IT might have been a very different show this year and for many different reasons, but nothing should detract from a super native championship with some very worthy winners standing tall at the head of the line.

All the younger judges involved in the native beef judging had made a grand job of selecting the various champions and then they were all involved in choosing both the winning native pairs and the recipient of the top native animal in the show by points scoring.

But the end of quite a long day – punctuated by an enforced delay in proceedings caused by a medical emergency in the Belted Galloways ring – eventually saw the Hereford champion stand literally head and shoulders above all breeds, with a well-matched Angus pair leading the pairs competition.

Best individual was Tom and Di Harrison's home-bred three-year-old bull, Moralee 1 Rebel Kicks, an outstanding son of the Danish-bred sire, SMH Kingsize, from Northumberland.

He was ahead of the Galloway champion, a cracking cow with calf at foot, Blackcraig Dora May, from John and Ann Finlay, and their son, Iain, from Blackcraig, Corsock, near Castle Douglas.

The Angus pair which led the section were both brought out by professional stockmen, Richard and Carol Rettie, who run a successful cattle livery business. This included the breed champion, Weeton Blackbird, a two-year-old heifer owned by Richard Hassall and Rachel Wyllie, of Brailes Livestock; matched up with Skye man, Donald Rankin's Kilmaluag Lord Blackbeauty, an 18-month-old bull which will be targetted at Stirling Bull Sales in October.

Aberdeen-Angus

Young Andrew Adam, from Newhouse, Glamis, chose as the champion Angus a cow maker of a heifer from Richard Hassall and Rachel Wyllie, of Brailes Livestock, as the breed leader.

The winner was a two-year-old, Weeton Blackbird, a daughter of Rawburn Boss Hogg, which had Carol Rettie at the halter. This heifer had been bought for 3800gns at the Weeton herd's dispersal sale in October of last year.

She'll produce a calf later in the year to Brailes Fabulous, a bull which led the breed sale at Stirling in October, 2019, when selling for 12,000gns to Daniel Whiteford, buying for his Borewell herd, from Scremerston, Berwick-upon-Tweed. She's also well bred herself, being a daughter of Rawburn Boss Hogg and out of Blelack Blackbird.

There was also some top bloodlines behind the reserve champion, Kilmaluag Lord Blackbeauty, shown by the Rettie team from Methven, on behalf of Donald Rankin, from Skye.

This 18-month-old bull is a son of Water End Payton, a bull which was male champion at the Royal Highland in 2019, and out of Blelack Lady Blackcap, which had been purchased for 10,000gns at the Blelack herd's reduction sale.

He's got a busy show schedule ahead of him – pandemic reliant – with the Great Yorkshire and a trip to the National show at Westmorland later in the summer, before heading for sale at Stirling Bull Sales, in October.

Beef Shorthorn

There was a champion and reserve double in the Beef Shorthorn section for Headlind Partners, with John McCulloch, from Dumfries, the young judge making the selection.

Headlind is run by Alan Jackson and his partner, Senga Hamilton, near Lanark, and has been rising up through the Shorthorn ranks in recent years and this was their first championship at Ingliston.

Taking the tri-colour for them was Dunsyre Horatio, a seven-year-old that had been bred by Carey Coombs off the 12,000gns 2010 sale topper, Langalbuinoch Barney, that had been working on a commercial farm before coming to Alan and Senga's attention. "We saw calves off him and then enquired about their sire, and we could see something in him and his back breeding," said Alan.

Headlind's reserve champion was the female leader, Headlind Holly Nutmeg, a two-year-old heifer by Tofts Atlas – a sire which won the last Royal Show and was used until he was 14 years old – and out of Roadway Holly, a purchase at that herd's dispersal.

Belted Galloway

There was drama aplenty in the Belted Galloway ring when there was a medical emergency involving breed chairman, Richard Wilson, which held up the judging schedule while he was stabilised.

After Mr Wilson was taken to hospital, judging resumed to see Judith Cowie place the champion lines ups. She chose Joe and Zan Kirk's five-year-old cow, Hunfield Twiggy, as champion.

Paraded with her April-born second calf at foot, a heifer, this daughter of the AI sire Southfield Major was going one better for the Kirks, who had shown the female champion in 2015. Back home near Dunscore, the Kirks keep a herd of 25 cows and followers, with Twiggy taking some class prizes as a heifer stirk.

Anne Bell's Clifton herd stood runner-up with the two-year-old bull, Clifton Dougal. There's some impressive bloodlines at the back of this one as he is by Clifton Hercules, a home-herd sire that has had a fairly spectacular success in the breeds, with semen selling off him to all parts of the globe, and most recently to Mexico.

The dam line is equally well-known, with his dam , Clifton Daffodil, the winner of many championships, including at the Great Yorkshire and the Royal Highland. It is little wonder, then, that Anne plans to retain this promising youngster as her next stock bull on her herd near Dumfries.

Galloway

Many times winners of the Royal Highland, the Finlay family, from Blackcraig, Corsock, again triumphed with a Showcase win.

Selecting their Blackcraig Dora May as breed champion was Stephen Tay lor, from Stirling, he said she was an outstanding, breedy female – and she was shown with a cracking heifer calf at foot.

This rising nine-year-old has been in the show team off Blackcraig for some time and is a daughter of Blackcraig Rasputin, a bull in which a half share had been sold to Troloss, where he bred very well, with sons sold up to 9200gns. A bull calf bred out of Dora May, Blackcraig Belter, was sold as a stock bull to Drannandow.

The same home had the runner-up in the shape of another female, Blackcraig Blondgen, a rising three-year-old which is in-calf to yet more home breeding, Blackcraig Yahoo. Sired by Blackcraig Xtreme and out of Blondgen 3 of Auchenhay – a cow full of Blackcraig breeding which had been bought in – she was making her show debut.

Hereford

The impressive bull, Moralee 1 Rebel Kicks, from Tom and Di Harrison, from Northumberland, was the stand out winner in the Hereford section for the judge, Abbie Anderson, from Aberdeenshire.

In fact, it was a one:two at the head of the line for the Harrisons' 40-cow herd, which had populated the Showcase to the tune of seven entries, with all of them winning a prize.

Rebel Kicks might be just a three-year-old, but already he has some impressive stats behind him – despite not being shown last year – he won a lot of male championships in 2019 as a youngster, including at the National Polled Hereford Show and the Royal Welsh, and that year he was also joint winner of the Polled Bull of the Year.

By the 2019 Hereford Sire of the Year, the Danish-bred sire SMH Kingsize, this huge ended bull is out of Romany 1 Dawn and has been used extensively at home – "We'd have found it difficult to track down a bull with this quality, so that's why we retained hi9m for use at home," said Di, who said his first calves have just been born this year and there are ET-bred calves on the way too.

The Harrisons also produced the reserve champion which was the two-year-old heifer, Moralee 1 Pippa, another by Kingsize but this time out of Coley 1 Pippa – a cow which was champion at the Highland in 2017.

Highland

One of the biggest native breed shows, the Highlanders, fell to Dexter Logan, from Alva, to place and he selected the senior bull class leader, Gusgurlach of Balmoral, from HM The Queen, as champion.

"He is a tremendous size for just a two-year-old," said Dexter. "I've really enjoyed the experience of judging the Showcase and it was great to place a wide range of animals that had never appeared in the showring before and therefore I'd never seen."

Led out by Dochie Ormiston, Gusgurlach is by Tomintoul of Glamis Castle – which had arrived at Balmoral as an old bull, via Mr Logan – and out of Bhadair Ruadh 44 of Balmoral. Her Majesty was last champion at the Highland Show in 2015, also with a bull, but this was her first home-bred champion from her 65-cow fold that ranges the policies at Balmoral Castle, on Deeside.

The runner-up slot was taken by the top female, Lynn 12 of Mottistone, which was shown by Kevin Carnegie, from Balrownie, Brechin. This relatively new breeder bought this one as a calf at foot last September at the Mottistone dispersal sale, where he laid the foundation of a new fold with a range of purchases, including this one's dam, Lynn 6 of Mottistone – a cow which goes back to Balure breeding.

The sire was the well-known Eoin Mhor 17 of Mottistone, which was champion at the National Highland Show in 2017, before being reserve male and selling for a sale-topping 10,000gns at Oban in 2018.

Lincoln Red

Topping the Lincoln Red section was veteran breed supporter, Andrew Mylius, from Newport-on-Tay, who started his herd of Reds in 1961.

Giving him the championship was St Fort Yeovil, a two-year-old son of Walmer Troy, a privately-bought sire which has had a huge influence in the herd since being purchased four years ago. The dam was St Fort Unity, which was part of the show team, winning at Perth during her career.

The same home also had the reserve placing with the yearling bull, St Fort Zulu, another son of Toy but this time out of St Fort Lady.

LEADINGawards:

Aberdeen-Angus

Judge: Andrew Adam, Angus

Champion and female champion – Brailes Livestock's Weeton Blackbird, by Rawburn Boss Hogg

Reserve champion and male champion – Donald Rankin's Kilmaluag Lord Blackbeauty, by Water End Payton.

Junior female – 1, Rulesmains Angus' Rulesmains Karen, by Blelack Lord Heartford; 2, Balavil Estate Services' Balavilhouse Rosie, by Balavilhouse Banksy; 3, Balavil Estate Services' Balavilhouse Miss Bangle, by Balavilhouse Banksy.

Senior female – 1, Brailes Livestock's Weeton Blackbird, by Rawburn Boss Hogg; 2, AJR Farms' Logie Pride, by Blelack Lord Hildalgo; 3, Brailes Livestock's Brailes Miss Ellie, by Gretnahouse Blackpot.

Junior bull – 1, Donald Rankin's Kilmaluag Lord Blackbeauty, by Water End Payton; 2, Rulesmains Angus' Rulesmains Excalibur, by Blelack Lord Heartford; 3, Cairnton Farm's Cairnton Emperor, by Cheerbrook Luther.

Senior bull – 1, AJR Farms' Blelack Prince Cornelius, by Blelack Prince; 2, Cairnton Farm's Cairnton Black Captain, by Cairnton Enterprize.

Beef Shorthorn

Judge: John McCulloch, Dumfries and Galloway

Champion and male champion – Headlind Partners' Dunsyre Horatio, by Langalbuinoch Barney.

Reserve champion and female champion – Headlind Partners' Headlind Holly Nutmeg, by Tofts Atlas.

Junior female – 1, Headlind Partners' Headlind Rosette Nelly, by Tofts Atlas; 2, Headlind Partners' Barnaigh Lovely Xquisite, by Cairnsmore Kickass Jack.

Senior female – 1, Headlind Partners' Headlind Holly Nutmeg, by Tofts Atlas; 2, Balnabroich Farm's Balnabroich Nellie, by Meonhill Charlie Chaplin; 3, Dyan Manson's Moss Glen Dorris, by Upsall Dakota.

Senior Bull – 1, Headlind Partners' Dunsyre Horatio, by Langalbuinoch Barney.

Belted Galloway

Judge: Judith Cowie, Dumfries and Galloway

Champion and female champion – J and Z Kirk's Huntfield Twiggy, by Southfield Major Ronaldo.

Reserve and male champion – Mrs A Bell's Clifton Dougal, by Clifton Hercules

Junior female – 1, Katie Keiley's Croft Bella, by Cairnsmore Fergus; 2, J and Z Kirk's Huntfield Xquisite, by Huntfield Sebastian; 3, Katie Keiley's Huntfield Yvette, by Huntfield Sebastian.

Senior female – 1, J and Z Kirk's Huntfield Twiggy, by Southfield Major Ronaldo; 2, J and Z Kirk's Huntfield Whirlygig, by Southfield Major Ronaldo; 3, C and N Davidson's Auchengassel Primrose, by Cairnsmore Glenmorangie.

Junior bull – 1, Mrs A Bell's Clifton Heracles, by Clifton Hercules.

Senior bull – 1, Mrs A Bell's Clifton Dougal, by Clifton Hercules; 2, Katie Keiley's Croft Red Admiral, by Clifton Lochinvar.

Galloway

Judge: Stephen Taylor, Stirlingshire

Champion and female champion – J and A Finlay's Blackcraig Dora May, by Blackcraig Rasputin

Reserve champion – J and A Finlay's Blackcraig Blondgen, by Blackcraig Xtreme

Junior female – 1, David Cornthwaite's Phoebe of Balgray, by Troloss Impeccable.

Senior female – 1, J and A Finlay's Blackcraig Dora May, by Blackcraig Rasputin; 2, J and A Finlay's Blackcraig Blondgen, by Blackcraig Xtreme; 3, David Cornthwaite's Jill of Balgray, by Blackcraig Superman

Junior bull – 1, Messrs Wallace's Dizzy Rascal of Over Barskeoch, by Blackcraig Zac

Senior bull – 1, David Cornthwaite's Pieros of Balgray, by Troloss Impeccable.

Hereford

Judge: Abbie Anderson, Aberdeenshire

Champion and male champion: T and D Harrison's Moralee 1 Rebel Kicks, by SMH Kingsize.

Reserve champion and female champion – T and D Harrison's Moralee 1 Pippa, by SMH Kingsize.

Junior female – 1, Harvey Brothers' Harveybros 1 Crocus Tiara, by Normanton 1 Laertes; 2, T and D Harrison's Moralee 1 Kathryn, by Moralee 1 Punchdrunk; 3, James Hodge's Rempstone 1 Curly, by Goldingpoll 1 Double Decker.

Senior female – 1, T and D Harrison's Moralee 1 Pippa, by SMH Kingsize; 2, T and D Harrison's Moralee 1 Mink, by Cornriggs 1 Knightrider.

Junior bull – 1, Heather Whittaker's Coley 1 Teddy, by Moeskaer Vegas; 2, T and D Harrison's Dendor 1 Tecwyn, by Dendor 1 Nairobi; 3, JA Cameron and Son's Baldinnie 1 Casper, by Lowesmoor 1 Marshal.

Senior bull – 1, T and D Harrison's Moralee 1 Rebel Kicks, by SMH Kingsize.

Highland

Judge: Dexter Logan, Clackmannanshire

Champion and male champion – HM The Queen's bull, Gusgurlach of Balmoral, by Tomintoul of Glamis Castle.

Female champion and reserve – Kevin Carnegie's Lynn 12 of Mottistone, by Eoin Mhor 17 of Mottistone.

Junior female (younger split) – 1, Balnabroich Farm's Sidonia 12 of Balnabroich, by Angus Ruadh of Wester Croachy; 2, Isle of Bute Fold's Cuailean 1 of Isle of Bute, by Bob of Isle of Bute; 3, Kevin Carnegie's Catriona Akeko 6 of Mottistone, by Eoin Mhor 17 of Mottistone.

Junior female (older split) – 1, Kevin Carnegie's Lynn 12 of Mottistone, by Eoin Mhor 17 of Mottistone; 2, S and R Hunter's Alice of Hunters, by Jura 3 of Thagnam; 3, Goldenberry Highland Cattle's Airleagach 6 of Goldenberry, by Lord Mosscastle 2 of Ardbhan.

Senior female (younger split) – 1, Allanfearn Highlanders' Tallulah of Allanfearn, by Seamus Dubh of Tilbouries; 2, Ranch Fold's Nora Dubh of Ranch, by Black Prince of Dumyat; 3, S and R Hunter's Boidheach of Hunters, by Jura 3 of Thagnam.

Senior female (older split) – 1, Glasgow City Council's Lady Alma 8 of Pollok, by Cliadhamh Mor of Balmoral; 2, Glasgow City Council's Siusan Ruadh 62 of Pollok, by Russell of Craigowmill; 3, Goldenberry Highland Cattle's Cannach 9 of Goldenberry, by Lord Mosscastle 2 of Ardbhan.

Junior bull – 1, HM The Queen's Uachdaran of Balmoral, by Lachlan of Earn; 2, Kevin Carnegie's Eoin Mhor, by Eoin Mhor 17 of Mottistone; 3, Allanfearn Highlanders' Stuart Bheag of Cladich, by Campbell of Tilbouries.

Senior bull – 1, HM The Queen's Gusgurlach of Balmoral, by Tomintoul of Glamis Castle; 2, Earn Fold's Tearloch 2 of Earn, by Angus Ruadh of Wester Croachy; 3, Springfield Fold's Laorin of Glengorm, by Barabal Caile 3 of Glengorm.

Lincoln Red

Judge: Steven Taylor, Stirlingshire

Champion and male champion – Andrew Mylius' St Fort Yeovil, by Walmer Troy.

Reserve champion – Andrew Mylius' St Fort Zulu, by Walmer Troy.

Junior female – 1, Trainview Livestock's St Fort Frosty, by St Fort Rolex.

Junior bull – 1, Andrew Mylius' St Fort Zulu, by Walmer Troy; 2, Andrew Mylius' St Fort ZigZag, by Walmer Troy; 3, Andrew Mylius' St Fort Zebedee, by St Fort Timber.

Senior bull – 1, Andrew Mylius' St Fort Yeovil, by Walmer Troy.