First time exhibitors made their presence felt in more ways than one at a busy show at Ayr Racecourse, winning the top two awards in the beef section and the prestigious champion of champions.
With higher entries in the beef and the dairy sections and a great line-up of sheep and sheep breeds, this year's Ayr Show not only saw increased competition, but also near record breaking crowds.
This year's event also saw an improved quality show of stock, with the top two awards in the beef section presented to two of the biggest names in the business. Mike and Melanie Alford all the way from Devon, landed the inter-breed beef title with an Aberdeen-Angus heifer and first time competitor, Wilson Peters, Crieff, won the beef inter-breed group of three with commercial calves.
"There was never any doubt in my mind that the Angus heifer would be supreme beef champion," said inter-breed beef judge, Jim Ross, Shawhead, after she landed the top score from the various section judges.
"She's very correct and full of character. She's an easy winner in my eyes," Mr Ross said, adding that he was also most impressed by his inter-breed beef team champions from Mr Wilson.
Taking centre stage and the coveted Rowan Crystal supreme champion of champions trophy presented by Jim Craig of Ayr Mart, in memory of his late wife Rowan, was the two-year-old in-calf Aberdeen Angus heifer, Blelack Princess Carina. She was purchased by the Alfords for 30,000gns at the Massie's herd dispersal at Stirling in October 2021, as a five-month-old calf, and was brought out by free-lance stockman, Drew Hyslop.
For the overall, the inter-breed beef champion was up against the supreme dairy, sheep, and Clydesdale champions.
Adding to the celebrations, the Alfords also bagged the Limousin championship with Foxhillfarm Titan, a yearling bull on his show debut, bred from the veteran show heifer, Foxhillfarm Gracie.
Taking the reserve individual beef honours was James Nisbet's Starlight, a 14-month-old black Limousin cross heifer from Sorn Mains, that was champion at Dundonald. She was bought at Pateley Bridge.
Wilson Peters was also in the money, winning the inter-breed group of three with a trio of black commercial calves, two of which were home-bred. The trio included the reserve commercial, Sassparilla a Limousin cross heifer, the similarly aged British Blue cross, Sonsay Lass, and Tyson.
READ MORE: Ayr Show attracts beef entries from Devon to Perthshire
Just pipped at the post in this section was a trio of Limousins to include Ronald and Stephanie Dick's bull, Ronick Sabotage and two females from Robert and Jean Graham's Grahams herd, paraded by Stewart and Lynsey Bett.
LEADING awards
Simmental (Judge: M Robertson, Fodderletter, Tomintoul). Champion and reserve – J and E Dyet, Merkland Simmentals, Strathaven, with bulls. Supreme was Annick Nazareth, the junior stock bull for the 95-cow herd bought at the Annick dispersal in September. Champion at Neilston, this 13-month-old is a son of Kilbride Farm Karl and out of the 2021 Highland Show champion, Annick Fresia's Kiki VG85. Reserve was the similarly aged Merkland Niagra, by the Saltire Arnie son, Merkland Jimmy, out of Merkland Ella 1. Bull, heifer, pair – J and E Dyet.
READ MORE: Ayr County Show: 2023 event 'will be biggest and best yet'
British Blue (Judge: M Robertson). Champion – D and L Watret, Criffelview, with the rising two-year-old black bull, Criffelview Romeo, a son of Greystone Noveltee out of the veteran show cow, Criffelview Kendra that was champion here last year. Romeo was shown as a calf at foot with his mother last year. Reserve – J and A Young, Auchentiber, with Auchentiber Rowan, a similarly aged heifer by Stonebyres Mister Muscle, out of the privately purchased Solwayview Infinity. She was first at the Highland last year. Bull – D and L Watret. Heifer – J and A Young.
Any other continental breed (Judge: M Robertson). Champion – Mr and Mrs M Alford, Foxhillfarm, Devon, with the Limousin bull, Foxhill Farm Titan, which was celebrating his first birthday at the show. Brought out by free-lance stockman, Drew Hyslop, he is bred from the top show heifer, Foxhillfarm Gracie which was inter-breed champion at the Royal Highland, Great Yorkshire and Royal Welsh and supreme at the breed's Grand Prix, and sired by the Irish sire, Derrygullinane Kingbull. Reserve – R and J Graham, Stirling, with Grahams Ruth, a first calved heifer by Claragh Franco, out of the French cow, Gigue. Previously unshown, she was shown with October born heifer calf by the French sire, Office, by Stewart and Lynsey Bett. Senior bull – R Dick, Stirling. Junior bull, heifer, pair – Mr and Mrs M Alford. Female with calf, calf – R and J Graham. Junior heifer – H and S Dunlop, Ochiltree.
Aberdeen-Angus (Judge: W Brown, Drumdow, Turnberry). Champion, supreme beef and overall champion of champions – Mr and Mrs M Alford, Foxhill Farm, with the in-calf heifer, Blelack Princess Carina, a two-year-old bought at the Blelack dispersal at Stirling in October, 2021 for 30,000gns alongside her dam, a previous Blelack Carina for 32,000gns. The heifer is by the 14,000gn Kilmaluag Eriskay and was paraded by free-lance stockman Drew Hyslop, due in August to Weeton Evolution. A big winner last year, Carina was inter-breed at North Somerset and junior champion at the Royal Norfolk Show. Reserve – JM Steel, Duns, with Wrae Proud Ilusia, a rising seven-year-old cow by Borewell Eastern Flame, out of Wrae Proud Ilus. She was on her first outing. Bull – S Prentice. Cow, calf – JM Steel. Heifer – Mr and Mrs M Alford.
Beef Shorthorn (Judge: W Brown). Champion and reserve – Natalie Hynd, Galston, cattle brought out by freelance stockman, Allan Jackson. Supreme was the 14-month-old bull, Westbroad Scotia, a polled son of the 12,000gns Shawmill Leroy, out of Westbroad Rusty 15, bought privately. He was junior male and male champion at Stars of the Future and first at LiveScot. Reserve was another private purchase from Duncan Welsh's Westbroad herd. Westbroad Yoga Ruby, a September 2021-born heifer is also by Leroy but bred from Westbroad Yoga 4. Shown by Allan Jackson, she was third at Stars and fourth at LiveScot. Bull, heifer – N Hynd. Heifer calf – RH Allan.
Belted Galloway (Judge: W Brown). Champion – J and Z Kirk, Auldgirth, with nine-year-old cow, Huntfield Sage, shown with September-born heifer calf at foot. She was on her first outing since winning several events as a heifer, and is by Hunfield Optimist, out of Huntfield Panoply. Reserve – J Taylor, Ayr, with the previously unshown December 2020-born heifer, Tobergill Yarnia, by Turin Jumbo, out of Tobergill Narnia. Cow, calf – J and Z Kirk. Senior heifer, junior heifer, pair – J Taylor.
Hereford (Judge: W Brown). Champion – G Dunbar, Drumclog, with Drumboy 1 Sophia, a rising five-year-old cow by Romany 1 Distiller, out of Drumboy 1 Olivia, a former champion here. Sophia was shown with November-born heifer calf at foot. Reserve – M Galbraith, secretary of the Scottish Club, with Craigdoo Will-it-Do, a 15-month-old bull by Goldingpoll Stocksman, out of Craigdoo Morag. Bull – M Galbraith. Cow, calf – D Dunbar.
Commercial cattle (Judge: M Robertson, Dufftown). Champion and reserve inter-breed beef – J Nisbet, Sorn, with Starlight, a 14-month-old Limousin cross heifer bought at Pateley Bridge for £4800, that stood champion at Dundonald. She is by Gallaber Leo, which was also the sire of Mr Nisbet's Ayr and LiveScot winners, last year, out of a Limousin cross cow. Reserve – WA Peters, Crieff, with Sassparilla, a home-bred 20-month-old black Limousin cross heifer that scooped several tickets last year to include a red ticket at Stars of the Future and third at LiveScot. She is by Carmorn Lionbar and out of a British Blue cross Limousin cow. Mr Wilson who was exhibiting at Ayr for the first time also landed the inter-breed beef group of three with three black Limousin cross commercial calves, two of which were home-bred. Heavy steer, heavy heifer, pair – WA Peters. Light steer – A Ireland, Darvel. Intermediate heifer, light heifer – J Nisbet. Commercial calf born after November 1, 2022 – T Laird and Son, New Cumnock. British Blue cross – R Montgomerie.
Young beef stocksperson (Judge: Mrs H Brown, Turnberry) – 1, James Young; 2, Andrew Gemmell; 3, Sam Vance.
Home beef cattle, commercial cattle (Judge: Mrs H Brown). Champion – Amy Vance, Machars YFC, with a black Limousin cross heifer. Reserve – Amy Scott, Beith YFC, with a Limousin cross bullock. Bullock – Amy Scott. Heifer – Amy Vance.
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