A Welsh-bred 11-month-old commercial heifer from Stewart and Lynsey Bett, secured both the inter-breed beef honours and the overall champion of champions at a highly successful, busy, Ayr Show.

With glorious spring sunshine and a good breeze to go with it, the event attracted a bigger crowd than ever, complete with the usual top quality entry of livestock. Such was the quality of stock on parade, that there was only one point between the winner of the coveted Rowan Crystal supreme champion of champions presented by Jim Craig – judged on a points basis by the inter-breed judges – and the two joint placed animals in reserve.

Taking all the plaudits and the lead score of 24 was Stewart and Lynsey Bett's black commercial heifer, Sexy Spice from Stirling. This Limousin cross bred by Llyr Hughes of the Pabo herd in Wales, was bought at the Royal Welsh Winter Fair. She was on her first outing since she won the supreme at the Aberdeen Spring Show, at Thainstone in March.

Joint reserve on 23 points was the inter-breed dairy champion, a Holstein from Willie Watson, the Muir, Ochiltree, and the Clydesdale best from Mrs Colleen Marshall, Newton Stewart.

Top dairy animal was Muir Toohot Molly, a VG88-3yr on her first outing. She is by Peak Alatoohot and was paraded six weeks calved and giving 46litres per day.

Joining this big black and white on 23 points was the four-year-old yeld mare, Burgess Outon Miracle, the reserve champion winner at last year's Great Yorkshire. Home-bred, she is Eskechraggan Ernest.

Well-known Dumfries-shire stockman, Ali Jackson, had a field day amongst the sheep, when his fiancée, Hannah Sloan brought out both the champion and the reserve winners, while he was assisting at the British Blue breed sale at Carlisle. His supreme was the any other continental winner, a Rouge, with the reserve being a Beltex.

Runner up amongst the dairy cattle, was Nethervalley Awesome Emma Red, a red and white Holstein bred by Robbie Scott, but owned by Andrew Struthers and Salvador Esquierdo, Boylston, Cumnock.

The equivalent amongst the beef was presented to the champion Simmental, Annick Ginger's Lucia, from the late Lauchlan Quarm, Annick Lodge, Irvine. Previously unshown, she was brought out by Matt Gilliland, James Hodge and Anny Perret.

For full report and pictures see next week's Scottish Farmer on May 20/21