Ladies day at Beith as Amy and Alison shine

Twelve-year-old Amy, from Meikle Ittington, Ardrossan, and her father, Gareth, went to the top with a Limousin cross bullock, by Lodge Hamlet, which was bought at the YF Cally calf show and sale, at Stirling, from his breeders, Jim and Catherine McKechnie, France Farm.

The judges – who selected their winners on a points basis – found their reserve supreme in Alison Hunter's Jersey cow, Clydevalley Exitation Magic, a second calver bred at the family farm at West Tarbrax, Shotts. Runner-up breed champion at the Borderway Dairy Expo, at Carlisle, in March, she calved at the end of March and classified VG86 as a heifer.

Beith Show always attracts a cracking line-up of Highland cattle and this year was no exception, with first time exhibitor, Mrs Queenie Strickland, taking the top honours back to Cladich, Dalmally. Her winner, brought out by stockman, Stuart Campbell, was Capleadh Buidhe Beg 4 of Cladich, a five-year-old in-calf cow due early June. She is by Aonghas of An Sidhean, which goes back to the old Banrigh of Cladich line, and last year stood third at the Highland, champion at Lorn and reserve at Mid Argyll.

Bowmore Whisky facilities manager, Duncan Whyte, from Newton Mearns, had a great day, scoring a hat-rick in the sheep lines, by winning three sections – Texel, Border Leicester and Bluefaced Leicesters. He also scooped the supreme overall for the second year in succession, this time with previously unshown Texel gimmer bred by the late Jackie Harrison

LEADINGawards:

Dairy cattle (Judge: G Baillie, Crumhaugh, Stonehouse). Champion – AW Hodge and Co, West Scoutts, Tarbolton, with the fresh heifer, Salcrest Goodhome Lausine, a TW Goodhone daughter out of Salcrest Zel Lausine VG86-3yr. Bred by S Little and bought at the Borderway Black and White Sale, in 2017, she was paraded 30 days calved and giving 36 litres per day. Reserve – G McConnell, Hoodsyard, Beith, with Powgree Mesdor Dora VG86-2yr, a second calver that calved down mid February and is giving 45litres per day. Previously unshown, she is by Denmire Mesdor and out of an Ex90 Comestar Outside-sired dam. Junior cow in milk, senior cow in milk, confined – G McConnell. Heifer in milk, maiden heifer, inter-breed dairy pair – AW Hodge. Calf – Rebecca Wylie.

Any other dairy breed (Judge: G Baillie). Champion, inter-breed dairy, inter-breed udder and milk records and reserve champion of champions – A Hunter, Myremill, Maybole, with the Jersey cow, Clydevalley Exitation Magic, a Bridon Excitation-sired second calver in milk bred at the family farm at West Tarbrax, Shotts. She calved on Christmas day, is out of the Ex90 Clydevalley Governor Magic and stood reserve champion at the Borderway UK Dairy Expo. YFC calves (Judge: T Gatherer, Brownfield Holding, Renfrew). Showmanship – Champion – Cameron MacGregor, Mauchline. Reserve – Alison Hunter, Crossroads. Calves – Champion – Neil Sloan, Knowe, with a red and white. Reserve – Emma Struthers, with an Ayrshire. Black and white calves – Champion – David Howat. Reserve – Alison Hunter.

Beef breeds (Judge: I MacDonald, Ardoch, Eaglesham). Champion – J Hunter, Hallrigg, Tarbolton, with a 14-month-old pedigree Limousin heifer. Hallrigg Outstanding is the result of the privately purchased in-calf heifer, Lodge Actress, which sold due to Lodge Hydro. She was first at Craigie and Coylton last year as a calf. Reserve – Miss C Ross, Blairlogan, Stirling, with the privately purchased 2½-year-old Galloway, Barlaes Katie 2, the first heifer bought to found the Rogan Galloway herd. She is by Watchman of Kilnstown. Continental female, continental maiden heifer – J Hunter. Any other native female – Miss C Ross.

Primestock (Judge: I MacDonald). Champion and champion of champions – Amy Scott (12), Meikle Ittington, Ardrossan, with Capaldi, a Limousin cross bullock bred by Jim and Catherine McKechnie, France Farm, bought at the YF Cally calf show and sale at Stirling. It was on its first outing since the sale and is by Lodge Hamlet. Reserve – A and D Blair, with Morgan, a 14-month-old Limousin cross heifer bred by Hugh Dunlop, Holehouse, and purchased at Lanark. First at Kilmaurs, she is out of a Limousin cross British Blue sire. Prime heifer, young handlers – A and D Blair. Prime bullock – J and J Scott.

Highland cattle (Judge: E Mackay, Crosshead Road, Killearn). Champion – Mrs Q Strickland, Cladich, Dalmally, with Capleadh Buidhe Beg 4 of Cladich, a five-year-old in-calf cow due early June. She is by Aonghas of An Sidhean, which goes back to the old Banrigh of Cladich line, and last year stood third at the Highland, champion at Lorn and reserve at Mid Argyll. Reserve – D Logan, Blairlogan Highlanders, Stirling, with the two-year-old heifer, Ban-i-Lara 9 of Blairlogan, by Logan of Muingairigh and bred from a previous home-bred Ban-i-Lara. She was senior female champion at the Stars of the Future calf show, in November. Bull – A Prentice, Westbank, Ravenstruther. Cow – Mrs Q Strickland. Three-year-old heifer, yearling heifer – Mr and Mrs D Fountain. Two-year-old heifer, pairs – Blairlogan Highlanders.

Border Leicester (Judge: A Fletcher, Laigh Hatton, Bishopton). Champion and reserve – D Whyte, Newton Mearns. Supreme was last year's champion, a home-bred two-crop ewe by Fordafourie Festival, out of a ewe by Coniston Islay. Reserve for the 14-ewe flock was a ewe lamb by the new stock tup bought last year at Lanark, from Ditton, out of a ewe by Clola Double Deal. All classes – D Whyte. Young handlers – 1, Jack Burke, Chryston; 2, James Burke, Chryston.

Blackface (Judge: G Currie, Charlotte Street, Islay). Champion – D Shedden, Burnfoot, Muirkirk, winning the championship for the third consecutive year, this time with Letty, a three-crop ewe bred at Nunnerie and bought at the in-lamb show and sale at Lanark, in February. She is by a £3800 Netherwood and out a Nunnerie ewe by a £44,000 Crossflatt. Reserve – W Heads, Aitkenhead, Fenwick, with a tup hogg bought in utero of an Allanfauld ewe purchased at the breed show and sale at Lanark, in 2018. He is by a £35,000 Dalchirla tup. Tup, group – W Heads. Ewe, ewe hogg – D Shedden. Ewe with cross lambs – A Paterson, Middlepart, Kilmacolm.

Suffolk (Judge: A Fletcher). Champion – W Borthwick, Auchinraith, Mauchline, with a January-born ewe lamb which is the result of an in-lamb Cairness gimmer bought at the Dark Diamonds sale at Carlisle, last year. She is by Cairness Corker and out of a Cairness female by Baileys Rock Solid. Reserve – Rigfoot Suffolks, Uplawmoor, with a home-bred ewe hogg by the AI sire, Pyeston Phantom and out of a home-bred ewe. She was a winning ewe lamb, last year. Ewe with lamb, tup – A Shepherd, Low Fullwood Cottages, Dunlop. Ewe hogg, tup lamb – Rigfoot Suffolks. Ewe lamb, group of three – W Borthwick.

Bluefaced Leicester (Judge: G Currie). Champion – D Whyte's three-crop ewe bought privately from Jim Taylor, Hill Farm, Mauchline. She is by a Rossiebank E13 sire and out of a ewe by a Mossvale sire. Reserve – Anna MacPherson (10) and her father, Jamie, Auchenblae, Kirkoswald, with a Kirkby Redgate-bred ewe hogg shared with Martyn Millar, Northern Ireland. She was bought at Carlisle, in February and is by a Kirkby Redgate sire. Ewe – D Whyte. Ewe hogg, lamb – A MacPherson. Tup – A Taylor, Hill Farm.

Native breeds (Judge: A Fletcher). Champion and reserve – D Stainton, Chryston, with white Ryelands. Supreme was Ochiltree Ya Dancer, a previously unshown home-bred shearling ram by Keirhead Xtraordinary out of a Bryn Caffo ewe, while the reserve was his full sister, Ochiltree Ya Beauty, also on her show debut. All classes – D Stainton.

Texel (Judge: A Fletcher). Champion and supreme sheep – D Whyte, Newton Mearns, with a previously unshown gimmer bred by the late Jackie Harrison and bought privately. She is by an Elmscleugh sire and out of a Lammermuir-bred ewe. Reserve – G McCarter, Stewarton, with a one-crop Garngour-bred ewe bought privately from the Clark family, last year and on her first outing. She is by Knock Yardsman and bred from a ewe by Halbeath VIP. Tup – A Paterson, Middlepart, Kilmacolm. Ewe, lamb – G McCarter. Gimmer – D Whyte.

Continental breeds (Judge: A Fletcher). Champion – L Daff, Greenside, Uplawmoor, with Greenside Roxanne, a Blue du Maine gimmer by Tighnahinch Massey out of the show ewe, Greenside Myra. Reserve – V Woods, Woodhill, Fenwick, with a Blue Texel ram. Zwartbles – G McCarter, Stewarton, with a tup. Tup – V Woods. Gimmer, lamb – L Daff.

Clydesdales (Judge: B Cunningham, Dobbieland, Darvel). Champion – J Graham, Blair Drummond, with the reserve from Kilmaurs, Doura Joules, a three-year-old filly by Doura Jackpot out of Mill Barbara, that was bought as a foal last year from Jim Young. She was reserve female at Kittochside and senior champion at Kilpatrick Foal Show. Reserve – Auchengree Clydesdales, Chryston, with the champion from Kilmaurs, Auchengree Bethany, a two-year-old filly by Dillars Top Gun, that was unbeaten as a yearlings. She is bred from Glebeview Emma.