SCOTLAND'S top livestock judging roles for 2019 have been allocated, with the official release of the Royal Highland Show's line up of experts.

The job of placing the country’s top sheep, horses, cattle and goats will be down to 113 experienced names in the judging world, spanning the length and breadth of the UK, from Cornwall to Orkney.

The Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland said that the RHS, taking place 20 to 23 June, will also welcome two new sections in 2019 – the inaugural Overall Young Handler and Dairy Cattle Any Other Breeds sections. Prominent Blackface breeders, Ian and Patsy Hunter, who were awarded the Sir William Young Award for their contribution to livestock breeding at last year’s show, will judge the Overall Young Handler, and have kindly donated a trophy for the winner.

Murray Cochrane of Ayrshire will place the Any Other Breed section in the dairy rings. Murray follows five generations of successful Ayrshire breeders, and has made a name for himself in his own right, both with his exemplary showing career and his 19 years working as a classifier for Holstein UK.

For 2019, the dairy rings will see Paul Harrison of Northumberland, placing Overall Dairy. Paul is well-known for his ‘Chilshillways’ Holsteins and ‘Breckney’ Dairy Shorthorns. The Ayrshire and British Red and White classes will be judged by Michael Broadley of Buxton, Derbyshire, while Mark Logan will travel from Bangor, County Down, to judge the Holstein section. James Waring of Beverley, North Humberside will place the Jersey cattle. Cheshire-based Rob Boote judges the Dairy Shorthorn, and Louise Graham of Canonbie, Dumfriesshire will judge Dairy Calf and Showmanship.

The task of placing the Overall Beef Interbreed and Interbreed Teams falls to Stewart Wood of Garston Farm, Orkney, with the Beef Interbreed Pairs in the capable hands of former RHASS director Rob Forest, Duns. David Evans will judge the Aberdeen Angus class, previously having been president of the Aberdeen Angus Cattle Society.

British Blonde is to be judged by Leanne Workman, a prominent stockwoman in Northern Ireland. A well-known face at the RHS and long-time exhibitor, Jack Ramsay, will judge the Beef Shorthorn.

The sheep rings see 2015's William Young Award recipient Archie Macgregor of Kilsyth, Glasgow, judging the Overall Sheep Inter-Breed Championship and Pat Greaney of Usk, Monmouthshire, placing the Overall Sheep Pairs Inter-Breed Championship and Sheep Young Handlers classes. The 2018 RHS Commercial Sheep Champion, Andrew Bailie, will return as a judge for the Beltex section. Jim Fletcher makes a change in 2019 from previously judging the Scottish Honey Championships to judge the Hampshire Down classes.

The 35 horse sections will have 38 Horse of the Year Show Championship Qualification classes up for grabs. The Pickford sisters Michelle and Leanne will be judging Ridden Coloured with Catherine Marshall, of Struie Shetland Pony Stud fame, judging the St Johns Wells Trophy.

In the Heavy Horse classes, Clydesdale In Hand Males will be judged by Captain James Anderson of Kilmalcolm, and John Anderson of Arbroath will judge Clydesdale In Hand Females.