Logie Durno Charollais take charge in accredited Showcase sheep competitions

The judge, Blair Cockburn, Kingside, Leadburn, was most impressed not only with the Charollais champions, but also the overall quality of championship winners from no fewer than 10 MV-accredited breeds.

"It is a great honour to be asked to judge the inter-breed at the RH Showcase and I would have to say the champion is an outstanding animal – an easy winner, with the pairs from the same breed being a hell of a good pair," said Mr Cockburn.

"The Charollais champion is an outstanding example of her breed, she's absolutely faultless," he said. The Texel supreme from Robbie Wilson, Milnbank, was reserve individual, with a Beltex duo winning the equivalent in the pairs.

It was very much ladies' day on the first day of the Royal Highland Showcase, with female sheep winning all the breed championship honours. The star performer from the Ingrams – William and Carole, sons Gregor and Bruce and daughter, Amy – is a previously unshown home-bred one-crop ewe.

Earlier she had teamed up with the male champion Charollais and reserve overall from Logie Durno, to win the pairs. This was Foxhill Va Va Voom, a shearling ram bought at Worcester last year for 16,000gns.

Runner up individual was Robbie Wilson's gimmer, a daughter of Knock Yardsman, bred from a ewe by Strathbogie Yes Sir which in turn was bred from the 2017 Royal Highland Show champion, another Milnbank gimmer that later sold privately for £20,000.

The brace of Beltex which bagged the reserve pairs and included the champion, Lurg Fern, a home-bred gimmer from Aberdeenshire breeder Alan Miller, Midmar, and the male supreme, Clary Forkout, from the Campbell family's Cree flock from Creetown, Newton Stewart.

A smaller section of MV-accredited young handlers, judged by Carol-Anne Warnock, was won by 14-year-old Finlay Shone, showing a Bleu du Maine from his parents, Andrew and Sally Shone's Maximum Bleu flock from Cheshire. Mr Shone junior is a former class winner here and champion young handler at the Three Counties and Shropshire.

Alan Miller's Lurg Fern was Beltex champion and made up part of the reserve inter-breed pairs Ref:RH140621074 Rob Haining / The Scottish Farmer...

Beltex

Aberdeenshire breeder, Alan Miller, Midmar, came up trumps to land his first Ingliston championship at the Showcase, taking the tri-colour with the home-bred gimmer, Lurg Fern.

Mr Miller who established his flock in 2018, led a strong line up of sheep – judged by young Alasdair MacLean, Tiree – with a gimmer bred from the foundation female, Woodies Classy Girl, a Carrigans Bob Lee Swagger daughter, purchased at the Beltex Beauties sale at Carlisle for 2000gns.

The sire is Bailey Brook Chief, a tup used on loan from Stuart Wood and Grant Anderson, on the Lurg ewe flock which now numbers 20 breeding females.

The male champion, the shearling Clary Forkout, followed the female to lift the reserve overall for Alan and Jane Campbell, son Ross and daughter Tammy's Cree flock from Creetown, Newton Stewart.

There are some top genetics behind this lad bred by Jock McMillan, Carse of Clary, with the dam, Clary Delight, a Hackney Braveheart daughter, being the 2019 Royal Highland champion. Forkout is by Smart Ass Dark Horse and is also a full brother to a 9000gns Clary Fly sold last year at Carlisle.

Ewan Burgess landed the British Berrichon championship with the home-bred gimmer Criffel Venus Ref:RH140621068 Rob Haining / The Scottish Farmer...

Berrichon

Dumfries-shire breeder, Ewan Burgess scored a hat-trick amongst the Berrichons, winning his third Ingliston supreme for the Criffel flock, from Corse Farm, New Abbey.

This time it was with a home-bred gimmer from his 15-ewe flock. Star performer here was Criffel Venus, a daughter of a Marshland ram bought at Worcester in 2019, out of Criffel Tess, which in turn was bred from Mr Burgess' top show ewe, Criffel Jess.

Judge Rodney Blackhall, Banchory, found his reserve in Gynin Taff, a three-shear ram from first time exhibitor, Bryan Evans of the Janos flock all the way from Newtown, mid Wales. The tup, bred by Geraint Jones and bought at Carlisle in 2018, is by Statesman Solomon and stood reserve male at the Royal Welsh in 2019 as a shearling.

Greenside Trina, the Bleu du Maine champion from Laine Daff Ref:RH140621069 Rob Haining / The Scottish Farmer...

Bleu du Maine

They might not be the most numerous in Scotland, but the quality of Bleus on parade certainly packed a punch at the Showcase, with the champion and the reserve both boasting star-studded genetics.

Supreme was Laine Daff's Greenside Trina, a home-bred gimmer from Uplawmoor, Renfrewshire. Although previously unshown, she is bred from one of the flock's top show ewes, Greenside Posh Bleu – a former champion at the Royal Welsh, the Great Yorkshire and the National at Turriff, to name a few. The sire is equally well known, being William Baillie's former stock ram from Calla, Maximum Obama, a five-year-old that stood first in his class at the Showcase and is also a former male champion at the National.

Obama, which bred numerous four-figured priced males and females for the Calla flock, before being sold to the Greenside flock was also the sire of the reserve champion, Skye Terminator from first time exhibitor, Kenny O'Connor.

Mr O'Connor – stockman for Allan Campbell, Strawfrank – owns a select number of Beltex ewes, secured the male title and reserve overall with a home-bred shearling ram from his Skye Bleus flock. Terminator is by Obama and bred from his foundation female, a Calla ewe by Calla Oneway bought privately from Mr Baillie in 2019.

Mary Laidlaw's Border Leicester champion from Galston Ref:RH140621070 Rob Haining / The Scottish Farmer...

Border Leicester

The Showcase might not have been a true Royal Highland Show as we all know and love, but it certainly proved a winner for Mary Laidlaw's Drennans flock from Galston, when she lifted the championship honours with a home-bred two-crop ewe.

Topping this year's bumper line-up of Borders was a ewe by Kilphin Kipling, a ram used on loan from Tom Tennant and Pete Brown, bred from ewe by Kininmonth Kiwi.

This big girl from the 18-ewe flock, also beat off strong competition from the last Highland Show champion and The Scottish Farmer's Border Leicester Champion of the Decade – a four-crop ewe from John Barrowman, North Knockglass, Stranraer, which this year had to settle with the bridesmaid's ticket.

The breeding behind the reserve, which is also the dam of the £2700 Knockglass tup lamb sold at Lanark in 2019, includes Eildon Epic, onto a home-bred ewe by Holburn Limited Edition.

Top in the Blue Texels was Kevin Watret's Solway View Baby G Ref:RH140621072 Rob Haining / The Scottish Farmer...

Blue Texel

One of the biggest and most popular sections amongst the sheep, the Blue Texel was topped by the four-year-old home-bred ewe, Solway View Baby G, from feed mill sparky and pedigree livestock specialist, Kevin Watret, Maulscastle, Annan.

Mr Watret, who with stockman, Ali Jackson, is noted for breeding pedigree Dutch Spotted, Blue Texels, Beltex and British Blue, Limousin and Charolais cattle, led a cracking line up with a previously unshown ewe by a Corra ram bought privately that went on to win numerous accolades for the Solway View flock.

The dam, an imported Solway ewe is the best in the 50-ewe flock having bred four ET sons to average £3600 in her first year.

Taking the blue and white sash was the second best female, a gimmer from 19-year-old Fraser Forsyth, who runs the 35-ewe Corra flock at Castle Douglas. She is by an imported Beili sire and out of a home-bred ewe by Hackney Hardman which in turn goes back to Hackney Excel.

Overall accredited sheep was the Charollais ewe from Logie Durno Ref:RH140621057 Rob Haining / The Scottish Farmer...

Charollais

Judge John Andrew, Rowanston, had no hesitation in tapping out his champion and reserve winners amongst a quality entry of Charollais, which notably were from the same home and more impressively went on to land the inter-breed individual and pairs honours in the MV-accredited competition.

The winning duo, from the Ingram family – William and Carole, sons, Gregor and Bruce and daughter Amy – Logie Durno, Inverurie, Aberdeenshire, comprised the champion, a home-bred one-crop ewe, and the male champion, Foxhill Va Va Voom, the 16,000gns ram bought at Worcester last year.

"The ewe is everything you'd look for in a good quality Charollais," said Mr Andrew. "She's got the length, the width, a great top on her, she's good on her legs and she showed herself well. It was a really good show of sheep with good numbers throughout and of the usual top quality you expect to see at Royal Highland Show."

The winner was a ewe by Loanhead Talisman, a tup bred in Gregor and Bruce's Loanhead flock retained for breeding by Cannahars Superstar. The dam was bought at the Wedderburn dispersal and is by a Nympton sire.

Reserve overall was the male champion, Va Va Voom, a shearling ram bought from Mike and Melanie Alford, last year, which together with the ewe, made up the winning inter-breed pair. This big tup, which is the sire of four Logie Durno ram lambs for Worcester, next week, is also backed by Ingram genetics being sired by the Rhaeadr Orlando son, Loanhead Triathlon, and out of a Foxhill show ewe by Crogham Hannibal II.

Hampshire Down champion from the McFarlanes – Roy, Sheena and Lorna Ref:RH140621064 Rob Haining / The Scottish Farmer...

Hampshire Down

It was very much a red letter day for Roy and Jane McFarlane and daughter, Lorna, when they scooped their first supreme breed title at Ingliston in 11 years exhibiting, with a home-bred ewe from their Lecropt flock, at Bridge of Allan.

Huge enthusiasts of the breed, they landed the big one with a three-crop ewe backed by home-bred genetics on both sides. The sire, Lecropt Fraser, a six-year-old ram retained for breeding by a Yarcombe ram, boasted the highest gigot EBV up until 2020, only to be superceded by a son.

The ewe, which stood second in her class at the Highland as a ewe lamb, is out of a home-bred dam.

Show commentator, Andrew Goldie and his fiance, Louise Forrest, of the Hoddom flock, were also on form, taking the blue and white sash with the male champion, Maesglas Maestro, a two-shear ram bought at Shrewsbury, in 2019. He is by Maesglas Basil.

Suffolk champion was this home-bred gimmer from the Hiddleston family's Irongray flock Ref:RH140621065 Rob Haining / The Scottish Farmer...

Suffolk

Dumfries-shire breeders, Roy and Sharon Hiddleston, son Gregor and daughter Annabelle, who own the Irongray flock, enjoyed their best ever Highland, winning their first ever Ingliston title and just for good measure, bagged the reserve too.

The family who have been exhibiting here for almost 10 years and now run 50 ewes, took centre stage with a home-bred gimmer by Errigal Hard Rock, a tup bought privately. The dam, a home-bred ewe is by the 20,000gns Muirton One Direction.

Judge Mike Black, Newton of Collessie, tapped out a ram lamb by Kinballey Crashball, a tup bought last year at Lanark for 3500gns, bred from a Strathisla ewe, as his choice or reserve. This boy is destined for the breed sale at Lanark.

Robbie Wilson's Texel champion was reserve inter-breed accredited sheep Ref:RH140621056 Rob Haining / The Scottish Farmer...

Texel

A star-studded show of Texels from many of the top Scottish breeders in the country, saw the judge, young Andrew Johnston, Galston, find his supreme overall in a gimmer from Robbie Wilson's Milnbank flock, from Turriff.

The section which attracted just shy 100 entries – the biggest show amongst the sheep – also saw Mr Wilson win his second Texel title and seventh supreme at the Highland, having also previously been crowned champion amongst the Suffolks and the commercial cattle.

Star performer this time was a gimmer by Knock Yardsman, while the dam, a home-bred ewe by Strathbogie Yes Sir, is a daughter of the 2017 champion winner here that went on to sell privately for £20,000 privately to Rob Jones.

The second prize gimmer from Alan Clark's Garngour flock from Lesmahagow, followed her all the way to land the runner up female and reserve overall. Another backed by the best of bloodlines, she is by the 17,000gns Proctors Chumba Wumba, which has bred rams to 65,000gns and bred from the same family as Craftsman and Alabama, being out of a ewe by Silvermere Baltic.

Male champion was a ram lamb from Gordon and David Gray's Ettrick flock from Selkirk. He is by Hope Valley Dazzler and out of a ewe by Midcombe Brigadier that stood second in the online show last year and has since been sold privately.

The Ingrams from Logie Durno, were back amongst the prizes after winning the Charollais sheep section, landing the reserve male honours with a home-bred aged ram.

Neil Millar and his mother Joyce, won the Zwartbles best with Joyfield Havanna Ref:RH140621063 Rob Haining / The Scottish Farmer...

Zwartbles

Dairy farmers, Neil Millar and his mother, Joyce, were back to regain the Zwartbles silverware after their championship win in 2019, taking the supreme this time with an ET bred gimmer from their Joyfield flock, from Kirkpatrick Fleming, Dumfries.

Joyfield Havanna, one of 20 breeding females in the flock, is the result of a flush from a Cynefin ewe lamb bought at Carlisle, that has since bred gimmers to 2000gns and 1800gns twice, and sired by the privately purchased, Millburn Sam.

It was very much a family affair for the reserve too, when a ewe lamb from Nicola and Duncan Henderson, daughter Rowan (5) and son Struan (2) scooped the blue and white sash for their Stirling-based Aquila flock.

Aquila Jitterbug, a mid January-born ewe lamb is by the privately purchased Janetstown Hallmark, and out of Mischief Dragonfly which was also bought privately from Chloe and Cameron Cormack.

LEADINGawards:

Zwartbles

Judge: Colin Rae, Dumfries and Galloway

Champion and female champion – Neil Millar's shearling ewe.

Reserve champion – Nicola Henderson's ewe lamb.

Aged ram – 1, Nicola Henderson.

Shearling ram – 1, Rigghead Farm; 2, Brian Gibson; 3, Holmlea.

Ewe – 1, Holmlea; 2, Brian Gibson; 3, Nicola Henderson

Shearling ewe – 1, Neil Millar; 2, Ally Baird; 3, Brian Gibson.

Ram lamb – 1, Ally Baird ,2, Holmlea; 3, Holmlea.

Ewe lamb – 1, Nicola Henderson; 2, Ally Baird; 3, Neil Millar.

Hampshire Down

Judge: Judith Galbraith, Cumbria

Champion and female champion – J and R McFarlane's ewe.

Reserve champion – Andrew Goldie and Louise Forrest's ewe.

Aged ram – 1, Andrew Goldie and Louise Forrest.

Shearling ram – 1, J and R McFarlane.

Ram lamb – 1, Geoffrey Todd; 2, J and R McFarlane; 3, J and R McFarlane.

Aged ewe – 1, J and R McFarlane; 2, Andrew Goldie and Louise Forrest; 2, Geoffrey Todd.

Shearling ewe – 1, Andrew Goldie and Louise Forrest; 2, J and R McFarlane; 3, J and R McFarlane.

Ewe lamb – 1, J and R McFarlane; 2, J and R McFarlane; 2, Geoffrey Todd.

Texel

Judge: Andrew Johnstone, Ayrshire

Champion and female champion – Robbie Wilson's shearling ewe.

Reserve champion – J and H Clark's shearling ewe.

Aged ram – 1, William and Carole Ingram; 2, James Warnock; 3, Bruce and Alistair McKerrow.

Shearling ram –-1, G Gray; 2, TA and R Laird; 3, Millcroft Farm.

Ram lamb – 1, G Gray; 2, Charlotte and James Nicolson; 3, Andrew J Clark.

Texelplus Performance recorded ram lamb – 1, G Gray; 2, New Heaton Farm; 3, TA and R Laird.

Ewe with lamb(s) at foot – 1, G Gray; 2, TA and R Laird.

Shearling ewe – 1, Robert Wilson; 2, J and H Clark; 3, Westburnhouse.

Ewe lamb – 1, Charlotte and James Nicolson; 2, A MacGregor; 3, Andrew J Clark.

Charollais

Judge: John Andrew, Ayrshire

Champion and female champion – Gregor and Bruce Ingram's ewe.

Reserve and male champion – Gregor and Bruce Ingram's shearling ram.

Shearling ram – 1,Gregor and Bruce Ingram; 2, Rigghead Farm; 3, Nicola Henderson.

Ram lamb – 1, Rigghead Farm; 2, William and Carole Ingram; 3, James Neil.

Ewe – 1, Gregor and Brue Ingram; 2, William and Carole Ingram; 3, Nicola Henderson.

Shearling ewe – 1, Gregor and Bruce Ingram; 2, William and Carole Ingram; 3, Rigghead Farm

Ewe lamb – 1, Rigghead Farm; 2, Rigghead Farm; 3, Gregor and Bruce Ingram.

Suffolk

Judge: Mike Black, Fife

Champion and female champion – The Hiddleston Family's shearling ewe.

Reserve and male champion – The Hiddleston Family's ram lamb.

Aged ram – 1, RK Denby.

Shearling tup – 1, The Hiddleston Family.

Ram lamb – 1, The Hiddleston Family; 2, RK Denby; 3, Mr S Milne.

Ewe – 1, Mrs Caroline M Nelson; 2, Mrs Caroline M Nelson; 3, D and P Reid.

Shearling ewe – 1, The Hiddleston Family 2, D and P Reid; 3, The Hiddleston Family.

Ewe lamb – 1, D and P Reid; 2, RK Denby; 3, Mrs Caroline M Nelson

Bleu du Maine

Judge: Mike Black, Fife

Champion and female champion – Laine Daff's shearling ewe.

Reserve champion and male champion – Kenneth O’Connor

Aged ram – 1, Standingstones; 2, Laine Daff.

Shearling ram – 1, Kenneth O’Connor; 2, Standingstones.

Ram lamb – 1, Neil Millar; 2, Standingstones; 3, Standingstones.

Ewe – 1, Sally Shone; 2, Neil Millar; 3, Standingstones.

Shearing ewe or gimmer – 1, Laine Daff; 2, Sally Shone; 3, Neil Millar.

Ewe lamb – 1, Neil Millar; 2, Sally Shone; 3, Kenneth O'Connor.

Berrichon

Judge: Rodney Blackhall, Aberdeenshire

Champion and female champion – Ewan Burgess' shearling ewe.

Reserve champion and male champion – Ewan Burgess' ram.

Aged ram – 1, Penrhos; 2, Penrhos.

Ram lamb – 1, Penrhos; 2, Miss R Barraclough; 3, Frances Barbour.

Ewe – 1, Penrhos; 2, Frances Barbour; 3, Ewan Burgess.

Shearling ewe – 1, Ewan Burgess; 2, Penrhos; 3, Frances Barbour.

Ewe lamb – 1, Penrhos; 2, Frances Barbour; 3, Ewan Burgess.

Blue Texel

Judge: Hamish Currie, Cumbria

Champion and female champion – Kevin Watret's aged ram.

Reserve champion – Corra Farm's shearling ewe.

Aged ram – 1, Kevin Watret; 2, Ewan Burgess; 3, Stuart and Moira Herraty.

Shearling ram – 1, D and C Gray; 2, Corra Farm; 3, Corra Farm.

Ram lamb – 1, Jennifer Duncan; 2, Stuart and Moira Herraty; 3, Corra Farm.

Ewe – 1, Kevin Watret; 2, Corra Farm; 3, D and C Gray.

Shearling ewe – 1, Corra Farm; 2, Kevin Watret; 3, D and C Gray.

Ewe lamb – 1, Kevin Watret; 2, D and C Gray; 3, Kevin Watret.

Border Leicesters

Judge: John Mauchlen, Roxburghshire

Champion and female champion – Drennans' ewe.

Reserve champion – North Knockglass Farm's ewe.

Aged ram – 1, Sandy Watson; 2, North Knockglass Farm.

Shearling tup – 1, Duncan Whyte; 2, PM and NJ Brown, Bosolo Farms; 3, Sandy Watson.

Tup lamb – 1, Drennans; 2, Duncan Whyte; 3, Sandy Watson.

Ewe – 1, Drennans; 2, North Knockglass Farm; 3, Duncan Whyte.

Shearling ewe or gimmer – 1, North Knockglass Farm; 2, Shona Ker; 3, Duncan Whyte.

Ewe lamb – 1, North Knockglass Farm; 2, Duncan Whyte; 3, Jennifer Brown.

Beltex

Judge: Alasdair McLean, Isle of Tiree

Champion and female champion – Alan Miller's shearling ewe.

Reserve champion – A and J Campbell's shearling ram.

Aged ram – 1, Alan Miller.

Shearling ram – 1, A and J Campbell; 2, Alastair Jackson; 3, Alan Miller.

Ram lamb – 1, Andrew Morton; 2, Alan Miller; 3, Graham Burke.

Ewe – 1, Alastair Jackson

Shearling ewe – 1, Alan Miller; 2, Andrew Morton; 3, Alastair Jackson.

Ewe lamb – 1, Daniel Hodge; 2, Alan Miller; 3, A and J Campbell.