Local breeder, Murray Lyle, Mid Cambushinnie, Dunblane, topped an improved show of Salers bulls at Stirling, winning the supreme overall with Strathallan Navigator.

“It was a better show of bulls and a good, even show, with less of a tail end,” said the judge, William Aitken, Carlopshill, Penicuik.

“The champion is a good-sized bull, with a good traditional head and he was up on his toes with a great level top for breeding females,” he added.

Show stopper was Mr Lyle’s intermediate champion, brought out by stockman Robbie McNeil. He is by the privately purchased Seamore Kawasaki, a bull that has already bred a former reserve winner here, and bred from the Whitebog Fantastic-sired Seamore Jenna, which was also bought privately. Navigator was reserve inter-breed junior bull at Perth Show, last year.

Reserve overall was Terence Pye's senior champion, Rigel Nirvana, a rising two-year-old from Yarm, Leven. Backed by home-bred genetics on both sides, he is by the former 10-year-old stock bull, Rigel Byron which has bred sons to 9000gns and out of Rigel Desire, a daughter of the French sire, Casimir and one of 60 cows in the herd.

Junior champion was Tom and Ian Walling's Cumbrian Nadal, a polled bull from Over Whitlaw, Selkirk. He is by the French sire, Ideal, which has bred sons to 4000gns and out of the Cumbrian Joker daughter, Cumbrian Hyacinth.