Scotland will be represented by the top two Open shearers – Calum Shaw and Hamish Mitchell – at the World championships next year hosted at the Royal Highland Show.

Calum had already secured his place in the team by winning the Scottish National at the Royal Highland Show in June and went on to take top spot on the circuit leader board as well with points of 58.

Hamish, who got an early win on the circuit leader board at Lesmahagow Show also secured his spot in the team with second place on the circuit with 41 points.

However, shearing at such high levels is nothing new for the pair who have both represented Scotland at previous World Championships. Hamish with team mate Gav Mutch won the teams event in Gorey, Ireland, in 2014, and Calum took the teams trophy with Mutch in Le Dorat, France 2019. Next year will nevertheless be the first time the pair will have competed together.

For the 2023 World Championships, shearers had to compete at five of the seven shows including Royal Ulster, Lesmahagow, The Royal Highland, Lochearnhead, The Great Yorkshire, Corwen and the Back Isle.

The blades shearing team was also decided in the five sheep final at the Black Isle. Jimmy Wright had the circuit highest points before the competition started but unfortunately having a bad shear left the team spots wide open for the now Circuit winner Mark Armstrong and team mate Willie Craig.

No strangers to competing together, their first outing was at the World Championships in 2012. The World Championships in Scotland 2023 will be the fifth time for the pair, with their best result being placed fourth in Masterton, New Zealand.

Rosie Keenan backed up her Lochearnhead success with another win at the Black Isle, this secured her spot on the team and her second circuit win with points of 41. Having made the final at the Black Isle, this secured Audrey Aiken’s team place, finishing second in the circuit with 36 points in front of Katie Reid on 34 points. Rosie and Audrey previously represented Scotland in Le Dorat 2019 finishing second in the teams event behind rivals New Zealand. Rosie claimed second in the Open Worlds Individual Woolhandling final and Audrey second in The All Nations competition.

The hotly contested senior circuit win went to The Sheep Games’ Cammy Wilson.

Show wins at Lesmahagow, Lochearnhead and finally the Black Isle gave Cammy one clear point ahead to lift the trophy with 42 points. Although equal points of 41 saw Stuart Robson and Lewis Harkness tying for second, Stuart's win at the Highland Show allowed him to claim second spot leaving Lewis to settle for third.

Northern Irish lad David Scott now living in Scotland ran away with the Intermediate shearing circuit finishing with 48 points. Second place went to Scottish-based English lass, Lizzie Thomson finishing the circuit with 40 points. Highland shearer Ed Parry claimed top spot in the Juniors with 26 points, Murray McHarg second with 20 points and James Ronald third with 10 points respectively.

LEADING awards

Open machine – 1, Calum Shaw, 58 points; 2, Hamish Mitchell, 41; 3= Archie Paterson, 21 and Jordan Smeaton, 21.

Senior – 1, Cameron Wilson, 42; 2, Stuart Robson, 41; 3, Lewis Harkness, 41; 4, Adam Wood 19.

Intermediate – 1, David Scott, 48; 2, Lizzy Thomson, 40.

Junior – 1, Edward Parry, 26; 2, Murray McHarg, 20; 3, James Ronald, 10

Blades – 1, Mark Armstrong, 45; 2, Willie Craig, 44; 3, Jimmy Wright, 42; 4, Wilson Wyllie, 36.

Woolhandling – 1, Rosie Keenan, 41; 2, Audrey Aiken, 36; 3, Katie Reid, 34; 4, Isla Shaw, 29.

Black Isle results

Highland shearing (four sheep) – 1, Kevin Sutherland (16 board, 48 pen, 5.01 time, 31.050 total); 2, Ryan MacLean (15, 56, 5.02, 32.850); 3, Wilson Wyllie (22, 58, 4.31, 33.550); 4, Freddy Fulford (26, 66, 5.27, 39.350).

Juniors (four sheep) – 1, Alex Kiriakos (17, 47, 5.10, 31.500); 2, Liam Tinney (20, 56, 6.03, 37.150); 3, James Kramer (20, 60, 5.55, 37,750); 4, Murray McHarg (14, 67, 6.02, 38.350).

Intermediate (eight sheep) – 1, Matthew Kane (30, 116, 11.06, 51.550); 2, David Scott (49, 132, 10.57, 55.475); 3, George Mair (60, 111, 11.37, 56.225); 4, Dalton Dillon (53, 120, 12.40, 59.625).

Senior (10 sheep) – 1, Camaron Wilson (23, 83, 10.50, 43.100); 2, Ryan Maclean (30, 90, 10.34, 43.700); 3, Emily Te Kapa (44, 87, 12.04, 49.300); 4, Stuart Robson (30, 91, 10.46, 49.400)

Open (20 sheep) – 1, Calum Shaw (32, 214, 15.14, 58.000); 2, Denis O’Sullivan (17, 211, 16.48, 61.800); 3, Scott Wilson (32, 299, 15.19, 62.500); 4, Hamish Mitchell (31, 243, 16.52, 64.300).

Blades (five sheep) – 1, Elfed Jackson (26, 93, 16.06, 72.100); 2, Mark Armstrong (25, 112, 22.53, 96.050); 3, Willie Craig (17, 118, 23.11, 96.550); 4, Wilson Wyllie (27, 158, 20.39, 98.950); 5, Jimmy Wright (17,154, 23.14, 103.900).

Intermdiate blades (two sheep) – 1, Anna McTaggart (15, 40, 9.51, 57.050); 2, Bwn Jackson (9, 26, 18.06, 71.800); 3, Aaron Magee (14, 49, 14.47, 75.850).

Open wool handling (five sheep) – 1, Rosie Keenan (14, 25, 1.51, 55.200); 2, Audrey Aiken (26, 28, 1.50, 70.000); 3, Isla Shaw (30, 25, 2.13, 75.600); 4, Emily Te Kapa (42, 44, 1.55, 103.000).

Novice woolhandling (three sheep) – 1, Rachel Urquhart (7, 12, 1.11, 27.200); 2, Amy McLean (33, 9, 1.57, 59.400); 3, Ebony Rowley (17, 53, 1.41, 84.200); 4, Camilia Quiteros (33, 40, 2.08, 92.600).