Day three of the Showcase spectacular welcomed the Clydesdale horses into the main ring, where father and son team, Thomas snr and Thomas jnr Clark, from Aldie, Perth, lifted the male championship and the supreme overall with their two-year-old colt, Muirton Spirit.

The well-respected breeder and male judge for the day, James Ingram, Aberdeenshire, was most appreciative of the line-up of males in front of him, however, his eye was most taken by the Clark family’s classy colt.

“I have to say that I was most impressed with the quality of Clydesdales on show and I have thoroughly enjoyed my day judging,” commented Mr Ingram. “However, my choice of champion was just an outstanding example of the breed.

“I saw him as yearling at the 2019 Stallion Show and he has improved tremendously in the time since. He caught my eye from the second he entered the ring and is a very worthy winner of the championship,” he added.

Bred by Sandra Henderson, in Northern Ireland, and purchased in July, 2019, Muirton Spirit was sired by Muirton Sabre and out of Croaghmore Roxy. It wasn’t long before the young colt made his mark on this side of the Irish Sea for the Clarks, too, with Spirit landing the reserve foal championship at the breed’s Winter Fair in November 2019.

He also clinched the foal championship at the 2020 Kilpatrick Foal Show and stood reserve for the Cawdor Cup at last year’s National Stallion Show.

Taking the reserve overall honours and the prestigious Cawdor Cup was Iain and Alana Johnston’s yearling filly, Roughlands Majestic Lady, from Kirkton, Falkirk, which was tapped out by the female judge, Eric Johnstone, Muir of Ord.

She is a daughter of the imported Canadian stallion, Redcastle Brelee Majestic – a former Cawdor Cup winner and first prize winner here in 2010 – and bred from the home-bred mare, Roughlands Elegance. Majestic Lady stood second in her class at the newly-formed West of Scotland Foal Show, on her sole previous outing.

Simon and Lyn Ray, Edinburgh, found success among the males after clinching the reserve honours with the four-year-old gelding, Bandirran Gibbs.

Bred by Ronald Brewster and Helen Carr, and purchased privately in January of this year, this April, 2017-born gelding is another son of Redcastle Brelee Majestic and out of Kypehall Mistina. On his second outing, he previously landed the award for the best gelding at Fife Show in 2019.

Freedoms Believe In Love from Ronald Brewster and Helen Carr’s Bandirran stud was tapped out as the reserve female champion.

Imported from Canada as a yearling in 2020 and bred by Philippe Desharnais, this classy two-year-old is a former supreme at the Three Valleys Foal Championships, in Quebec. She is sired by Freedoms Majestic Believer and out of Freedoms Majestic Irish Charm.

A select entry of young handlers, ably judged by former editor of The Scottish Farmer, Alasdair Fletcher, saw 12-year-old Blythe Duncan, from Kingskettle, Fife, lift the red, white and blue ticket with 12-year-old William Greenhill, from Leuchars Lodge, Newport-on-Tay, in Fife, the reserve.

LEADINGawards:

Clydesdale males

Judge: James Ingram, Aberdeenshire

Champion and overall – Thomas Clark and Sons' Muirton Spirit, by Muirton Sabre

Reserve – Simon and Lyn Ray's Bandirran Gibbs, by Redcastle Brelee Majestic.

Three-year-old or over stallion or colt – 1, Matthew King's M GK Bigtime, by Glebeview Sir Charles.

Two-year-old colt – 1, Thomas Clark and Sons' Muirton Spirit, by Muirton Sabre; 2, Robert Sibbald's Thorn Union Jack, by Macfin Starlight.

Yearling colt – 1, JW and M McIntyre's Freezlund Iceman, by Freedom Majestic Dreamliner; 2, Littleward Farm's Littleward Coope, by Glebeview Sir Charles; 3, Easter Clune's Fordelhill Marvel, by Macfin Starlight.

Four-year-old or over gelding – 1, Simon and Lyn Ray's Bandirran Gibbs, by Redcastle Brelee Majestic; 2, James Tennant's Singlie Gav, by Mollinhillhead Celebrity; 3, Alastair McLean's Lochcote Cooper, by Great American Ben Franklin.

The James Kilpatrick Perpetual Challenge Cup – Thomas Clark and Sons' Muirton Spirit, by Muirton Sabre.

The Douglas D. Murray Silver Challenge Cup – Simon and Lyn Ray's Bandirran Gibbs, by Redcastle Brelee Majestic.

Clydesdale females

Judge: Eric Johnstone, Muir of Ord

Champion and reserve overall – Iain D Johnston's Roughlands Majestic Lady, by Redcastle Brelee Majestic.

Reserve – Ron and Helen Brewster and Carr's Freedoms Believe In Love, by Freedoms Majestic Believer.

Mare of any age, with foal at foot – 1, Charlotte Young's Collessie Flash Girl, by Arradoul Balvenie; 2, Ron and Helen Brewster and Carr's Rossie Mhairi, by Redcastle Brelee Majestic.

Foals – 1, Ron and Helen Brewster and Carr; 2, Charlotte Young.

Four-year-old or over yeld mare – 1, Mollinhillhead Farm's Mollinhillhead Lady Elegance, by Bratlach Ballintoy; 2, Charlotte Young's Littleward Meghan, by Arradoul Balvenie; 3, Boat Clydesdale's West Glen Rambling Rose, by Dillars Boat Commander.

Three-year-old yeld mare or filly – 1, William Dunbar's Doura Ballerina, by Doura Aird Ambition; 2, Burgess Outon Farm's Burgess Outon Miracle, by Eskechraggan Ernest; 3, Kelly Stirling's Garcal-Fra Sweet Iona, by Dillars Ollie.

Two-year-old filly – 1, Ron and Helen Brewster and Carr's Freedoms Believe In Love, by Freedoms Majestic Believer; 2, Thorpe Hill Farm's Thorpe Hill Elsie, by Rosegift Rocky; 3, Leuchars Lodge's Fordelhill Louise, by Glebeview Sir Charles.

Yearling filly – 1, Iain D. Johnston's Roughlands Majestic Lady, by Redcastle Brelee Majestic; 2, G and L Tanner's Downhill Lizzy, by Doura Aird Ambition; 3, Mr J Greenhill's Tulloes Emily, by Arradoul Balvenie.

The Ninth Cawdor Challenge Cup – Iain D. Johnston's Roughlands Majestic Lady, by Redcastle Brelee Majestic.

The Colonel S.A Medcalf Perpetual Challenge Cup – Iain D. Johnston's Roughlands Majestic Lady, by Redcastle Brelee Majestic.

Clydesdale young handler

Judge: Alasdair Fletcher, Bishopton

Champion – Benny Duncan.

Reserve – Leuchars Lodge.

Private driving

Judge: Heather Noad, Gloucestershire

Champion – Richard LN Lanni.

Reserve – Rowhill Stud.

Private driving (other than single harness) horses or ponies four-years-old or over – 1, Richard LN Lanni.

Private driving singles class, ponies or horses over 13.2hh (other than registered Highlands) – 1, Rowhill Stud; 2, Kim Pearson.

Private driving singles class, ponies up to and including 13.2hh (other than registered Highlands and Shetlands) – 1, Nicola Salter; 2, Gillian McNinch; 3, Shona Casely.

Shetland pony in harness, stallion, mare or gelding (registered in the SPSB) four-years-old and over – 1, Laura Chaffe; 2, Kerry Halliday.

Best exhibit in Shetland Pony in harness class – Laura Chaffe.

Harness, grooming and decoration

Judge: Alastair Ferguson, Perthshire

Champion – Benny Duncan's Geordie.

Reserve – Colina McCulloch's Elvis Inspiration.

Best kept harness – 1, Benny Duncan's Geordie; 2, Colina McCulloch's Elvis Inspiration; 3, Gawin Holmes' Sorbie.

Best groomed horse ­– 1, Benny Duncan's Geordie; 2, Colina McCulloch's Elvis Inspiration; 3, Gawin Holmes' Jake.

Best decorated harness – 1, Colina McCulloch's Elvis Inspiration; 2, Gawin Holmes' Jake.

Best decorated harness (wool) – 1, Benny Duncan's Geordie; 2, Gawin Holmes' Sorbie.