A great turnout of quality cattle were welcomed to the Aberdeen-Angus show ring, where the yearling heifer, Retties Lady Ruth, from Jamie Rettie, was the cream of the crop among the seniors, with Foxhill claiming the overall junior champion honours.

It was a changed story at Stars, where the senior champion, which is from Jamie's herd based in Stirlingshire, was tapped out as the favourite by judge, David Johnstone, to beat her Borderway Agri Expo rival, Tonley Ester, which had pipped Lady Ruth to the post at that event last month.

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Also standing supreme in the native senior championship, Lady Ruth is an embryo daughter of Rawburn Transformer and derived from the original Wall Lady Ruth cow family.

Taking the reserve senior championship was Neil Wattie's Tonley Ester, which earlier in the day, scooped the reserve senior female championship behind the Retties victor. Backed by home-bred genetics on both sides, she comes from the Ester cow family and was sired by the Tonley Jester Eric-sired bull, Tonley Kasper. She had already proven herself as a show star, too, following success as junior champion at the society's National Show, held at Westmorland Show, earlier this year.

Michael and Melanie Alford's new stock bull, Oak Moor Kingston, from their Devon-based Foxhill herd, certainly made an impression with the judge when he bagged the overall junior title, as well as the native junior championship. Their April-born AI son of Duncanziemere Edwin, was bred out of a Oak Moor Katya and stood reserve junior male at the Borderway Agri Expo. With this being his last act in the 2021 show calendar, the Alford's look forward to showing him off again in 2022.

Retties Eveline, a heifer from Richard and Carol Rettie, was crowned reserve overall junior champion following her success as the day's reserve junior female victor. Sired by the home-bred Retties Lark Royal, she is bred out of Hillfoots Evelena.

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LEADING awards:

(Judge: David Johnstone, Ballindalloch, Grantown-on-Spey, Banffshire).

Seniors – Bulls born Jul 3 to Aug 3, 2020 – 1 and reserve male champion, S Dick's Stephick Excalibur, by Gretnahouse Blacksmith; 2, D and K Graham's Carruthers Earl, by Housesteads Evo; 3, Brailes Livestock's Brailes Finnegan, by Duncanziemere Editor. Bulls born Aug 22 to Sep 28, 2020 – 1 and male champion, D Rankin's Kilmaluag Lord Rufus, by Water End Payton; 2, R and C Rettie's Retties Lord Edwin, by Duncanziemere Edwin; 3, Firm of G Gray's Ettrick Bomber, by Linton Gilbertines President.

Heifers born Jul 27 to Nov 1, 2020 – 1, female champion and overall senior, J Rettie's Retties Lady Ruth, by Rawburn Transformer; 2, reserve female and reserve overall, N Wattie's Tonley Ester, by Tonley Kasper; 3, L Houston's Gretnahouse Fleur, by Stouphill Lord Ramon.

Junior – Bulls born Jan 2 to Feb 24, 2021 – 1, D and P Murray's Wolflaw Joss Eric, by Belhaven Full Moon; 2, Brailes Livestock's Tonley Ronald, by Tonley Jester Eric; 3, A Rennie's Mosston Muir Imperial, by Ballindalloch Pistyll. Bulls born Mar 1 to Mar 28, 2021 – 1, Neil Wattie's Tonley King Paco, by Tonley Jester Eric; 2, E Campbell's Kilmallie Kryptonite, by HF Rebel; 3, D and P Murray's Wolflaw Proud Ian, by Belhaven Full Moon. Bulls born Apr 2 to May 11, 2021 – 1, male champion and junior overall, Mr and Mrs M Alford's Oak Moor Kingston, by Duncanziemere Edwin; 2 and reserve male champion, JR Galloway's Cardona Jeweliot Eric, by Stouphill Mr Peroni; 3, R and C Rettie's Retties Lonestar, by Rawburn Elysium.

Heifers born Jan 4 to Feb 21, 2021 – 1, female champion and reserve overall, R and C Rettie's Retties Eveline, by Retties Lark Royal; 2 and reserve female champion, H Duncan's Longbank Jewlianna Erica, by Keri a Revolver; 3, A Rennie's Mosston Muir Eva, by Balmachie Ranald. Heifers born Mar 7 to Mar 29, 2021 – 1, H Duncan's Longbank Juno Erica, by Laheens Rebel; 2, N Wattie's Tonley Evas Honey, by Tonley Jester Eric; 3, D Walker's Galcantray Price, by Galcantray Duke. Heifers born Apr 1 to May 16, 2021 – 1, D and K Graham's Carruthers Elspeth, by Auchincreive Exodus; 2, Brailes Livestock's Brailes Black Becky, by Retties JFK; 3, R and C Rettie's Retties Frances, by Billinge Magic Jack Eric.