An island raider made off with the main silverware from Kintyre Show, when Neil and Jack McDonald, from Strathlaggan, on Islay, took the coveted champion of champions title in front of a packed ringside at Anderston Park, Campbeltown.
The duo took the supreme overall with the same ewe that had won the coveted title in 2025. Their Maidenstone-bred two-crop Suffolk ewe got top marks from five of the seven judges which, according to show secretary, John Armour, was the most convincing win in the history of the champions’ judge-off. This ewe, which was bought as a gimmer for 4000gns from Finn Christie, was champion at Mid Argyll and Lorn last year.
Earlier, she had beaten off strong competition from the Bluefaced Leicester winner – a one-crop ewe from Mary Turner, Kildalloig, shown by shepherd John McLachlan – that had been female champion at the Royal Highland Show.
Also challenging for the title was the overall dairy animal, a mainly white Ayrshire from Robin Barr, Clochkeil. His Calderglen Maisie calved her fifth in April and is giving 40 litres per day at 4.4%BF and 3.5%P.
Golden Nugget, an October-born Charolais cross steer from Duncan Semple, Dippen, took the beef honours. By Carradale Skyfall, his Limousin cross dam bred Silver Lining which won the LiveScot event for Craig and Teen Malone a few years back.
Callum MacPhail led the Clydesdale horses to compete for the overall show champion. This was with the yearling filly Garcalfra April’s Blossom.
LEADING awards
Ayrshire (Judge: R Gray). Champion and inter-breed dairy – J and M Barr, Clochkeil, with Calderglen Maisie, a fifth calver that had been placed second at AgriScot two years ago. Reserve – TM Ralston and Sons, East Drumlemble, with the winning junior cow in milk. Heifer calf led by under 14yr – Noah McKean, Clochkeil. Yearling heifer, back-calving heifer, youngstock pair, junior cow in milk, milk records, points – TM Ralston, East Drumlemble. Heifer in milk, senior cow in milk, pair in milk, group of three, bred – J and M Barr.
Holstein (Judge: G Redpath). Champion – P Littleson, Killegruer, with the fourth calver, Killegruer Aptitude Roxie, which was shown a month fresh. Reserve – P Littleson’s heifer in milk, Killegruer Basic Penny, which had calved back in January. Heifer calf led by under 14yr, calf – Ollie McLachlan, Drumalea. Heifer calf led by 14-25-yr – Kathryn Semple, Kilkeddan. Yearling led by 14-25-yr, youngstock champion – Neil Littleson, Killegruer. Yearling led by 25-yr and older – Jennifer Littleson. Back-calving heifer – A and J Pirie. Youngstock pair, heifer in milk, senior cow in milk, pair in milk, group of three, inter-breed pair – P Littleson. Junior cow in milk, milk records – G Semple, Kilkeddan. Back-calving cow – T Irwin, West Drumlemble.
Beef (Judge: C Robertson). Champion – DW Semple and Son, Dippen, with Golden Nugget, an October-born steer by Carradale Skyfall out of a Limousin cross dam that had previously bred Silver Lining, a former winner at LiveScot. Reserve – R and J Lines, Killacraw, with a black Limousin cross heifer calf. Cow in calf, cow with calf, spring-born heifer calf – S Currie, Low Dunasherry. Bullock calf (natural), heifer calf (natural) – JJ and C McCallum, Strathnafanaig. Yearling bullock, spring-born bullock calf – DW Semple and Son. Beef calf led by a juvenile – Ellen Currie, Low Dunasherry. Calf led by 14-26-yr – Fraser Lines, Killacraw. Pen of three calves, pair of calves – A Hamilton, Kilwhipnach. Pure female, pure – F Turner, Strath.
Clydesdale (Judge: S Ferrie). Champion – C MacPhail, Garcalfra, with Garcalfra April’s Blossom, a yearling filly by Dillars Ollie, on her first outing. Reserve – M Ralston, Rhoin. Foal, mare – M Ralston. Yeld mare – J McLatchie, 1 and 2 Moy. Filly – C MacPhail. Gelding – S Tuite. Young handler 12-16yr – Louise Ralston, Rhoin. Young handler 14-25yr – Orla Yuille, Corran.
Blackface (Judge: R Carruthers). Champion – Messrs McArthur, Arnicle, with a one-crop ewe by Tarmac, a 26,000gns Fullarton bought out of Ireland, out of a dam by a £16,000 Merkland. Reserve – R and I Shaw, Acharonich, Lochgilphead, with a Crossflatt-bred ewe which has been a regular winner over the past couple of years. Backed by Crossflatt genetics, her sire is McCoy Look Alike while the dam is by Spectre. She was bought at the in-lamb sale for 5800gns in 2024. Confined champion – G and J Gillespie, High Tirfergus, with a home-bred three-crop ewe by a son of a £150,000 Auldhouseburn. Confined reserve – T Welsh, North Carrine, with a tup lamb. Confined shearling, confined senior ewe, confined ewe lamb, confined ewe with lamb, points – G and J Gillespie. Open shearling, open suckled gimmer, open ewe lamb, open ewe with lamb – Messrs McArthur. Confined and open tup lamb – T Welsh, North Carrine. Open aged ewe, open gimmer – R and I Shaw. Confined suckled gimmer, confined gimmer, YF gimmer – J Ronald, Coulinlongart.
Cross-bred sheep (Judge: S Robertson). Champion – S Herraty. Single prime lamb – S Herraty. Pen of three prime lambs – Mrs J McLachlan, Kildalloig.
Bluefaced Leicester (Judge: A McLarty). Champion – J and M Turner, Kildalloig, with a one-crop ewe that had been female champion at the Royal Highland. She is by a Myfrian sire. Reserve – J and M Turner’s ewe lamb by a Bonviston-bred ram bought in Wales. Her dam is by a £15,000 Hope. Aged tup, shearling tup, ewe, gimmer, ewe lamb, group of three – J and M Turner. Tup lamb – F MacPhail, Kilkeddan.
Suffolk (Judge: R Currie). Champion, overall sheep and champion of champions – N and J McDonald, Strathlaggan, Islay, with a Maidenstone-bred two-crop ewe by Pyeston Prince. Champion last year at Kintyre, Mid Argyll and Lorn shows. Reserve – N and J McDonald’s home-bred ewe lamb by Pyeston Plan B and out of a home-bred dam. Aged ram – S Herraty. Ewe, gimmer, tup lamb, ewe lamb, group of three – N and J McDonald.
Mule/Greyface (Judge: A McLarty). Champion – J and M Turner’s gimmer by a home-bred son of their Cottage sire and out of a home-bred Blackface. Reserve – M and C Ralston, Rhoin, with a ewe lamb. Ewe – R McCallum, Putechan. Gimmer – J and M Turner. Ewe lamb, group of three – M and C Ralston.
Texel (Judge: R Currie). Champion open and confined – D and J MacKenzie, Saddell Glen, with the shearling ram, Drimsynie Invincible, which had been bought privately as a stock ram. He is by Hexel Gambler 2 and out of a dam by a Castlecairn sheep. Reserve – N and J McDonald’s tup lamb. Reserve confined – D and J MacKenzie’s Drimsynie-bred ewe lamb, by Hexel I’m The Boss. Open and confined aged ram – G and J Gillespie. Confined and open shearling tup, confined ewe lamb – D and J MacKenzie. Confined ewe, confined gimmer, confined tup lamb, confined group of three – A and J Pirie, Machrihanish. Open ewe, open gimmer – E Bowman, Mid Cragabus, Islay. Open tup lamb – N and J McDonald. Open ewe lamb, open group of three – W and D Robertson, Valley View.
AOB sheep non-native (Judge: S Robertson). Champion – S Herraty, Low Ranachan, with a home-bred Blue Texel, by Ranachan Darcy, on his first outing. Reserve – N and J McDonald. Tup, gimmer, ewe lamb – S Herraty. Ewe, tup lamb – N and J McDonald. Group of three – C McMillan, Low Tirfergus.
AOB sheep native (Judge: S Robertson). Champion – S Herraty’s home-bred Dorset shearling tup, with home-bred genetics on either side. He will be sold at Kelso Ram Sales. Reserve – G and J Gillespie’s three-crop ewe that had been bought at Longtown from Tom Atkinson. Tup, gimmer, group of three – S Herraty. Ewe, tup lamb – G and J Gillespie. Ewe lamb – J and M Turner. Best Jacob – A Wilson, Baraskomell. Best Border Leicester – J and M Turner.
Sheep young handlers (Judge: A Ronald). Champion – Jack Reid. Reserve – Max Grumoli. 9-13yrs – 1, Max Grumoli; 2, Caitlin Cameron; 3, Finn Gillespie. 14-26yrs – 1, Jack Reid; 2, Owen Gillespie; 3, Jamie McPhee.
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