Dounby Venus crowned inter-breed cattle at Orkney County

Mr Spence saw his two-year-old in-calf Charolais heifer, Dounby Venus, tapped out as the winner, just two days after winning the inter-breed at the Dounby Show. She is by Fury Leader, out of Dounby Nancy, and was paraded in calf to Blelack Digger.

“You dream that this day might happen some day but there is a high chance it might never happen, so it means everything,” he said.

He added: “We lost father [Bertie Spence] almost 12 years ago, but he is very high in my mind today because he would have been absolutely sky high with this. He was a great fan of the Charolais breed and to do it with the Charolais is the making of dreams.”

Inter-breed judge Richard Rettie, Falkirk said that she was the type of animal that would be among the rosettes at the Royal Highland Show.

“From the moment she came into the ring, she oozed style, a lovely heifer on the move, great flesh on her – a proper show beast,” he said.

Reserve supreme was the Aberdeen Angus winner from the Baillies at Sebay in Tankerness. Their Tonley Annie B273, a 16-month-old heifer, is by Blelack Hill Bruno Z034 and out of Tonley Annie Y952.

It was a successful day for the Sebay team who scooped four breed championships – the two champion rosettes in the commercial cattle sections along with the top prize amongst the North Country Cheviots.

In the sheep lines, it was a rare inter-breed win for the cross-bred champion, a five-crop Texel cross ewe from Sheena Coghill, Muce.

“I can’t believe that the cross sheep got it although she is a very nice sheep. She has good gigots, and a top line,” said Sheena.

Standing runner-up to her was Strathview Striker, a Suffolk shearling, shown by David Tait of Tresness in Holm, which capped off a good first show season for him. Sired by Strathview Dominator and out of a Middlemuir Messi ewe, the tup secured the champion of champions honours the previous weekend at East Mainland.

LEADING awards

Beef Shorthorn (Judge: J Scott, Fearn, Tain). Champion and reserve – B and Shona Slater, Newbigging, Dounby, with the five-year-old bull Knowehead Rolo, by Knowehead Machine, out of Knowehead Hazel Cassa. Reserve was the 30-month-old in-calf heifer Queenamoan Your Lovely 5, by Knowehead Rolo, out of Queenamoan Your Lovely 2. Senior bull, in-calf heifer, junior heifer calf – B and S Slater. Cow, heifer with calf – G.R.T. Scarth and Co, Twatt Farm, Birsay. Young cow, bull calf – G Taylor, Brough Farm, South Ronaldsay.

Aberdeen Angus (Judge: J Scott). Champion – JS Baillie and Co, Sebay, Tankerness, with the 16-month-old heifer Tonley Annie B273, by Blelack Hill Bruno Z034, out of Tonley Annie Y952. Reserve – Phyllis Hepburn, Messigate, Tankerness, with the six-year-old cow Burnside Jewel Erica T817, by Oakchurch Duster, out of Burnside Jewel Erica W595. Senior bull – K and Mhairi Eunson, Braebuster, Deerness. Young bull – WR Baillie and Co., Biggings, Toab. Cow, in-calf cow – P Hepburn. In-calf heifer, senior heifer calf – A and Anne Foubister, Netherton, Holm. Heifer – JS Baillie and Co. Intermediate bull calf – Sandra Mainland, Skiddy, Rendall. Junior heifer calf – B and Shona Slater, Newbigging, Dounby.

Sheena Coghill's cross-bred ewe topped the sheep (Image: ken amer)

Charolais (Judge: A Macnab, Kildun Cottage, Dingwall). Champion – Messrs Spence, Norton, Dounby with the 30-month-old in-calf heifer Dounby Venus, by Fury Leader, out of Dounby Nancy. Reserve – WR Baillie and Co., Biggings, Toab, with the four-year-old cow Baillieston Tanya, by Thrunton Paramount, out of Baillieston Nicely. Young bull, cow, senior heifer calf – WR Baillie and Co. In-calf heifer, intermediate heifer calf – Messrs Spence.

Limousin (Judge: A Macnab). Champion – Messrs Spence, Norton, with the 30-month-old in-calf heifer Dounby Ula, by Netherhall Jackpot, out of Dounby Milli. Reserve – F Leslie, Odinstone, Shapinsay, with the 16-month-old bull Odinstone Arthur, by Brockhurst Oddbull, out of Hools Simona. Young bull – F Leslie. In-calf heifer – Messrs Spence.

Other pure-bred continentals (Judge: A Macnab). Champion and reserve – The firm of AT Rendall, Old Hall, Stromness, with the rising eight-month-old Simmental heifer calf Isbister Shania, by Broombrae Major, out of Wolfstar Millie. Reserve was the 14-month-old Simmental bull Isbister Smarty 25, by Omorga Magnum, out of Whiteridden Joy. Young bull, intermediate heifer calf, junior bull calf – Firm of AT Rendall. Intermediate bull calf, junior heifer calf – R Morgan, Swannay.

Cross-bred coloured (Judge: Ml Durno, Auchorachan, Glenlivet). Champion – B Baillie, Sebay View, Tankerness with a six-month-old Limousin cross heifer calf by Redriver Power, out of a British Blue cross cow. Reserve – F Leslie, Odinstone, Shapinsay, with a 16-month-old Limousin cross heifer calf Red Alert, by Brockhurst Oddbull, out of a British Blue cross cow. Yearling heifer – F Leslie. Senior heifer calf, junior heifer calf – K and Mhairi Eunson, Braebuster. Senior steer calf – R Taylor, Brencherhouse, Birsay. Intermediate heifer calf – B Baillie. Intermediate steer calf – L Muir, Upper Onston, Stenness. Junior steer calf – M Walker, Copenago, Tankerness.

Black/blue cross (Judge: M Durno). Champion – JS Baillie and Co., Sebay with a seven-month-old Limousin cross heifer calf by Pabo Old Spice, out of a Limousin cross cow. Reserve – B Baillie, with a 14-month-old Limousin cross heifer, by Redriver Powerful, out of a Limousin cross cow. In-calf heifer – Messrs Spence, Norton. Yearling heifer – B Baillie. Senior heifer calf – R Taylor, Brencherhouse. Senior steer calf, junior heifer calf – K and Mhairi Eunson, Braebuster. Intermediate heifer calf, junior steer calf – JS Baillie and Co. Intermediate steer calf – L Muir.

North Country Cheviot (Judge: B Baker, Llangattock Park Farm, Wales). Champion and reserve – JS Baillie and Co., Sebay with a gimmer, by the £6500 Synton Elite. Reserve – J and J Smith, Upper Cornquoy, Holm, with a shearling ram. Two-shear tup – Ava Laughton, Garth, St Ola. Shearling ram – J and J Smith. Ram lamb, ewe, gimmer, ewe lamb – JS Baillie and Co.

Suffolk (Judge: P Machray, Beech Lodge, Daviot, Inverurie). Champion – D Tait, Tresness, Holm, with the shearling ram Strathview Striker, by Strathview Dominator, out of a Middlemuir Messi-sired ewe. Reserve – Ana Scott, Strathkelda, Toab with a ewe. Shearling ram, gimmer – D Tait. Ram lamb, ewe – Ana Scott. Ewe lamb – J. Scott and Sons, Claybraes, Mucklehouse, South Ronaldsay.

Texel (Judge: N Harvey, Blackadder Mains Farm, Duns). Champion – LS Flett and Co, Nistaben, Harray with a ewe lamb, by Garngour Icon, out of a Knap Godzilla-sired ewe. Reserve – Skelbister Farms, Orphir, with a shearling ram. Shearling ram – Skelbister Farms. Ram lamb, ewe, ewe lamb – LS Flett and Co. Gimmer – RE and RF Scott, Dawn Cottage, Holm.

Charollais (Judge: Faye Wilkie, Hill Of Braigie Farm, Echt). Champion and reserve – Sheena Coghill, Muce, with a shearling tup, by Loanhead Bandit, out of the ewe that was breed champion at Dounby last year. Reserve was a ewe. All classes - Sheena Coghill.

Beltex (Judge: N Harvey, Blackadder Mains Farm, Duns). Champion and reserve - Bimbister Partnership, Lenahowe Sandwick with a ewe. Reserve was the shearling ram Orkney Lord of the Dance, by Langlands Jimmy, out of Orkney Jameela. All classes – Bimbister Partnership.

Dutch Spotted (Judge: E Macarthur, Newton of Budgate, Cawdor, Nairn). Champion and reserve – Ailsa Spence, Halley, Deerness, with the one-crop ewe Glan-Y-Mor Honey, by Irthing Valley Goliath, out of Coxhill Exquisite. Reserve was the shearling ram Halley Istabraq, by Tiptop High Flyer, out of Whatmore Elderyberry. Aged ram - Bernadette Charter, Voan, Stenness. Shearling ram, ewe – Ailsa Spence. Ram lamb, gimmer, ewe lamb – JM and ML Girvan, Mossclair, Tankerness

Blue Texel/Badgerface Texel (Judge: E Macarthur, Newton of Budgate). Champion – Bimbister Partnership, with the Blue Texel ewe lamb Orkney Lady Gaga, by the ,000gns Matt’s Gaffer, out of a Sunnybank Exchange Rate-sired ewe. Reserve – RE and RF Scott, Dawn Cottage, Holm with a gimmer. Ram lamb, ewe lamb – Bimbister Partnership. Ewe – LS Flett and Co, Nistaben, Harray. Gimmer – RE and RF Scott.

Any other pure breed (Judge: Faye Wilkie). Champion – Ava Laughton, Garth Farm, St Ola, with the Bluefaced Leicester tup lamb Eilean Duby V1, by Eilean Dubh V1, out of Eilean Dubh T1. Reserve – Siobhan McDonell, Veltigar, Tankerness with the Zwartbles gimmer Janetstown Nevada, by Cernyw Herciwlis, out of Cernyw Llinos. Ram – J Laughton, Garth Farm, St Ola. Shearling ram, ram lamb, ewe, ewe lamb – Ava Laughton. Gimmer – Siobhan McDonell.

Cross-bred (Judge: P Machray). Champion – Sheena Coghill, Muce Farm with a five-crop Texel cross ewe, out of a Charollais ewe. Reserve – Ava Laughton, Garth Farm, with a Beltex cross Texel shearling ram, by a Nisthouse-bred ram and out of an Odinstone-bred ewe. Ewe, lamb – Sheena Coghill. Gimmer – Ruari Wood, Brekka, Quoyloo. Ram – Ava Laughton.

Shetland ponies (Judge: Irvine Burgess, 10 Ninian Drive, Virkie, Shetland). Champion and reserve overall horse - Millquoy Shetland Pony Stud, Heddle Cottage, Finstown, with the eight-year-old stallion, Millquoy Jedi, by Drum Premier, out of Millquoy Jade. Reserve – Hools Shetland Pony Stud, Brough, Toab, with the 13-year-old mare Hools Janet, by Wells Masterclass, out of Merkisayre Poppy.

Highland ponies (Judge: W Findlay, 3 O’Brien Court, Port Elphinstone, Inverurie). Champion – Amanda Mclennan, Garth, St Ola, with the gelding Kirkjuvagr Seamus Mhor, by Donald Of Muck, out of Kerrera Gypsy Star.

Pure-bred heavy horse (Judge: W Findlay, 3 O’Brien Court, Port Elphinstone, Inverurie). Champion – Vicki Cursiter, Millhouse, Deerness, with the yearling Clydesdale filly Kolbeinsey M’Lady.