A GLORIOUS day with record takings at the gate made for an extremely successful Islay Show last week.

Taking the champion of champions ticket for the second time in recent years was John 'Tam' Campbell, from Port Ellen, with his leading Blackface which had earlier been placed inter-breed sheep champion.

This was a home-bred gimmer, by a Mitchellhill sire, which goes back on the dam's side to his winner of two years ago.

The overall show umpire, Hamish MacNicol, said of his champions: "The Blackface won through from a very strong breed section and had some outstanding conformation, was great on her legs and had the look of a real champion."

Runner-up for the show's top award was the best of the beef section, a showy Charolais cross heifer calf by Fury Leader from Tom and Robert Epps. She was called Waltzing Matilda in recognition of Robert's return from working in Australia.

Reserve overall for the beef title was the leading Highland cattle beast, the three-year-old heifer Pandora of Ceannacroic, from Dunlossit Estates. She is a former champion on Islay as a yearling.

LEADINGawards:

Blackface (Judge: R Shaw, Ardfern). Champion, overall sheep and champion of champions – J Campbell, Port Ellen, with a home-bred gimmer by a Mitchellhill sire which had been bought at Lanark as a lamb and out of dam by Islay Mist, a former champion of champions on Islay, that goes back to a Greenside-bred ewe. Reserve – J Campbell's three-crop ewe, by Islay Mist and out of a different Greenside ewe, which was one of five bought that day; first as a ewe lamb. Male champion – E Bowman with a home-bred shearling ram by an £800 Mitchellhill and out of a dam by a son of the £16,000 Loughash. Crofters and open ewe, crofters and open gimmer, ewe with lamb – J Campbell. Crofters and open suckled gimmer – E Currie. Crofters and open ewe lamb – A Orr. Crofters and open tup lamb, shearling tup, aged tup, crofters and open group – E Bowman.

Leicester (Judge: W Robertson, Isle of Bute). Champion – D Currie with a gimmer by Derwynlas Powerhouse and out of a home-bred dam by an Ashes sire; first time out. Reserve — D Currie's three-crop home-bred ewe. by a Middle Dukesfield sire and out of a Kildalloig-bred dam by a Red Cottage sire. Aged tup – I McKerrell. Shearling tup, ewe, gimmer, ewe lamb, group – D Currie. Tup lamb – Catriona Currie.

Texel/Beltex (Judge: R Laird, Biggar). Champion – E Bowman with a Springwell-bred one-crop ewe that had been bought for 1000gns at Lanark in-lamb sale. She is by Holylee Volcano and out of a dam by Fairmount Stonewall; third at Kintyre. Reserve – Mrs S Woodrow with a gimmer by Stainton Vigilante out of a Nochnary-bred ewe. Aged tup – R MacDougall. Shearling tup, ewe lamb, pair of ewe lambs – T Rozga. Tup lamb, gimmer – Mrs S Woodrow. Ewe – E Bowman.

AOB/cross sheep (Judge: W Robertson). Champion – Eion Brown jnr with a North Country Cheviot ewe lamb by Bardnaclaven Socrates out of a home-bred dam by a Roadside sire. Reserve – J Findlay with a gimmer. Aged tup – G and J Archibald. Shearling tup – Smith and McGill. Tup lamb – N and J MacDonald. Ewe, ewe lamb, pair of ewe lambs – Eion Brown jnr. Gimmer – J Findlay.

Suffolk (Judge: R Laird. Champion – J Bignal with a tup lamb. by Birness Livewire and out of a home-bred Craigisla dam. Reserve – N and J MacDonald. Aged tup, tup lamb, gimmer, ewe lamb, pair of ewe lambs – J Bignall. Ewe – N and J MacDonald. Prime lambs – Three continental cross lambs – D McCormick. Three Blackface wedders, three prime lambs – G and J Archibald. Three Suffolk cross lambs – Islay Estates.

Under 18 classes (Judge: H McNicol,Turnault). Champion young beef handler – Owen McCuaig with Angus, a calf from John MacKellar. Champion calf – Mauren Morris. Champion sheep young handler – Brooke Woodrow. Champion sheep – Jordie Rowntree.

Galloway (Judge: E MacKay, Killearn). Champion – G and M Porter's cow. All classes – G and M Porter.

Highland cattle (Judge: E MacKay). Champion – Dunlossit Estate, Ceannacroic, with Pandora of Ceannacroic, a three-year-old heifer by Ewan of Ceannacroic and out of Una of Ceannacroic; champion as a yearling. Reserve – RSPB Kinnabus with a 10-year-old cow,Caileag Bheag 42 of Pennygown, by Ruairidh of Hyndford, out of Caileag Bheag 15 of Pennygown. Cow, calf – RSPB Kinnabus. Three-year-old heifer, yearling heifer, pair – Dunlossit Estate. Two-year-old heifer – D and K Laing.

Beef cattle (Judge: K Adam, Glamis). Champion – T and R Epps with Waltzing Matilda, a February-born heifer calf by Fury Leader, a Charolais sire bought two years ago at Carlisle and out of a Simmental cross British Blue. Reserve – N and J MacDonald's Kung Fu, an April-born steer calf by their own stock bull, the British Blue Braveheart out of a British Blue cross dam. Cow, native cross senior bullock – G and J Archibald. Heifer in calf, yearling continental cross steer, yearling continental cross heifer, extra stock – G and M Porter. Heifer for breeding, beef heifer – Dunlossit Estate, Knocklearach. Spring-born Limousin cross steer – C McMillan. Spring-born Limousin cross heifer, spring-born heifer by AOB – T and R Epps. Spring-born steer by AOB – N and J MacDonald. Pair of calves – RSPB Aoradh.