The wet weather and conditions certainly didn't dampen the spirits of exhibitors and spectators who turned out in force for this year's Coylton Show, which enjoyed a hugely successful day following their return to the show circuit after almost two years.

With a strong line-up of cattle and sheep, it was a day to remember for Stuart Dunlop, from Holehouse, who bagged the overall cattle championship following his win amongst the prime cattle earlier in the day. Standing supreme was his May 2020-born Limousin cross heifer, Tidy Dancer, which is certainly bred out of quality having been sired by Wilodge LG and her dam – a home-bred Limousin cross cow – previously standing as reserve overall at the 2014 Ayrshire Young Farmers rally.

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The show's overall cattle judge for the day, Alastair Vance, from Bridgehouse, Whithorn commented on his choice of champion: "The Limousin cross heifer had great ring presence and certainly caught my eye. She had less fault's than the Ayrshire, which stood reserve, and going forward will have a lot more potential at future show's.

"I selected the Ayrshire as my reserve over the Beef Shorthorn as she just looked outstanding and presented great breed characteristics whilst being in her working clothes."

Only on her first outing, she will be hoping for the same success when heading to this year's Agri Expo, Livescot and the Welsh Winter Fair.

Among the dairy classes, the Holstein and Ayrshire cattle battled it out for the championship title, where George Templeton's Ayrshire cow – Knowe White Lily 754 – was victorious and later went on to secure the reserve overall cattle title. Deriving from the Knowe herd, based at Auchinleck, this second-calver is sired by Knowe Silver Respect and out of a home-bred dam.

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Leading the way among the very strong classes of sheep was the Bluefaced Leicester gimmer from Alex Kirkpatrick, Barr Farm, Sanquhar. Having been sired by the £5500 Edlingham L12 – purchased at the 2019 Kelso Ram Sales – she is out of a Firth-sired home-bred ewe.

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Ayrshire (Judge: David Watson, Stranraer). Champion and reserve dairy inter-breed – G and G Templeton, Knowe with Knowe White Lily 754, a home-bred second calver and on her first outing. She is by Knowe Silver Respect, out of a home-bred dam and has given 44kg. Reserve – G and G Templeton with another Knowe White Lily second calver, sired by Knowe Silver Respect and out a home-bred cow.

Holstein (Judge: David Watson, Stranraer). Champion and reserve dairy inter-breed – David Howat, Norwood with Enchanted Moxi Abbiene, a three-year-old second calver. On her first outing, she is sired by a Moxi bull and is out of a bought-in dam which was purchased as a calf at the 2018 Black and White sale, at Carlisle. Reserve – James Sloan, Dormieston with Evening Stanley Cut Nina 2, a milking heifer that was purchased from the Evening Herd in July of this year. She is sired by Gillette Stanley Cut and out of a home-bred dam.

Native cattle (Judge: Bobby Launders, Newton Stewart). Champion and reserve beef – RH Allan, Arnsow with Oakleigh Nicole, a two-year-old Beef Shorthorn that was purchased at Carlisle in May as a foundation female for the Arnsow herd. Bred by Peter Turnbull, she is sired by Blelack Masterpiece and out of Oakleigh Daisy. Reserve – Willie and Helen Brown, Turnberry with Drumdow Pure Pridella U355, a three-year-old cow. Sired by Blelack Evril, she is out of the 2018 Royal Highland Show second prize cow, Drumdow Pure Pridella M925. She was shown alongside her February-born heifer calf, sired by Idvies Private.

Prime cattle (Judge: Bobby Launders, Newton Stewart). Champion and beef overall – Stewart Dunlop, Holehouse with Tidy Dance, a May 2020-born Limousin cross heifer. Sired by Wilodge LG, she is out of a home-bred Limousin cross cow which stood reserve overall at the 2014 Ayrshire Young Farmers rally. Reserve – Andrew Weir, Castlecary Mill with Ruby Rose, a home-bred heifer. Bred out of a pure Limousin, she is on her second outing having been shown at Kinross Show earlier this month.

Cattle young handlers – 1, Katie Watson, The Muir; 2, Ellis Caldwell, Ladyyard; 3, Kirsten Sloan, Dormieston.

Border Leicester (Judge: Willie Barrowman, Stranraer). Champion – Duncan Whyte, 37 Whitelee Gate with a ewe hogg. Sired by Muirmouth Morelos, she is out a home-bred ewe. Reserve – Duncan Whyte, 37 Whitelee Gate with a one-crop ewe sired by Cola Double Deal. Out of a home-bred ewe, she stood reserve champion at this year's National Show, held at Carlisle.

Bluefaced Leicester (Judge: Willie Barrowman, Stranraer). Champion and overall inter-breed – A and A Kirkpatrick, Barr with a gimmer. A daughter of Edlington L12, purchased at the 2019 Kelso Ram Sales for £5500, she is out of a Firth-sired home-bred ewe. Reserve – H and S Hamilton, Tower with a two-crop ewe. Sired by J7 Fineness and out of a home-bred ewe, she stood first at this show in 2019 as a ewe lamb.

Blackface (Judge: Danny Hair, Stranraer). Champion – A Paton, Craig with a home-bred gimmer. Sired by a home-bred tup out of the £4200 Midlock ram purchased at Lanark as a shearling, she is out of a £17,000 Craigdarroch-sired ewe. Reserve – A McMillan Dalwyne with a one-crop ewe. Purchased on an online sale in February of this year, she is sired by the £6000 Auchloy ram and out of a home-bred ewe.

Texel (Judge: Allan Clark, Glenluce). Champion – Hugh McPhee, North Lodge with a gimmer on her first outing. Bred out of a home-bred ewe, she is sired by the Crialoch owned, Garngour Alexander. Reserve – Jack McWhirter, Dalmorton with a February-born ewe lamb. On her first outing, she is a daughter of the £8500 Claybury ram and out of a Dalwyne ewe purchased for £1600 at Lanark last year.

Pure-bred continentals (Judge: Allan Clark, Glenluce). Champion and reserve inter-breed – R and J Andrew, Rowanston with a three-crop Charollais ewe. Sired by Wedderburn Stan The Man, she is out of a home-bred ewe and has produced progeny to 1500gns at Worcester sale. Reserve – Gillian Robb, Chalmerston with an aged Dutch Spotted ewe on her first outing. Sired by Lochlad Cognac, she is out of an imported ewe.

Scotch Mules (Judge: Willie Barrowman, Stranraer). Champion – David M Bryson, Grassmilees Way with a gimmer on her first outing. She was purchased within a pen of 40 Scotch Mules sold at Ayr market last year from Messrs Dunlop, Girvan. Reserve – John Guild, Laight with a three-crop ewe. Purchased from a pen of 40 ewe lambs from The Tower at Castle Douglas, in 2018, this ewe stood champion here in 2019, as well as reserve champion at this year's East Kilbride Show.

Prime sheep (Judge: Danny Hair, Stranraer). Champion – A and J Dunlop, West Enoch with a group of three three-quarter Beltex lambs. Out of home-bred cross ewes, the lambs were sired by a Beechy tup and weighed 42kg on the day. Reserve – Logan Howat, Norwood with three Texel cross lambs. Sired by a bought-in commercial Texel tup, they are out of home-bred Scotch Mule ewes.

Sheep young handlers – 1, Sienna Nisbet, Orchardton; 2, Bruce Guild, Ashmark; 3, Molly Robb, Chalmertson.