Scottish dairy breeders made their presence felt at AgriScot, winning several of the breed championships in the junior section, however, the big one eluded them this year, when Mark Nutsford's Holstein winner, Riverdane Brady Sharon, was crowned Superheifer.

Judge Kevin Wilson, who owns the Warnelview herd from Thursby, Carlisle, said it was a tremendous show of heifers with the champion winners of each breed likely to make great show cows. It was nevertheless his Holstein choice that appealed most.

"The Holstein heifer excels in every department with a lot of dairy strength throughout. She also has an udder to die for," said Mr Wilson in highlighting the reason for placing this VG87-2yr-classified senior heifer supreme overall.

No stranger to AgriScot, Mr Nutsford and his wife Sue, have produced the SuperCow on two previous occasions here, but this is the first time the couple has bagged the SuperHeifer. Their winner from the 140-cow Riverdane herd from Cheshire, has also already strutted her stuff to win the inter-breed title at Cheshire Show earlier in the year and having calved in January will be dried off next week due to Undenied. A daughter of the Ex94-4yr Riverdane Explode Sharon, this big girl is by Maple-Downs-I GW Atwood and was paraded giving 38.6litres at 4.2%BF and 3.2%P.

Coming a close second, the red and white champion from Mungo Bryson's Whiteflat herd from Catrine, was awarded the reserve Superheifer.

"The red and white is a tremendous heifer, carrying her milk high and wide and she just gets better and better the more you look at her," added Mr Wilson.

Taking all the plaudits and winning a first red and white title for this Ayrshire family business was Whiteflat AA Anita Red, a VG87-2yr heifer by Apples Absolute-Red, paraded by son Callum. Bred from the Ex91-2-7yr Whiteflat Elusive Anita, this May 2016-born youngster which calved at 25months of age was champion at Tarbolton, the West of Scotland evening dairy show and champion calf at Ayr. Milky with it too, she has produced 4628litres since calving in June at 3.79%BF and 2.93%P, and is currently yielding 32litres per day.

Near neighbour, Robbie Scott, who together with his wife Margo - who has just qualified as one of the top three solicitors in Scotland, with the overall winner presented at the end of next week - own the Nethervalley herd based at Shacklhill, Mossblown, had a cracking day, winning the top two awards in the Jerseys and the blue and white sash in the red and white heifers.

Their top winner, Monument Chrome Regina, a Jersey that was bought at Carlisle in March 2017, is nevertheless owned by Robbie's mother, Sheila. Another star performer, this VG88 classified River Valley Cece Chrome-sired youngster that calved in September, was champion heifer and breed champion at the West of Scotland evening dairy show. Grand-dam of this popular winner giving 31litres per day, was an Ex94-classified Monument cow.

Runner-up Jersey heifer for the Scotts was the second prize winner to Chrome Regina, Clifton Tequila Waltz 2, a Tower Vue Prime Tequila-sired entry bought the same day as the champion. Classified VG87, she also followed the champion at the West of Scotland Dairy Show to take the reserve title having calved down in August. She is now yielding 28litres

Taking the equivalent amongst the red and whites was another previous show winner from the 100-cow herd which is made up of just seven Jerseys and five red and whites, with the remainder made up of Holsteins. Nethervalley Apples Emma Red VG87-2yr, a home-bred daughter of Apples Absolute Red, calved in August and is giving 43litres. She also scooped the reserve title at Tarbolton and at the West of Scotland dairy show.

In contrast to the previous winners, the champion Ayrshire, Cuthill Towers Mad Rae from Kinross breeders, Arthur and Susan Lawrie and sons James and David, was making her debut. Bred from a VG85-2yr cow and by the American ET sire, Cuthill Towers Madison, she calved at 23months of age in August and is currently producing 32litres per day for the 240-cow herd at Cuthill Towers.

Coming a close second was the reserve intermediate champion from the National Ayrshire Show at UK Dairy Day in Telford, Lessnessock Cream Silk FSP, from Adam Montgomerie, Ochiltree, Ayrshire. She is by Forever Schoon Predator and was paraded having given 5569litres in 194days at 4.06%BF and 3.06%P.

New to AgriScot this year was an any other breed section, which saw Jonny Lochhead's Kedar Brown Swiss, brought out with assistance of Jessica Miller win both the cow and heifer titles. Mr Lochhead who has produced several top winners here in the past when the breed had its own classes, saw his second prize winner to the cow champion, Kedar Alino Carmen, by Steiner's Tau Alino and out of a home-bred GP82 cow, take the heifer title. Heifer champion and honourable mention at the National breed show at UK Dairy Day, this May calved heifer giving 26litres was also any other breed champion at the South West Dairy Show.

Reserve Holstein heifer was Blydale Lyn Fitz VG86-2yr, a Toc Farm Fitz-sired junior heifer in milk owned by the WTF Synidicate comprising First Look Holsteins, Woodley Holsteins and TLC Holsteins. Junior champion at the Borderway UK Dairy Expo, in March, Fitz is a former All Britain junior calf and was paraded six weeks calved giving 45litres per day.

LEADING awards

Red and white – 1 and reserve Superheifer, M Bryson's Whit3eeflat AA Anita Red VG87-2yr, by Apples Absolute-Red; 2 and reserve, R and M Scott's Nethervalley Apples Emma Red VG87-2yr; 3, DA Howie and Sons' Morwick Lord P Queen, by Lord Red P ET.

Jersey – 1 and champion heifer, R Scott's Monument Chrome Regina VG88, by River Valley Cece Chrome; 2 and reserve heifer, R Scott's Clifton Tequila Waltz, by Tower Vue Prime Tequila; 3, S McColm's Rapidbay-UK Response G Cameo, by Arethusa Verbatim Response.

Holstein – Junior heifer – 1 and reserve Holstein heifer, DR and HM Horsley's WTF Syndicate Blydale Lynn Fitz VG86-2yr, by Toc Farm Fitz; 2, B Weatherup and Partners' Lesmay BBB Thistle, by Butz-Butler Atwood Brady; 3, DR and HM Horsley's Knowlesmere Brokaw Skyhigh, by MR Atwood Brokaw. Senior heifer – 1, champion heifer and Superheifer, Riverdane Holsteins' Riverdane Brady Sharon VG87-2yr, by Butz-Butler Atwood Brady; 2, RA Bown's Richaven Atwood Squaw 3, by Maple-Downs-I G W Atwood; 3, RA Bown's Richaven Brokaw Dawn VG88-2yr, by MR Atwood Brokaw.

Any other breed – Champion heifer – R and S McColm's Soulseat Formula One Trixie, by Kedar Formula One.

Ayrshire – 1 and champion heifer, A and S Lawrie's Cuthill Towers Mad Rae, by Cuthill Towers Madison; 2 and reserve heifer, AW Montgomerie's Lessnessock Cream Silk FSP, by Forever Schoon Predator; 3,