History was made in the inter-breed sheep pairs at the Royal Highland Show, when two Dutch Spotted sheep from Dumfriesshire breeder, Ali Jackson, landed the supreme overall.

Notably, the breed which was celebrating its first year of classes at Ingliston, also landed the reserve inter-breed individual sheep the previous day, with a member of the winning pair from Mr Jackson and his wife to be, Hannah Sloan.

"I've never handled a Dutch Spotted before and the winning pair were real sheep," said the overall pairs judge, Willie Dunlop, Elmscleugh, Dunbar.

"They handled really well with a good cover of meat on them and they were also really good on the legs with great hair," Mr Dunlop added pointing out that his choice of the reserve, the Blackfaces were a 'real matching pair.'

Mr Jackson who owns the Tiptop flock had a hugely successful show, winning both the male and the female championships amongst the Dutch Spotted, which were forward for the pairs. His supreme, was the female leader, Tiptop Diana, a one-crop ewe, with the male best being the imported shearling ram, Dutchman.

The reserve duo, Blackfaces from the Ramsay family, Milnmark, Dalry, Castle Douglas, comprised the supreme, a home-bred suckled gimmer and the male champion and reserve breed winner, a four-shear Gosland-bred ram.