Crowds gathered at Springwood Park, Kelso for the Border Union Show to see more than 500 exhibitors compete across the two days.
Following last year’s supreme championship which was awarded to a rabbit called Bert, this year’s overall judge, Douglas Tweedie from Bellataw, Gordon, gave the honours to the inter-breed beef champion, a Salers heifer from Lewis Ralston.
Ballykeel Unique, a two-year-old that was champion at the Royal Highland in June, was bred in Northern Ireland by Seamus Connel.
Up against the beef animal was the inter-breed sheep champion, a Texel from Gordon and David Gray, Sunnycroft, Selkirk. Their home-bred shearling ram, Ettrick Inzaggi is sired by Overburns Hulk with the dam being a daughter of Sadlerhead Frank the Hank.
Inter-breed sheep judge, Ian Campbell from Glenrath, described the Texel as having “fantastic carcase with charisma and style.”
“The animal really has the X factor and stood out from the rest,” he said.
LEADING awards
Aberdeen Angus (Judge: A Sadler, Berwickshire). Champion and reserve inter-breed beef champion – Lisa Fleming, Falnash, Teviothead, with the three-year-old bull Gretnahouse Egbert, bought at the Gretnahouse dispersal for 10,000gns. Sired by Rodmead Primero and out of Gretnahouse Eliza. Reserve – A Hodge, Rulesmains, Duns, with the five-year-old cow Rulesmains Ellen Erica W348, by Blelack Lord Heartford and out of Rulesmains Ellen Erica R743. Reserve female at the Highland Show 2025. Senior bull – L Fleming. Cow, junior heifer, junior bull, group of three – A Hodge. Senior heifer – D Ralston.
Continental (Judge: S Renton, Duns). Champion, inter-breed beef and overall champion of champions – L Ralston, Edgerston Home Farm, Jedburgh, with the two-year-old Salers heifer Ballykeel Unique bought from Seamus Connell, Northern Ireland. Champion at the Royal Highland Show she is backed by French genetics on both sides being sired by Mathieu and out of Majestueus. Reserve – T and I Walling, Farmstock Genetics, Over Whitlaw, with the 20-month Charolais heifer FSG Violet Poppy. Home-bred she is by Elgin Jager and out of Gretnahouse Tinkerbell. Junior bull, senior heifer, junior heifer – L Ralston. Cow – T and I Walling.
Any other native breed (Judge: A Sadler). Champion – Cara Doggett, Maxwell herd, Rulesmains, Duns, with Maxwell 1 Crack-a-Lackin’ a 20-month-old Hereford bull by Coley 1 Weidermann and out of Coley 1 Mink 634. Male champion at the Great Yorkshire Show and at Stars of the Future in 2025. Reserve – Emma Hodge, Rulesmains, Duns, with the 18-month-old Hereford heifer RM 1 Starlet, sired by Gouldingpoll 1 Duncan and out of Pulham 1 Scarlet. Bull – C Doggett. Heifer – E Hodge.
Texel non-MV (Judge: J Wales). Champion – R Halliday with a home-bred shearling by a £3400 Logie Durno and out of a home-bred dam. He is to be sold at Bentham this month. Reserve – L Longstaff with a home-bred gimmer by Eden Valley Hit the Diff. First at Duns as a ewe lamb. Shearling ram – R Halliday. Tup lamb – RH Bell. Ewe – J and P Anderson. Gimmer, ewe lamb – L Longstaff.
Valais Blacknose (Judge: Emma Glacken). Champion – J Hill, Harlow, with Monarch, a home-bred shearling sired by Westmoorland Cruger and out Harelaw Kurly. Reserve at the Royal Highland Show, he was scored maximum points as a ram lamb. Reserve – C Losty, Meikle Westland Farm, with Nithsdale Nivalis, a ewe lamb out of Westmoorland Kendodd. Reserve at the Royal Highland and Doune and Dunblane. Ewe lamb, gimmer – C Losty. Ewe – P Randall. Tup lamb, shearling ram – P Randall.
Beltex non-MV (Judge: R Buckle). Champion – J Goldie, Collielaw, with Smiley Face, a home-bred two-crop ewe by a Brickrow sire. Champion at Straiton and Dalrymple and reserve at Haddington and here last year. Reserve – J Halliday with a gimmer. Shearling tup, tup lamb, gimmer – A Halliday. Ewe, ewe lamb – J Goldie.
Any other rare breed (Judge: Sarah Miles). Champion – P Playfair, Stichill Eastfield, with a Norfolk Horn gimmer by Gipping Uncle and out of a home-bred dam. Champion here last year. Tup, gimmer, ewe lamb – P Playfair. Tup lamb – D Playfair. Ewe – J and A Lane.
Coloured Ryeland (Judge: R Aitken). Champion – N Ross, Sandford, with Goliath Bonnanhill, a tup lamb by Nightstar Aviator. Scottish National champion and reserve at Biggar. Reserve – K Irving, Mountbenger, with Wellhill Echo, a two-shear ram bought at Carlisle. Tup, shearling ram – K Irving. Tup lamb, ewe – N Ross.
Icelandic (Judge: Denise Playfair). Champion – L Stewart, Letham flock, with Letham Ruby, a gimmer by Knoweside Murdo out of a home-bred dam. Smallholders reserve in 2025. Reserve – A Munro, Knoweside flock, with Frank Ardglassie, an aged ram bought from the Ardglassie flock, Aberdeen. Aged ram – A Munro. Tup lamb, ewe, gimmer, wool – L Stewart. Ewe lamb – S Normanson.
Cross-bred (Judge: J Bell). Champion – R Halliday, with a ewe lamb by an £8500 Logie Durno ram shared with Headshaw. Reserve – A Anderson, Headshaw, with a home-bred Beltex cross gimmer backed by home-bred genetics on both sides. Aged tup, tup lamb, ewe, ewe lamb – R Halliday. Gimmer – A Adamson.
Any other breed native (Judge: J Bell). Champion – R Robson, with a Hampshire ewe lamb by East Fortune Hunter out of a ewe from the Willows flock. Reserve – R Robson, with a Hampshire tup lamb by Bridgehaugh Charge out of a Willows-bred dam. All classes – R Robson.
Blackface (Judge: I Clark). Champion – A McClymont, Krikstead, Yarrow, with a two-crop ewe by a £14,000 Glenrath. First here as a gimmer. Reserve – D Redpath, The Yett, with a gimmer sired by a £26,000 Glenrath out of a home-bred dam by a £2400 Burncastle. Champion at Pennymuir and reserve at Kelso. Two-shear ram – S Anderson. Shearling ram – W Douglas. Tup lamb, ewe lamb – S McClymont. Ewe – A McClymont. Gimmer – D Redpath.
Border Leicester MV accredited (Judge: J Campbell). Champion – T Tennant, West Forth, with a home-bred gimmer. Reserve – A Playfair, Kaimknowe, with a two-crop ewe by Rosenga Solo Spirit. Ram, gimmer, ewe lamb, pair, group – T Tennant. Shearling ram, ram lamb, ewe – A Playfair.
Blue Texel MV accredited (Judge: J Wales). Champion – Kyla Dodd, Mouswald, Dumfries, with a gimmer by Saltire Ferocious. Reserve – D Gray, Sunnycroft, Selkirk, with a home-bred shearling tup by Saltire Blue. Shearling ram – D Gray. Ram lamb – C Rae. Gimmer, ewe – Kyla Dodd. Ewe lamb – Joanna Forster.
Suffolk MV accredited (Judge: J Campbell). Champion – J Elliot, Roxburgh Mains, Kelso with a home-bred shearling tup that is bound for the ram sales at Kelso. Sired by Bessiebell Evelknievel. Reserve – Messrs Laing, Oxmuir, with a three-crop ewe by a Jalex tup. Reserve at Haddington and first in Dalkeith. Shearling ram – J Elliott. Ram lamb, gimmer – G Brown. Ewe – D Laing. Ewe lamb – J Arnott.
Texel MV accredited (Judge: J Wales). Champion and inter-breed sheep – G Gray, Sunnycroft, Selkirk with the shearling ram Ettrick Inzaggi. Sired by Overburns Hulk with the dam being a daughter of Sadlerhead Frank the Hank. Male champion at Biggar Show and bound for the ram sales at Kelso. Reserve – G Gray with a one-crop ewe by the 42,000gns Ettrick Grey Goose and out of a ewe by New View Electrifying. Gimmer, shearling, ewe, ram lamb – G Gray. Aged ram – A Chandler. Ewe lamb – C Young.
Zwartbles MV Accredited (Judge: Clare Ann Anderson). Champion – S Craig, Kelso with the gimmer Craigies Nice as Pie. Sired by East Middle Galileo and out of Ardanbeag Kataleya. First here last year. Reserve – C Rae, Dumfries with a January-born tup lamb, Prince by Derwen Maximus out of Crab Tree Mandy. Class winner at Northumberland, Cumberland, Royal Highland and Biggar. Ram lamb, ewe lamb – C Rae. Shearling ram, Ewe – J Thorburn. Aged ram, group, gimmer – SCraig.
Dutch Spotted MV accredited (Judge: Rachel Buckle). Champion – A and J Guthrie, Myreside, Selkirk with the ewe lamb, Myreside Jazzylady by Invincible out of Myreside Foxylady. Reserve – A and J Guthrie with the gimmer Myreside Imogen, a daughter of Cloak Hyghmac bred from the same ewe as the champion. Ram lamb – Kay McColm. Ewe lamb, ram, ewe, gimmer – A and J Guthrie.
Badger Face Texel MV accredited (Judge: Rachel Buckle). Champion – A Playfair, Kaimknowe with the gimmer, High Ploughlands Gemstone, sired by Knotckmult Erl and bred from Sunnybank Amazing. Champion at Dalkeith. Reserve – M Duffy, Stranraer, with the January-born tup ram, Hector the Hero, a son of Croaghroso Joshua out of a Harestone ewe. Champion at Ayr. Ewe, ram – Amy Varga. Ewe lamb, ram lamb – M Duffy. Gimmer – A Playfair.
Prime lambs (non MV) (Judge: Rachel Buckle). Champion – Lorna McGowan, Craiglea, Greenlaw with March-born Texel crosses out of Millennium Blue ewes. Reserve – L McGowan with a March-born lamb out of a Millennium Blue ewe. Lightweight pair – A Anderson. Heavyweight pair – L McGowan.
National Beltex MV accredited (Judge: J Aiken). Champion – A Miller, The Lurg, with Lurg Kylie, a one-crop ewe by Smartass Jackpot that boasts several breed championships. Reserve – G Maxwell Faughhill, Melrose with Faughhill Land Ma, a shearling ram by Callacraig Hotshot out of Faughhill Banniet. Male champion at the Royal Highland. Aged ram – T and A Taylor. Shearling ram, tup lamb (born before March 1) – G Maxwell. Group, ewe, gimmer, ewe lamb (born after March 1) – A Miller. Ewe lamb (born before March 1) – Ellie Miller. Tup lamb (born after March 1), pair by the same sire – R Wood.
Bluefaced Leicester crossing type (Judge: J Bell). Champion and reserve inter-breed – S Ainslie, Linkshead, with a gimmer sired T4 Giants Causeway purchased for £10,000 at Hawes. Her dam going back to a Buckles tup. Reserve – S McClymont and Son, Tinnis, Yarrow with a home-bred two-crop ewe by a Macqueston tup. First here last year. Shearling ram – B Hedley. Ram lamb, ewe lamb, gimmer – S Ainslie. Ewe – S McClymont.
Bluefaced Leicester (Judge: A Jones, Meddiant Isaf, Conway). Champion – A McClymont and Sons, Kirkstead with the Royal Highland Show winner, a £22,000 Glamis tup bought at Kelso last year. Reserve – Lisa Fleming, Falnash with a Crossdykes ewe purchased at Carlisle where she was the female champion. Ram, shearling ram, ram lamb, ewe lamb, group – A McClymont. Ewe, gimmer – L Fleming.
South Country Cheviot (Judge: D Douglas, Catslackburn). Champion – WJ Douglas and Son, Upper Hindope with a two-crop ewe shown by farm manager Callum Caskie. By Kale Anthem, she was first as a rough ewe at the Royal Highland Show and first at the breed’s stock judging competition. Reserve – Fleming Family, Falnash, with a home-bred two-shear tup by Townfoot Tramp out of a home-bred ewe and also won best opposite sex. Champion at two shows last year and reserve at two. Aged ram, shearling ram, ewe, gimmer – WJ Douglas and Son. Two-shear – L Fleming. Ram lamb, ewe lamb – C Hume.
Cheviot Lairg-type (Judge: O Hanson, Aimshaugh, Cumbria). Champion – G Irving, Mount Benger, with the four-shear ram, Badanloch Destroyer, purchased for £10,000 by a Stouphill tup, he was reserve last year at the Royal Highland and the Border Union. Reserve – G Irving with Benger Bonnie, a ewe lamb by a £14,000 Inverbroom tup, out of a show ewe by Attonburn Atomic. Aged ram, two-shear, ewe lamb – G Irving. Shearling ram, ram lamb, ewe – G Cakebread. Gimmer – J Allan and M Macrae.
North Country Cheviot park-type (Judge: Ruth Allen, Humbleheugh). Champion – Pam Tapson, Pam’s Pack, Crieff with the gimmer, Pam’s Pack Victoria, by a Gilston tup. Champion and supreme overall at Haddington Show. Reserve – W and J Thomson, Hownam Grange, with Hownam Grange Peonie, a ewe by Knockcocher Bodyguard that was champion here as a gimmer and at Peebles last year. She was also reserve at the Royal Highland in June. Aged ram, two-shear ram – R Runciman. Shearling ram – S Davies. Ram lamb, ewe lamb – K Turnball. Ewe – WJ Thomson. Gimmer – P Tapson.
Suffolk (Non MV) (Judge: J Bell). Champion – N and M Stuart, Penicuik with a home-bred shearling ram by a Skelfhill tup. First at Dalkeith. Reserve – N Sandilands, Wester Ulston, with a two-crop ewe that reared triplets. She is by a Marvingston tup, with her dam being sired by a Sitlow tup. Reserve at St Boswells. Shearling ram – N and M Stuart. Ram lamb, ewe, gimmer – N Sandilands. Ewe lamb – J Anderson.
Kerry Hill (Judge: Mrs R Willan, Cragg House Farm, Cumbria). Champion – Angie Burgess, Dumfries, with the aged ram, Downwood Dewi, a son of Lowlands Cody that was champion at Dunblane and a member of the winning inter-breed pairs at the Royal Highland. Reserve – A Burgess, Dumfries with a home-bred ewe by Pentrenant Choirboy out of a Topspot ewe. Second at the Royal Highland. Ram, ewe, gimmer, ewe lamb, group – A Burgess. Ram lamb – S Myerscough.
Jacob (Judge: Linda McKendrick, Bankhead Farm, Fife). Champion – Melanie Harper, Deanburn, with a home-bred gimmer by Edingale Hugh Hefner. Ram lamb, ewe, pair – S Crozier. Gimmer, ewe lamb – M Harper.
Shetland (Judge:M Parry, Farriers Folly, Cumbria). Champion – D and G Alcorn and Ingram, Biggar, with the home-bred white gimmer, Annavale Ainthe, a daughter of Island Ollie out of a home-bred ewe. Reserve at Biggar Show. Reserve – D and G Alcorn and Ingram, with a home-bred coloured gimmer by Ewingston Toby that was second at Biggar. Coloured ram, coloured ram lamb, coloured Ewe – A Runciman. White ram, coloured shearling ram, white ram lamb, white ewe, white and coloured gimmer, white and coloured ewe lamb – D and G Alcorn and Ingram.
Hebridean (Judge: D-A MacLeod, Snishval, South Uist). Champion – E Dunbar, Glendoick, with Glendoick Malibu, a home-bred gimmer by Cottage Farm Nero out of Fineshouse Dora. Second at the Royal Highland Show. Reserve – J Mosley, Bryland with a home-bred shearling ram by Goose Track Kraven. Ram – R Millar. Shearling ram, ram lamb, veteran ewe, group – Dr J Mosley. Ewe, ewe lamb – J James. Gimmer – E Dunbar. Ewe with lambs – E Jack.
Young handlers (Judge: I Campbell, Glenrath, Peebleshire). Under 11yrs assisted, MV – Oscar Edgar. Under 11yrs unassisted, MV – Harris Laing. 11-15yrs unassisted, MV – James Irvine, aged 12. Under 11yrs assisted, non MV – Sophie Kay. Under 11yrs unassisted, non MV – Jack Fleming. 11-15yrs unassisted, non MV – Scott Turnball.
Clydesdales (Judge: J MacIntyre). Champion – J and Christine Fairburn with the yearling filly Marshall Meadows Matilda a daughter of Singlie Limited Edition, out of Marshall Meadows Maryrose. The filly was reserve at Northumberland. Reserve – G Gorman, Dapple Farm, Towlaw, Durham with the 10-year-old mare Glebeview Lady Izzy, by Glebeview Sir Charles and out of Glebeview Cassie. Yearling – T Hamilton. Mare, two-year-old filly – G Gorman. Yearling filly – J and C Fairburn.
Donkeys (Judge: Karen Logan). Champion and reserve – Daphne Dale, Bonchester Bridge, Hawick with the eight-year-old miniature mediterranean blue Manor Valencia shown by Page Brannigan.The mare is by Short Assets Milargo and out of Markyle Raspberry Sorbet. Previous winner here and bought from Lorraine Ray, Bamburgh. Reserve was the seven-year-old home-bred stallion miniature mediterranean Blacklee Spirit of Legends. Sired by Frontier Legends Diplomat and out of Punda.Champion at Perth in 2024. Aged stallion, mare – D Dale. Colt – A Wiseman.
Goats (Judge: C Nye). Champion – Hannah Campbell, Bathgate with the four-year-old British milker Capital Juliet, sired by Guilden Talent and out of Linnavon Luma. Supreme here last year she is producing 5kg of milk per day. Reserve – Rebecca Campbell, Bathgate, with the five-year-old British Toggenburg nanny Linnavon Jostaberry, by Anjo Caroon and out of Linnavon Ixia. Champion at West Fife and producing 4kg of milk per day. Milker – H Campbell.
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