A cracking day at Catrine

The dairy section saw an increase in numbers and a new addition to the programme, with a class for any other breed, which was won by a Jersey cow.

Judge Alex Cousar, of Howcommon, Craigie, found his overall champion in a 3½-year-old Ayrshire cow, Muir Adonis Evie, owned by W and A Watson, Muir Farm, Mauchline. “This is an excellent cow, a great example of the breed and was an easy choice to make,” Mr Cousar commented.

She is sired by Luck-e Adonis and was paraded producing 56litres daily with a projected lactation of 12,000litres.

Reserve overall champion was the sheep section winner from 13-year-old John Paterson, Oxenshaw Farm, Mauchline, with his three-crop Texel ewe. It was a double for John and his younger brother Glen, who won the top title in the Beltex section with a one-crop ewe.

Over in the cattle lines, the beef inter-breed championship was led by the winner from the prime cattle section.

Morris Wyllie, Skeldon Drive, Dalrymple, who had taken the reserve ticket in this section the previous year, won with his 16-month-old Limousin cross heifer, Back 2 Black. She was bought from Gary Bell, Haas Side Farm, Lockerbie, in October, last year and will be shown at Ayr Show and the Ayrshire Young Farmer’s rally.

Taking the championship in the poultry section was Ben Welsh, Roundshaw, Sorn, with his one-year-old partridge old english game bantam hen. Mr Welsh also runs a herd of pedigree Hereford cattle and a flock of Poll Dorset sheep.

Leading awards

Ayrshire (Judge: D Brewster, Boclair, Glasgow). Champion and champion of champions – W and A Watson, Muir Farm, Mauchline, with their 3½-year-old cow, Muir Adonis Evie. She is sired by Luck-e Adonis and is producing 56 litres daily with an expected lactation of 12,000 at 4% BF. Reserve – M Bryson and Son, Whiteflat Farm, Catrine. Back calving heifer, heifer in milk – M Bryson. Cow in milk, best pair of Ayrshires, best group of three and quey or cow in milk or in calf bred by exhibitor – W and A Watson. Best calf born January, 2019, onwards – R and M Scott, Shacklehill.

Holstein (Judge: D Brewster). Champion – B and R Sloan, Darnlaw Farm, Auchinleck, with a home-bred cow, Townlaw Stanley-cup Sadie Ex 94. The fifth calver is by Gillette Stanley-cup and out of Townlaw Final Cut Sadie Ex95. She is producing 49litres daily and is heading for 15,000 this lactation, with a lifetime projection of 120 tonnes. Reserve – R Veitch, Ve-tech Holsteins, with his heifer-in-milk, Ve-tech Doorman Atlee. She is out of Riverdane Sid Atlee and calved in November as a two-year-old, producing 42 litres daily. Back-calving heifer – R Veitch. Cow in milk having had two calves, best group of three animals and best calf born January,1,2019 onwards – GT and G Borland, Mossbog. Aged cow in milk and best pair – B and R Sloan. Best calf born after August,1, 2018 to December, 31, 2018 – D and A Morton, Auchenbay Farm.

AOB dairy (Judge: D Brewster). Champion – B and R Sloan with their Jersey cow, Bluegrass Action Man Dixie VG88. She is a third calver by Bluegrass Lords Action Man and is producing 31 litres daily and has a 7300-litre yearly projection at 6.1% BF. Reserve – R and M Scott, Shacklehill, Mossblown. Maiden heifer – M Bryson. Quey in calve to calf before August, 2019 – R and M Scott. Cow in milk – B and R Sloan.

Continental beef (Judge: B Comrie, Lanark). Champion and reserve – J and L Hunter, Hallrig Farm, Tarbolton, leading with their home-bred Limousin heifer, Hallrig Outstanding. The 15-month-old is by Lodge Hydro and out of Lodge Actress and had success as a calf, winning calf championships at Coylton and Craigie. Reserve was a 13-month-old home-bred Limousin heifer, Hallrig Oohh Lala, which is out of Lodge L’Oréal and by Lodge Hydro. Both heifers will be shown at Ayr and the Royal Highland. Bull any age – WC and S Robb, Chalmerston Farm. Heifer in calf or calf at foot – W Crawford Smith, Lawersbridge Farm. Yeld heifer – J and L Hunter.

Native beef (Judge: B Comrie). Champion and reserve – G Dunbar, Drumboy Farm, Drumclog. Champion with his three-year-old home-bred Hereford cow, Drumboy Olivia. She is by Venture Nightime and out of Baldinnie Cathy and stood champion Hereford at Ayr show in 2018. Reserve was her seven-month-old calf, Drumboy Sophia, which was sired by Romany Distiller. Both will be shown at Ayr and the Royal Highland. Native – All classes – G Dunbar.

Prime beef (Judge: B Comrie). Champion and beef inter-breed champion – M Wyllie, 23 Skeldon Drive, Dalrymple, with a 16-month-old Limousin heifer, Back 2 Black, by Ickle Joker and out of a Limousin cross cow. She was bought from Gary Bell, Haas Side, Lockerbie, in October last year and will be shown at Ayr and the Young Farmer’s rally. Reserve – A Ireland, Feoch Farm, Darvel with an 18-month old heifer out of a pure British Blue cow, Headlind Hiespy and sired by Powerhouse Harlequin. She was champion at Dundonald and reserve at Kilmaurs. Best bullock born before November 1, 2018 – A Ireland, Feoch Farm. Best heifer born before November 1, 2018 – M Wyllie, Skeldon Drive. Best beef calf born on or after November 1, 2018 – R and C Stevenson, Carbello. The overall calf championship was awarded to R and C Stevenson, Carbello, with their home-bred five-month-old Limousin cross calf, Moana. She is sired by their Limousin stock bull Kinniside Mobydick and is out of a home-bred British Blue cross Limousin by Auchenlay Glenalmond.

Beltex (Judge: D Clark, Carluke). Champion – G Paterson, Oxenshaw Farm, Mauchline, with his one-crop ewe which was bought at Carlisle from the Wilodge flock, last year. Her lamb stood first in the section and both will be shown at Newmilns and New Cumnock. Reserve – A Ireland with his five-week-old home-bred tup lamb, Everest. He is by Matt’s Ducati and out of a home-bred ewe. Tup one year old and over and tup lamb – A Ireland. Ewe in lamb or with lamb at foot, ewe lamb and group of three – J and G Paterson. Ewe hogg – M and G Ballantyne, East Cauldcoats Farm.

Texel (Judge: D Clark). Champion, sheep inter-breed and reserve champion of champions – J Paterson, Oxenshaw, with his three-crop ewe by Cormore Velvet Jacket and out of a home-bred ewe. She was successfully shown as a gimmer and will next be shown at Ayr. Reserve – B Cunningham, West Hillhead, Mauchline, with his ewe lamb, which was bought at foot with his dam from the Stainton flock. She was born mid-March and is sired by Auldhouseburn Bolt. Tup lamb – A Struthers and M Young, Boylston Farm. Ewe lamb – B Cunningham. Ewe, ewe hogg, group of three – J Paterson.

AOB sheep (Judge: D Clark). Champion – A Struthers and M Young, Boylston Farm, Logan, with their Blue Texel gimmer, Whatmore Banter. She is by a Whatmore sire and was on her first show outing. Reserve – J Drummond, Cassington, with a Hampshire Down tup lamb, Jack. The five-month-old, home-bred lamb is by Court Pikachu and out of a ewe by Yarcombe Iceman. Tup lamb, tup one year and over, ewe hogg and group of three – J Drummond. Ewe in lamb or with lamb at foot and ewe lamb – A Struthers and M Young.

Blackface (Judge: B Wight, Biggar). Champion – J and M Dunlop, Upper Wellwood, Muirkirk, with a home-bred ewe hogg. She is by an £11,000 Auldhouseburn tup and out of a dam by a £7000 Crossflatt. She was second at Abington as a ewe lamb. Reserve – J and A Boswell, Burnhead Farm, Darvel, with a one-crop ewe. She is by a £1300 Crossflatt tup and out of a dam by a £5200 Midlock. Aged tup, tup hogg, ewe in lamb or with lamb at foot – H Gibson, Sorn Estate. Ewe hogg – J and M Dunlop, Upper Wellwood. Group of three – J and A Boswell, Burnhead.

Bluefaced Leicester (Judge: B Wight). Champion and reserve – J Nisbet, Orchardton Farm, Mauchline, with his ewe hogg out of a F1 Firth ewe and by the £37,000 K20 Midlock tup. She was bought at United Auctions in January and stood sheep inter-breed champion at Dundonald. Reserve was a March-born tup lamb by K4 Broomiebank, bought in Kelso last year and out of a Marriforth ewe. Both champion and reserve will be shown at Ayr and the Royal Highland. Tup one-year-old – M and C Drummond. Ewe in lamb or with lamb at foot – D Hogg, Cairndale. Ewe hogg, ewe lamb, tup lamb and group of three – J Nisbet.