A three-year-old polled Limousin heifer from Robert and Jean Graham's herd based in Stirling, took all the plaudits at Drymen Show, winning the inter-breed cattle and overall champion of champions accolade.
Their victor, brought out by Stewart and Lynsey Bett, was Grahams Ruth, a daughter of Claragh Franco – a sire that has bred bulls to 40,000gns and 38,000gns – out of the French cow, Gigue.
Reserve at Ayr Show, she was shown with her October-born heifer calf, Grahams Trixie, by the French sire, Office.
Supreme dairy was a January 2021-born Holstein heifer in milk from Kate and Gracie Nicolson, Balfron. She is by Alta Maui, out of a home-bred Alta Roble-sired cow and was paraded giving 38 litres per day.
In the sheep lines, the one-crop Charollais ewe, Springhill Wishing Star, landed the inter-breed title for Nicola Henderson, of Whitehouse Farm Cottage, Touch, Stirling. She was purchased privately as a ewe lamb in Northern Ireland and is by Springhill Vodka and out of a Springhill-bred ewe. Reserve at Ayr, she was also any other breed champion at Stirling, last year.
Leading Awards
Holstein Friesian (Judge: J Rankin, Badenheath). Champion and inter-breed dairy – K and G Nicolson, Balfron, with a January 2021-born heifer, giving 38 litres per day. She is by Alta Maui and out of a home-bred Alta Roble-sired cow. Heifer in calf, pairs – J and J Kinloch, Walton, Cardross. Cow in milk, heifer in milk – K and G Nicolson.
Highland cattle (Judge: H McPhail, Callachally, Salen Aros, Mull). Champion – D and C Logan, Greenhead Farm, Alva with the two-year-old heifer, Arin 2 of Blairlogan, by Aonghas Ruadh of Hyndford, out of Arin 2 of Culfoich. She was reserve junior and reserve female champion at last year’s Great Yorkshire Show. Reserve – E Mackay, Killearn, with the yearling bull, Seonaidh Ruadh of Glengoyne. He is a son of Ceannard of Eilean Mor, which bred the fold’s 10,000gns Iain Ruadh of Glengoyne that sold at Oban, last year. Cow in milk, calf – Cnoc fold, Appin. Three-year-old heifer – J Clydesdale and S Mcnally. Two-year-old heifer – D and C Logan. Yearling heifer – J and C McKechnie, Gartocharn. Junior bull, pairs – E Mackay.
Galloway (Judge: W Wasson, Redwells, Kinglassie, Lochgelly). Champion and reserve – D and L Graham, Burnbank, Blair Drummond. Champion was the previously unshown two-year-old heifer, Kirkstead Quirk. She is by Troloss Impeccable. Reserve was the home-bred stirk, Princess Marilyn of 3G, owned in partnership with Dennis Gall. September, 2021-born, she is a daughter of Strathurr Yogi and out of Kalinka 2159 of Romesbeoch. All classes – D and L Graham.
Hereford (Judge: W Wasson). Champion – Harvey family, Balfron, with the March 2022-born bull, Harveybros 1 Willy-The-Womaniser. Sired by an Australian-bred AI sire, Wirruna Matty M288, he is out of the Venture Night Time 7055 daughter, Harveybros 1 Crocus N1. He was junior male and overall male champion at last year’s Agri Expo at six-months-old.
Limousin (Judge: B Wills, The Bungalow, Brunhill House, Kinross). Champion – R Graham, Airthrey Kerse, Bridge of Allan with the three-year-old polled heifer, Grahams Ruth. Sired by Claragh Franco, she is out of the French cow, Gigue. Reserve at Ayr Show, she was shown with her October-born heifer calf, Grahams Trixie, by Stewart and Lynsey Bett. Reserve – S Dick, Throsk Farm, Stirling with the November 2021-born bull, Ronick Sabotage, by Wilodge Granville. He is out of a home-bred cow that has bred bulls to 14,000gns. First at Ayr Show, he is to be retained as a stock bull. Junior bull – S Dick. Cow, calf – R and J Graham. Two-year-old heifer – D and L Graham. Yearling heifer – A Weir, Castlecary Mill, Bonnybridge.
Charolais (Judge: B Wills). Champion and reserve inter-breed – A Hornall, Falleninch, Stirling with the two-year-old heifer, Falleninch Suzie. A daughter of Barnsford Ferny, she is out of Falleninch Lottie, a former junior female champion at the Highland Show. She was first in her class at last year’s Royal Highland. Reserve – T and S Gatherer with the yearling bull, Barnsford Thistle, by Elgin Jagger and out of Alwent Broom. He is a full brother to the champion’s sire. Bull – T and S Gatherer. Calf, two-year-old heifer – A Hornall. Yearling heifer – R McNeill, Stirling.
Commercial cattle (Judge: b Wills). Champion – S and L Bett, Stirling, with the yearling Limousin cross heifer, Phoenix. Bought from Orkney's Balfour Baillie at the Thainstone Spectacular, she is by Redriver Powerful and out of a British Blue cross Limousin dam. Phoenix was inter-breed junior champion at the last year’s Stars of the Future Show, reserve commercial calf at Agri-Expo, champion at LiveScot, and reserve at the Welsh Winter Fair. Calf – L Bilsland. Continental steer – A Dunn, Stirling. Continental heifer – S and L Bett.
Clydesdale (Judge: R Morton, Stobilee Farm, Cleghorn). Champion – S Anderson with the seven-year-old mare, Willow Way Qena. Bred in Canada she previously stood reserve female at this year’s National Stallion Show. Produced by the Bandirran Stud, Qena is sired by Dayton Zoom and out of Willow Way Jorja. Reserve – M Carrick, Thornhill, Stirling with the yearling filly, Littleward Katy. A daughter of Collessie Monarch, she stood second in the senior yearling filly class at this year’s National Stallion Show. Three-year-old gelding – S Miller. Yeld mare – S Anderson. Two-year-old colt or gelding – C Randall, Helensburgh. Yearling colt or gelding – J Paterson. Yearling filly – M Carrick.
Bluefaced Leicester (Judge: S Ainslie, Linkhead, Cockburnspath). Champion – J Pirie, Blarnavaid, Drymen with a tup lamb by P1 Mariforth, out of a ewe by N1 Temain The Gambler. Reserve – A Steedman, Stirling with a ewe hogg by the 2500gns Carlisle purchase, LLanilltyd N. The dam is a home-bred ewe by K7 Drumsynie. One-year-old tup – R Steel. Ewe, tup lamb, ewe lamb, group of three – J Pirie. Ewe hogg – A Steedman.
Scotch Mule (Judge: S Ainslie). Champion and reserve – J Pirie. Champion was an Allanfauld-bred gimmer that was bought in a pen of ewe lambs last year. Reserve was a home-bred ewe lamb by P2 Highberries, out of a home-bred ewe. Single ewe lamb, single hogg, single ewe – J Pirie. Pair of ewe lambs – P McNickle, Gartincaber.
Suffolk (Judge: M Black, Nisbetfield, Letham). Champion – D McMillan, Isle of Bute, with the gimmer, Westcarse Lady Di, purchased privately from John Christie, West Carse. Second in her class at Beith and Neilston shows, she is by Ballyboe Boe. Reserve – J Christie, West Carse, with a two-crop ewe by Ballyboe Boe. She is out of a home-bred ewe and was on her first outing. Tup, ewe, tup lamb, group of three – J Christie. Ewe hogg – D McMillan. Ewe lamb – R Bryce, Chalmerston Farm.
Blackface (Judge: A Rodgerson, Burncastle, Lauder). Champion – E Macmillan, Lurg, Fintry with a tup hogg bought as a lamb from Allanfauld, at Lanark. Sired by Allanfauld Strike, he is out of a ewe by a £10,000 Allanfauld. Reserve – Bennie family, Merkins, with a shearling tup. Two-year-old tup, ewe lamb – P McNickle. Shearling tup, gimmer, tup lamb, group of three – Bennie family. Tup hogg, ewe hogg – E Macmillan. Ewe, fleece – Messrs Jackson, Pole.
Shetland sheep (Judge: S Russell, 18 Queens Court, Irvine) Champion and reserve – JC and R Steven, Rosebank, Currie. All classes – JC and R Steven.
Texel (Judge: K Morton, Lochend Farm, Denny). Champion and reserve inter-breed – S Woodrow with one-crop ewe on her first outing. She is by Claybury Dunkirk and out of an Allanfauld-bred ewe by Knock Yardsman. Reserve – J Pirie, with a home-bred gimmer on her first outing. She is a daughter of a Craig Douglas ram and out of a Cowal-bred ewe. Two-shear tup – JH Christie. Shearling tup, tup lamb – W Baird. Ewe, ewe lamb – S Woodrow. Gimmer – J Pirie.
Blue Texel (Judge: K Morton). Champion – A Crombie, Southfield, Falkirk with the home-bred gimmer, Southfield Gucci. She is by Ettrick Emale and out of Southfield Evita, by Sams Braveheart. Reserve – S Dick with the February-born ewe lamb, Stephick Her Majesty, by Cairnrock Ferrari, out of the show gimmer that stood reserve at the Great Yorkshire Show, last year. Tup, group of three – A Flynn. Ewe, gimmer – A Crombie. Tup lamb – M Kay, Castlecary Mill. Ewe lamb – S Dick.
Continental sheep (Judge: K Morton). Champion and inter-breed sheep – NR and S Henderson, Touch, Stirling with the one-crop Charollais ewe, Springhill Wishing Star, purchased privately as a ewe lamb in Northern Ireland. She is by Springhill Vodka and out of a Springhill-bred ewe. Reserve – D Allan, Drymen with a Beltex gimmer. Tup, ewe – NR and S Henderson. Gimmer – D Allan. Tup lamb – C Allan. Ewe lamb – W Baird.
Zwartbles (Judge: W Anderson, Cairnhill, Farr, Inverness). Champion – NR and S Henderson, Touch, Stirling with the tup lamb, Aquila Lovebug. Previously unshown, he is by Graham’s Kingkong, and out of Aquila Jitterbug which stood reserve female champion at the Royal Highland Showcase as a ewe lamb. Reserve – K Flynn, Bathgate with the home-bred ewe lamb, Paguera Legend. Shearling tup, ewe, gimmer, tup lamb – NR and S Henderson. Ewe lamb – K Flynn.
Valais Blacknose (Judge: J McAllister, Mains of Inverourie, Tomintoul, Ballindalloch). Champion – R and L McLean, Duns with the home-bred ewe hogg, Hardens Jasmin. Sired by Beatties Harrison and out of Hardens Belle, she was unbeaten last year. Reserve – K Taylor, Stirling with a home-bred Whiterigg aged ewe. Tup – C Scott. Ewe – K Taylor. Ewe hogg, group of three – R and L McLean. Tup lamb – T Blackwood. Ewe lamb – M Cloggie.
Commercial (Judge: A Brown, 7 Brailsford Crescent, Kilmarnock). Champion – J Graham, Burnbank, Blair Drummond with a one-crop three-quarter Beltex ewe bought privately, last year, from Robert Bryce, Chalmerston. Reserve – RH Steel and Sons, Buchlyvie with a pair of Texel-sired lambs. Pair of prime lambs – RH Steel and Sons. Ewe with cross lamb, ewe with twin lambs, single cross-bred ewe – J Graham. Single cross-bred hogg – R Bryce, Chalmerston, Stirling.
Other native sheep (Judge: M Black). Champion – E Brown, Islay with a North Country Cheviot park-type ewe hogg, by a home-bred sire and our of a home-bred ewe. Reserve – J Milne, Thornhill, Stirling with a Keirhead Ryeland tup lamb, by Red Sewell Zuperman, out of a ewe by Bryncaffom Twm. Tup, ewe, tup lamb, group of three – J Milne. Gimmer – E Brown.
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