IT WAS second champion of champions sash in succession for The Captain at Appin Show, last weekend which put the tin lid on a celebratory week for the MacGillivray family, from Barcaldine Home Farm.

Last week, their classy red Limousin cross steer by Lodge Hamlet led the field at Mid Argyll and this time took the honours at father and son, the two Ewens' home show – but in between, Ewen junior and his wife, Catriona, became parents to newly arrived Charlotte Grace.

The question amongst the showing fraternity has been 'where will this beast be sold'. But, it seems the MacGillivrays will be keeping him with a view to maybe having a stab at some of the winter shows themselves. "We usually sell the best of our calves in support of the Oban Christmas sale, but this one we will probably keep. We've never had one as good as this and if he progresses, when we'll hopefully have a bit of fun with him," said Ewen snr.

Highland cattle breeders also hold one of their bigger shows at Appin, attracting breeders south from Aberdeenshire, Inverness-shire and Ross-shire. Even though it clashed with the Highland Cattle Breeders' West Club show, in Pollok, Glasgow, there were more than 30 entries for breed president, Gordon McConachie, to choose from.

He picked out the two-year-old heifer, Annag Ruadh of Balliemore, from RD Schuster, Glenstrae, Dalmally, as best in show. Brought out by Stuart MacKay, this daughter of Stuart 2 of Lynton had already been in the rosettes, winning at the East Club show.

From a sheep section shy of some numbers, this year's leader was the Blackface champion, a two-crop ewe from Do and Morag MacCorquodale, and their son, Donnie, Achnaba, North Connel. Going on to be placed reserve champion of champions, she's a daughter of a Hartside-bred sheep by a £28,000 Dalchirla.

Runner-up for the sheep award was a Scotch Mule ewe lamb shown by John Carmichael, from Lismore. This one is by a Glamis-bred sire bought from Andrew and James Adams out of a home-bred dam.

LEADINGawards:

Commercial cattle (Judge: D Semple, Carradale). Champion, overall beef and champion of champions, E MacGillivray, Barcaldine, with The Captain, a mid-March-born red Limousin cross steer calf, by Lodge Hamlet and out of a British Blue cross Limousin dam. He was champion of champions the previous week at Mid Argyll on his only other outing. Reserve – D MacDonald, Tyree, with the supreme champion from Lorn, a red Limousin cross steer calf, by Huntershall Jimbo and out of an 18-year-old British Blue cross Limousin dam. Hill cow (confined and open), yearling calf (confined) – W MacLeod, Lurignish. Breeding heifer (confined and open) – A Cameron. Yearling heifer (open) – D MacDonald. Yearling heifer (open) – Mrs Troughton, Ardachy. Spring-born bullock – E MacGillivray.

Highland cattle (Judge: G McConachie, Cuilgrianan, Mill of Newton). Champion – RD Schuster, Duiletter, Glenstrae, with the two-year-old heifer, Annag Ruadh of Balliemore, a daughter of Stuart 2 of Lynton which was bought privately as a calf. She was champion at the East Club show. Reserve – A and A McPhee, Auchterneed, Strathpeffer, with Robina 15 of Cailaich, a three-year-old black heifer by Whitelaw of Killochries. She was first in her class and best from Ross-shire at the recent Black Isle Show. Senior bull – M Poland, West Ferlochan. Junior bull – M MacArthur and J Ashton, Allanfearn. Veteran cow, cow – J Cooper, Tordarroch.Three-year-old heifer – A and A McPhee. Two-year-old heifer – RD Schuster. Yearling heifer, group – R and E McMillan, Bute. Calf – J Fraser, Tilbouries, Maryculter.

Blackface (Judge: D Wallace, Peebles). Champion and overall sheep – D MacCorquodale, Achnaba, with a two-crop ewe which was confined champion at Lorn. She is by a Hartside son of a £28,000 Dalchirla. Reserve – W MacLeod, Lurignish, with a Greenside-bred shearling which was bought as a lamb at Lanark; on his first show outing. Aged ram, ram lamb, suckled gimmer – JH Weir, Invernahyle. Two-shear ram, home-bred shearling, ewe, gimmer, ewe lamb, ewe with lamb – D MacCorquodale. Shearling ram – W MacLeod.

AOB pure sheep (Judge: D Semple). Champion and reserve – D MacCorquodale jnr with an Ettrick-bred Texel gimmer and reserve with Collielaw Andy Pandy, a Texel shearling which was bought at Lanark’s second sale for 520gns last year as a lamb. Shearling, gimmer, ewe lamb – D MacCorquodale. Ram lamb, ewe – D MacDonald jnr.

Cross sheep (Judge: D Semple). Champion and reserve overall sheep – J Carmichael, Lismore, with a Scotch Mule ewe lamb by a Glamis-bred ram. Gimmer – I Henderson. Ewe lamb – J Carmichael. Pair of prime lambs, pet lamb – M Colthart.