Quality not quantity was the name of the game at Lorn Show, where despite a smaller entry of sheep and cattle, the champion winners were certainly well up to the mark.

Well known for attracting some of the best Blackface sheep, Highland and cross-bred cattle in the country, it was the winners from these three sections that went on to secure the top awards.

Star of the show was the supreme cattle, the cross-bred calf champion from regular winners, Dougie MacDonald and son Dougie's, 35-cow suckler herd from Tyree, Benderloch. January-born, their previously unshown Limousin cross bullock, is a son of the stock sire, Huntershall Jimbo, a bull that bred last year's champion winner at Dalmally Show, out of an 18-year-old Limousin cross British Blue cow.

The various breed judges found their reserve winner in the inter-breed sheep champion, which came from the largest section of the show, the Blackface. This was Cersei, a two-crop ewe that stood champion at Cowal, last year. She is by an £8000 Nunnerie and bred from a daughter of a £27,000 Auldhouseburn.

Andrew Campbell, Drimsynie, Lochgoilhead, also had a great day, winning both the Bluefaced Leicester and the cross-bred sheep honours with home-bred sheep. He also scooped the reserve sheep title with his Blue leader, a gimmer by a J2 Lunesdale tup bought at Hawes for £8000. First in her class at Dunblane Show, she is bred from a Hewgill ewe by a B41 Hewgill.

A strong show of Highland cattle, resulted in champion winner lifting the reserve inter-breed cattle title for Mrs Queenie Strickland’s Cladich fold from Cladich, Dalmally, managed by Stuart Campbell. Taking all the plaudits here was the four-year-old cow, Capleadh Buidhe Beg 4 of Cladich, an Aonghas of An Sidhean daughter bred from a previous home-bred Capleadh Buidhe Beg. No stranger to the limelight, she was junior champion at the Great Yorkshire in 2015, first at Mid Argyll, last year and this year was shown with six-week-old heifer calf at foot.

LEADING awards

SHEEP

Blackface (Judge: J Murray, Crossflatt, Muirkirk). Champion – Messrs MacArthur, Arnicle, Glenbarr, Campbeltown, with a Cersei, a two-crop ewe by an £8000 Nunnerie out of a ewe by a £27,000 Auldhouseburn. She was champion at Cowal last year for the 1700-ewe flock. Reserve – J Jackson and Son, Pole, Lochgoilhead, with the confined champion from Cowal Show, a gimmer by Crossflatt Spectre, bred from a £5200 Allanfauld-sired ewe. Two-shear –J and J MacPherson, Balliemeanoch, Dalmally. Shearling ram, bred shearling, tup lamb, ewe, ewe lamb, ewe and lamb – Messrs MacArthur. Junior ewe – A Campbell, Drimsynie, Lochgoilhead. Gimmer – J Jackson and Son.

Blackface confined (Judge: J Murray). Champion – D MacCorquodale, Achnaba, North Connel, with a two-crop ewe by a Hartside son of a £28,000 Dalchirla that was champion at Appin 2017. Reserve – F Ronald, Saulmore, Connel, with a ewe lamb by a £1600 Merkins tup lamb bought at Lanark, out of a ewe by an £1800 Midlock. She placed at Cowal, and her full brother was male champion at Lorn. Two-shear ram, shearling ram, bred shearling – R and J Love, Drissaig, Lochavich, Taynuilt. Tup lamb, ewe lamb, ewe and lamb – F Ronald. Ewe, gimmer – D MacCorquodale, Achnaba. Junior ewe – R MacKay, Millpark, Oban.

Blackface YFC (Judge: J Murray). Champion – Hayley Ronald (4) Saulmore, Connel, with a ewe lamb by a £1600 Merkins out of a gimmer bought from Ian Shaw at Dalmally. Reserve – Hayley Ronald, with a gimmer by a £700 Crossflatt also out of a gimmer bought from Ian Shaw. All classes – H Ronald.

Suffolk (Judge: A Morton jnr, Townfoot of Dundaff, Carron Bridge, Denny). Champion – Frazer Prentice (7) Balliemore, Kilmichael-Glassary, Lochgilphead, with a one-crop ewe bought last year from Gartvaigh. Reserve – Ruairidh MacDonald, Tyree, Benderloch, with a ewe lamb. Ewe – F Prentice. Gimmer – Julie Campbell, Achnacreebeag, North Connel. Ewe lamb – D MacDonald.

Texel (Judge: A Morton jnr). Champion – D MacCorquodale, Achnaba, North Connel, with a March-born ewe lamb by a Collielaw tup bought at the Club sale at Lanark, last year, out of a ewe by a Grougfoot ram. Reserve – R and Kirsten Rennie, Garvachy, Inveraray, with a tup lamb from their eight-ewe Mintex flock. He is by Craig Douglas Yamaha and out of a Lauder ewe by Milnbank Wesley. Ram lamb – R and K Rennie. Ewe lamb – D MacCorquodale.

Beltex (Judge: A Morton jnr). Champion – Rosslyn Smith, Balliemore, Kilmichael-Glassary, Lochgilphead, with a tup lamb by Wiskers Boy Scout, out of Cynin Available, shown by son and daughter, Frazer Prentice (7) and Zoe Prentice (10). Reserve – Rosslyn Smith, with dam of the champion, a daughter of Airyolland Slingshot bred from Cynin Stripper. All classes – Rosslyn Smith.

Bluefaced Leicester (Judge: A Morton jnr). Champion and reserve overall sheep and reserve – A Campbell, Drimsynie, Lochgoilhead. Supreme was a gimmer by a J2 Lunesdale bought at Hawes for £8000, out of a Hewgill ewe by a B41 Hewgill. She was first at Dunblane. Reserve was a two-crop ewe by Marriforth Batman out of a home-bred ewe that was also first at Dunblane. All classes – A Campbell.

Any other pure breed (Judge: A Morton jnr). Champion and reserve – D Buchanan, Shenavaillie, Benderloch with North Country Cheviots. Champion was a home-bred gimmer by a Badanloch sire bought at Dingwall three years ago, out of a home-bred ewe. She was placed at the Highland. Reserve was a home-bred shearling ram by a Hope sire that is destined for the breed sale at Dingwall in October. Ram, gimmer – D Buchanan. Ewe – Emma Smith, Etive Zwartbles, Brolas, Taynuilt. Tup lamb, ewe lamb – A Bevis, Braefoot, Balvicar, Isle of Seil.

Cross-bred sheep (Judge: A Morton jnr) Champion and reserve – Andrew Campbell, Drimsynie, Lochgoilhead, with a home-bred one-crop Scotch Mule ewe by a home-bred son of Marriforth Batman, that sold to Farden at Kelso, last year, out of a home-bred ewe; fourth at the Highland. Reserve – Andrew Campbell with a gimmer by a home-bred son of Midlock Nightrider that is bound for the Kelso Ram Sales, next month. All classes –A Campbell.

Young handlers – Junior – Ruairidh MacDonald. Senior – Donnie MacCorquodale.

Highland (Judge: R Fergie, Knockendon, Dalry). Champion and reserve overall cattle champion – Mrs Queenie Strickland, Cladich Fold, Cladich, with the four-year-old cow, Capleadh Buidhe Beg 4 of Cladich, by Aonghas of An Sidhean, out of Capleadh Buidhe Beg of Cladich. She was shown by herd manager, Stuart Campbell and was paraded with six-week-old heifer calf at foot. A well known show cow, she was junior champion at the Great Yorkshire in 2015; first at Mid Argyll last year and third at the Highland this year. Reserve – M Poland, West Ferlochan, Benderloch, with Fearn of Mottistone, a three-year-old heifer by the retained stockbull, Ian Mhor of Mottistone, shown by herd manager Willie MacLean. She was on her first outing of the year having stood female champion and reserve overall at Appin, 2017. Bull and inter-breed bull, three-year-old heifer – M Poland. Junior bull, cow, calf, pair, group of three – Mrs Q Stirkland. Two-year-old heifer – RD Schuster, Glenstrae, Duiletter, Glenstrae. Yearling heifer – S McMillan, Bute.

Galloway (Judge: P Boyd, Drumaglea, Cornaigmore, Isle of Tiree). Champion and reserve – Lynne and Amanda MacLean, Inverglen, Barcaldine. Supreme was the two-year-old in-calf heifer, Bertha of Romesbeoch, bought privately from Jim and Selina Scott, Romesbeoch, in February. She is by Nether Cleugh Turbo Tam, and out of Bertha 214 of Nether Cleugh, a Diamond B Knockout daughter. Reserve was Rose of Torloisk, a similarly aged heifer bought at Castle Douglas in February, from Troloss. She is by Blackcraig Dec, out of Rose 20 of Auchenhay and together with the champion make up foundation females for the two sisters' Ashfield herd. All classes – L and A MacLean.

Pure native (Judge: P Boyd). Champion and reserve – E Campbell, 72 Camaghael, Fort William, with home-bred Aberdeen Angus. Champion was the 17-month-old bull, Kilmallie Boss Man, by the retained stockbull, Kilmallie Finlay, a Nightingale Eldorado son, out of a bought-in Moffat cow. He was first at Black Isle, Lochaber and Stars of the Future last year. Reserve was Kilmallie Kylie, a two-year-old in-calf heifer by Kilmallie Finlay out of Kincarie Kristina. All classes – E Campbell.

Cross-bred beef cattle (Judge: P Boyd). Champion and reserve – SH Troughton, Ardachy, Connel. Supreme was a yearling Limousin cross heifer out of a Limousin cross British Blue cow bred by Bruce Campbell. Previously unshown, she is by Mariascote Fred, a bull that bred the £3500 calves sold at the Cale YFC calf show and sale, and was brought out by manager Donald Cameron. Reserve was a previously unshown April 2017-born Limousin cross heifer, also by Fred, out of a home-bred Limousin cross Blue cow. All classes – SH Troughton.

Cross-bred calves (Judge: P Boyd). Champion, supreme cattle and overall champion of champions and reserve – D MacDonald, Tyree, Benderloch. Overall was a previously unshown mid-January-born Limousin cross cow, by the stock sire, Huntershall Jimbo, a bull that has bred former champion winners at Dalmally Show, out of an 18-year-old Limousin cross British Blue cow. Reserve was an October 2017-born Limousin cross heifer by the same sire and out of a daughter of the mother of the champion.

Young handlers – Champion – J McLaughlan; reserve – Oscar McKay.