and runs 100 pure ewes in a 1300-strong flock, she is by a £1000 Crossflatt bought at Stirling last year while her mother is a home-bred ewe by Auldhouseburn Bolt. Reserve – Remony Estate Partnership, Remony, Aberfeldy, with a £3800 Auldhouseburn, a now four-shear tup bought at Lanark as a lamb. Sired by a £25,000 Auldhouseburn and out of a ewe by a £27,000 Auldhouseburn, he has won a few firsts and reserve championships over the years when brought out by Willie and Davie Nicol, but has been a good female breeder in the Remony flock. Aged ram, male group, male champion – Remony Estate Partnership. Two-shear ram, reserve male – Cadogan Estates, Lynemore, Amulree, Dunkeld. Shearling ram, ewe lamb, female champion, best lamb, best bred by exhibitor – T Muirhead. Ram lamb, female group – D Murray, Lurgan, Camserney, Aberfeldy. Ewe, gimmer, reserve female group, reserve female – A Frame, Dullator, Amulree, Dunkeld. One-crop ewe, reserve male group – Tay and Torridon Estate, North Amulree, Dunkeld. Shepherd's sheep – R Campbell. Fleece – Meggernie Estate, Glenlyon, Aberfeldy. 

Prime lambs and cross sheep (Judge: R Baynes, Blackford, Croy, Inverness). Champion – J Rock, Pitnacree, Aberfeldy, with a home-bred Scotch Mule ewe lamb born at the end of April and on her first outing for James, who was showing at Aberfeldy for just the second time. One of 120 such lambs born this year from the mixed flock of 650 ewes, she is by a loaned Firth lamb and out of a bought-in Blackie ewe. Reserve – S and JE Andrew, Letter, Dunkeld, with an April-born ewe lamb by a Carstairs-bred Beltex cross Texel tup and out of a pure Texel ewe. This makes her the same way bred as last year's reserve as well as the first prize gimmer, and she will re-join Nik's dozen-ewe flock that runs alongside 600 ewes belonging to his parents, Steve and Jo. Three pure Blackface lambs, best three hill lambs, three lambs out of Blackface not by Leicester – P McDiarmid and Co, Shenlarich, Lawers, Aberfeldy. Three Mules lambs, reserve three hill lambs, three Suffolk-sired lambs, ewe with twins, ewe, pure native female – D and J Thomson, West Park, Aberfeldy. Three pure Cheviot lambs, three lightweight cross lambs, reserve prime lambs – Messrs Kennedy, Lurgan, Edradynate, Aberfeldy. Three heavyweight cross lambs, ram, group of three, prime lambs champion – B and J Menzies, Baledmund, Tulliemet, Ballinluig. Gimmer, ewe lamb – S and JE Andrew. Mule ewe lamb – J Rock. Young handlers – 1, Alan Frame; 2, Charlotte Scott; 3, Tessa McDiarmid. Reserve group of three – J Boyne, Ristol, Guay, Ballinluig. 

Wool (Judge: D Swinton, North Wheatlands Mill, Galashiels). Blackface (mattress), Blackface (fine), naturally coloured – W and WI Bruges, Laighwood, Dunkeld. Cheviot – Derculich Farms, Derculich, Strathray. Greyface/Mule (lustre), fine/medium – Messrs Kennedy, Borlick, Aberfeldy.