WITH A break in weather arriving just in time for the show, exhibitors were, for once, happy to see the rain, after a long period of dry ground and, of course, hot weather, with the wind bringing everyone a much-needed breath of fresh air.
Managing to avoid the rain was the champion of champions, which was a Holstein third calver, Meikle Firth Minicio Mitzy, from the Lawries of Grangehill Farm, Pettinain. She had been crowned dairy, and then subsequently inter-breed cattle champion, before being tapped out as the overall show winner.
The reserve overall prize went to Andrew Baillie, of Carstairs Mains, with his Beltex, which had earlier taken the overall honours in the sheep lines. That was with a gimmer by Hackney Braveheart.
In the beef section, the Smiths of Greentowers, Lanark, were given the champion rosette, and that was for their six-year-old Limousin cow, Roundhill H Giroflee.
Over in the Clydesdale section, the Grays of Phillipston, Linlithgow, won, and that was with their seven-year-old mare, Fawnspark Emily.

LEADING awards

Dairy cattle (Judge: W Bryson, Dykehead Farm, Lesmahagow). Champion – A and E Lawrie, Grangehill Farm, Pettinain, with a Holstein, Meikle Firth Mincio Mitzy. She is classified Ex90, and is a third calver. She gave 11,500 litres in her second lactation, and is currently giving 50 litres per day. She is by Bertilino Mincio, and is out of Meikle Firth Talent Mitzy. She was champion at Biggar. Reserve – J Adamson, Swaites, Lanark, with an Ayrshire second calver, Swaites Bridesway 2. She is by Swaites Dynamite, and is out of Swaites Brideway. She is currently yielding 44kg per day. Heifer in calf, heifer in milk, cow in milk over four-years-old, pair – A and E Lawrie. Cow in milk under four-years-old – J Adamson.
Beef cattle (Judge: C Malone, Pitcairn Farm, Cardenden). Champion – J Smith, Greentowers, Lanark, with a six-year-old cow, Roundhill H Giroflee, a pure Limousin, which was shown with a calf at foot. She is by Acajou, and is out of a Roundhill E Giroflee dam. She was champion at Lesmahagow and reserve champion at Biggar. Reserve – A Campbell, Strawfrank, with a two-year-old Limousin heifer, Strawfrank MIA, by Ampertaine Foreman, out of Gunnerfleet Fassuna. Cow with calf born between Janaury 1 and April 1 – DB Erskine, Gillbank Farm, Carluke. Cow with cross-bred bullock calf born after April 1 – A Baillie, Carstairs Mains, Carstairs. Cow with cross-bred heifer calf born after April 1 – D Hamilton, Tippethill Farm, Bathgate. Pure-bred cow – J Smith. Pure-bred heifer – A Campbell. Pure-bred heifer under one-year-old – A and JJ Forrest, Hillend Farm, Roberton. Pure-bred bull – I Nimmo, Bogside Farm, Newmains. Prime bullock, prime heifer – A Lindsay, Kepscaith Farm, Longridge. Prime animal sired by native breed – J Patterson, Garrionhaugh Farm, Wishaw.
Clydesdale (Judge: S Greenhill, Leuchars Lodge, St Andrews). Champion – G Gray, Phillipston, Linlithgow, with Fawnspark Emily, a seven-year-old mare by Hillhouse General Elect, out of Fawnspark Elizabeth. Reserve – Mrs A Jackson, Covington Mill, Jackton. Mare with foal at foot, foal, bred – G Gray. Yeld mare – Mrs A Jackson. Yearling – M Allison, Easton Farm Cottage, Dunsyre.
Border Leicester (Judge: A Gray, Leelaw Farm, Hawksland). Champion and reserve – Miss S Kinloch, Elsrickle Mains, Elsrickle. Tup, ewe, gimmer, pair, group, bred – Miss S Kinloch. Tup lamb – J Hamilton, Silvermuir Farm, Ravenstruther.
Bluefaced Leicester (Judge: C Dick, Hamildean Farm, Peebles). Champion – Miss L Bell, Highfield, Auchengray, with a gimmer. Her dam, an F15 Cottage, was bought in-lamb by a Shitlington tup, at Carlisle from Dreva. The gimmer was champion here last year, and this was Miss Bell’s second time beating her dad. Reserve – J Bell, Highfield, Auchengray, with a ewe lamb by a K13 Cottage, out of a G1 Marriforth dam. Ewe, group – S and F Robertson, The Beeches, Crosswoodhill Farm, West Calder. Gimmer, bred by exhibitor – Miss L Bell. Ewe lamb, pair – J Bell. Traditional male, traditional lamb – S Nelson, Spittal Farm, Carnwath. Traditional female – E Linton, Lee Meadow Farm, Braidwood. 
Blackface (Judge: D Brown, Muirhouse Farm, Thankerton). Champion – M Hamilton, South Cobbinshaw, West Calder, with a home-bred two-crop ewe by a £25,000 Auldhouseburn. Reserve – A Provan, Parkhall, Douglas, with a gimmer by a £13,000 Crossflatt, out of an £18,000 Midlock-sired mother. Shearling, fleece – A Smith, Wester Crosswoodhill Farm, West Calder. Tup lamb, ewe, pair, group, bred – M Hamilton. Gimmer, ewe lamb, group ewe lambs – A Provan.
Down sheep (Judge: A Gray, Leelaw Farm, Hawksland). Champion – C Robertson, The Beeches, West Calder, with a one-crop Suffolk ewe by a Glenrath sire, out of a Kailzie Mains dam. She was champion at Campsie Show. Reserve – S Bourman, Middlehouse Farm, Yieldshields, with a Suffolk gimmer. Tup, gimmer, pair, bred – S Bourman. Tup lamb – M Atkinson, Greenaton Farm, Carnwath. Ewe lamb – E Orr, Lawhead Farm, Tarbrax.
Texel (Judge: D McKerrow jnr, Nochnary Farm, Lathrisk). Champion – A Campbell, Strawfrank, Carstairs, with a home-bred Texel ewe by Strathbogie Usher, out of a Carnwell/Cambwell?? ewe. She was born in 2014, and was champion here last year. Reserve – J Currie, Carlinside, Nemphlar, with a gimmer by Clinterty Yuga Khan, out of a home-bred ewe. Her full brother was first in the tup lamb class. Tup – JW Gibb and Son, Rusha Farm, West Calder. Shearling tup, pair of tup lambs – A Barr, Parkhouse Farm, Quthquan. Tup lamb, gimmer, pair – J Currie. Ewe, ewe lamb, bred by exhibitor – A Campbell. Pair of ewe lambs – J Gibson, Greenwall Farm, Climpy. Group – J and J Dunlop, Eastfield Farm Cottage, Pettinain.
Beltex (Judge: A MacLean, Heylipol Farm, Helipol). Champion – A Baillie, Carstairs Main Farm, Carstairs, with a gimmer by Hackney Braveheart, out of a home-bred ewe. Reserve – K O’Connor, Carstairs, with a home-bred shearling tup out of a Prankster ewe, which is by Aviemore Brutus. The shearling will now be sold at Kelso. Tup, ewe, pair – K O’Connor. Gimmer, tup lamb, ewe lamb, bred – A Baillie.
Any other continental sheep (Judge: A MacLean). Champion – E Orr, Lawhead Farm, Tarbrax, with a ¾ Beltex shearing. Reserve – C Cowin, with a Zwartbles. Ewe, tup lamb, pair – C Cowin. Cross-bred shearling, bred – E Orr.
Native sheep (Judge: G Scott, Meikle Ittington Farm, Adrossan). Champion – D McEwen-King, Middletown Farm, Nemphlar, with a Ryeland three-crop ewe, Galtress Ursa, by Galtress KF Bear, out of Galtress Serenity. She was reserve at the Royal Highland Show, as well as best female, best lamb, and best bred, all while she was a lamb, and she has won numerous other shows across Scotland. Reserve – T Dods, Kaimend, Carnwath, with a colured Ryeland gimmer, Pepper. She is Landriggs-bred, and this is Thomas Dods’ second year showing. Tup. Ewe, ewe lamb, pair, bred – D McEwen-King. Gimmer, tup lamb – T Dods.
Rare or primitive sheep (Judge: G Scott). Champion – D and A Robertson, Murray Terrace, Carnwath, with a Shetland, Cairnorrie Atholl, by Slipperfield Donald, out of Bryland Ebony. He stood fifth in his class at the Royal Highland Show, which is his only other outing this year. Reserve – D McEwen-King, Middletown Farm, Nemphlar, with a coloured Shetland gimmer, Galtress Xinetica. She is by Galtress Venta Icenorum, and is out of Galtress Qinetiq. Tup, ewe, pair, bred – D and A Robertson. Gimmer – D McEwen-King. Tup lamb, ewe lamb – A North, Dykefoot Farm, West Calder.
Prime lambs (Judge: A MacLean). Champion – K O’Connor, Carstairs, with a pair of Beltex-cross lambs by Callacrag Cowboy, which is being sold at Carlisle. They are out of a home-bred ewe. Reserve – T Linton, The Firs, with a Beltex-cross single lamb.
Sheep for breeding purposes (Judge: C Dick). Champion – F Robertson, The Beeches, West Calder, with a gimmer by a tup which sold for £1000 at Kelso last year. Her dam is a Crosswoodhill Blackface ewe. Reserve – F Robertson, with a ewe lamb by a son of a G2 Marriforth, and he will be sold at Kelso this year. Mule gimmer, Mule ewe lamb, pair ewe Mule lambs – F Robertson. Two cross-bred lambs other than Mule – M Graham, Greenshields Farm, Biggar.