THE entire nation is mourning following the sudden death of HM The Queen, who passed away on Thursday, September 8, 2022, at her beloved Balmoral Highland estate and her death was keenly felt in Scotland's farming communities.
At the first Royal Highland Show at its new permanent base of Ingliston House, in 1960, HM The Queen took a keen interest in the winning stock
It was, after all, at Balmoral, on Royal Deeside, that two of her favourite breeds – Highland cattle and Highland ponies – were kept and were an integral part of the management of the 50,000 acres there. She was deemed an expert on both breeds, but probably erred in knowledge on the pony stud, given her keen interest in all things equine – in fact, a photograph released for her Platinum Jubilee this year, included her with two white Fell ponies, another favoured breed.
The Queen took a keen interest in all of her stock and this lovely pair of young Highland ponies would have caught her trained eye
But these animals were not simply backdrops for picture postcards – though they undoubtedly were photographed many times over the year, including by photographers from The Scottish Farmer. The animals from her famous fold and stud were expected to be at the top of their game and in fact, HM The Queen's stock have been regular winners at the Royal Highland Show, a show which she had visited a few times since first attending the opening show at its new home of Ingliston, back in 1960.
Picture postcard stuff, but the Highland cattle had to pay their way at Balmoral Estate and were a favourite of HM The Queen's
She also attended the show in 1984 (for its 25th at Ingliston) and in 2009. More recently, she provided a red letter day for the organisers of Turriff Show by visiting the event in 2014, which was followed up this year by a visit from her daughter, The Princess Royal, Princess Anne.
Earlier in her reign, she kept a keen eye on the Highland cattle fold, seen here with Prince Philip
HM was also the patron of the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland, which views the presentation of The Queen's Cup – one that rotates every year between the champions of the livestock section at the Royal Highland Show – as the most prestigious trophy now presented in the UK.
HM the Queen's Ruaridh 1 of Ubhaidh was a former Royal Highland Show champion back in 2014 and was pictured here after being male and reserve supreme at the Glasgow International Show, at Pollok Park, in 2013
The Balmoral fold of Highland cattle is well-known on the show circuit and regularly leads the big classes at the Royal Highland. One of the most talked about successes was with her herd sire, Ruaridh 1 of Ubhaidh – the first time HM The Queen's 55-cow Balmoral fold had won the championship at the Highland, that was back in 2014. Nicknamed Ooby Dooby at home, he was bought for a bargain 1400gns at the Oban Highland cattle sale, and was also reserve inter-breed at Tarland Show, plus being placed male champion at the Glasgow 'International' Show in 2013.
The Highland cattle were an integral part of hill management for the Balmoral Estate managers
More recently, Gusgurlach of Balmoral, was overall breed champion at the Royal Highland Show, this past June – representing a huge vote of confidence in the fold, given that this was a championship win with a home-bred animal.
The Queen's home-bred stock bull, Gusgurlach of Balmoral, was champion at the 2022 Royal Highland Show
The three-year-old Gusgurlach, which also reigned supreme at last year’s Royal Highland Showcase event, was tapped out by the judge, Donald MacNaughton as his overall champion. This Tomintoul of Glamis Castle son and out of Bhadair Ruadh 44 of Balmoral, was shown by The Queen's stockman, Dochy Ormiston, throughout his show career.
And one of his duties was to keep HM's team informed about the successes, or otherwise, of her stock when they were shown, or of new stock bulls purchased for the fold. Similarly, Dochy's wife, Sylvia, would do the same for the Highland ponies in her care at Balmoral, especially when the latest season's foals were born.
Another pleasing sight that would have been seen by HM in 2012
The Highland ponies at Balmoral pictured by The SF back in 2012
The Queen's Platinum Jubilee this year was also marked by her being able to witness her home-bred Highland mare, Balmoral Leia, take the Royal Windsor Horse Show Highland pony title, before winning the overall mountain and moorland in-hand championship.
Leia is a five-year-old by Balmoral Lord out of Balmoral Melody. That sire was lost to grass sickness, a mystery illness that only this year was given extra prominence in a bid to find a cure – a move that was known to have been very much supported by The Queen and her equine loving daughter, Princess Anne.
One of her early Scottish public engagements after she was crowned in 1953, was to attend Stranraer Show in 1955, where she was joined by Prince Philip and the show obviously had a record attendance that year.
Stranraer Show organisers were lucky to have HM The Queen visiting early in her reign, in 1955
She was known to have a keen interest in her stock, both in Scotland and on the Royal farms in England, where she once kept a fabulous herd of Jersey cows.
Having been a breeder herself, The Queen often made a point of meeting up with the winners of the Jersey section
But it was her huge knowledge of livestock farming and rural life in general which came across as a shining light to all those who met her. There was never a greater advocate and supporter of livestock breeding, than Her Majesty – and the industry will mourn the loss of that for some time to come.
She really was our most gracious Queen.
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