ONLY a single point separated the top three in the champion of champions competition as the Highland section winner reigned supreme at a mostly dry Dalry Show.

Ban-i-Lara 9 of Blairlogan from Dexter Logan and Carolyn Ross’ Blairlogan Highlander fold beat the commercial cattle champion into reserve champion of champions by a single point. The Clydesdale winner from Alan and Evelyn Campbell, Kilmacolm stood third, again by the slightest of margins, as picked by each of the days the section judges.

The two-year-old winning heifer is by Logan of Muingairigh.

In the sheep lines it was the Suffolk winner that took the top red, white and blue. From Rigfoot Suffolks, Uplawmoor, this ewe hogg was continuing her success having been champion at Neilston.

Reserve overall sheep was a Texel ewe hogg from Peter Gray.

Champion overall beef winner was a heifer, Queen of Hearts, from Jennifer Hyslop, brought out by June Downie.

LEADING awards

Ayrshire (Judge: H Watson, Laigh Tarbeg, Ochiltree). Champion and reserve overall dairy champion – A Mackie, Meadowbank, Stair, with a heifer, Stairwell Snowy, bought from the MacDougalls, of Burnbank. Sired by Geldof, she calved in September. Reserve – W Chalmers, Muirlaught, Saltcoats, with an unregistered heifer by Apples Absolute Red. Heifer – A Mackie. Bred by exhibitor – W Chalmers.

Holstein (Judge: H Watson). Champion, reserve and overall dairy champion – A Mackie, Meadowbank, Stair. Champion was Stairwell Princess, a second calver. By Langley Evolution, her mother was a previous Dalry champion. She is currently giving 43kg. Reserve was her stable-mate, another second calver of the same breeding, currently giving 45kg. Cow, heifer, pair – A Mackie. Bred by exhibitor – R and R Wylie.

AOB dairy (Judge: H Watson). Champion – Abby Hogarth, Saltcoats with her Montbeliarde heifer calf, Spirit. This three-month-old calf was on her first show outing. Reserve – A Mackie, Meadowbank, Stair, with a Dairy Shorthorn-cross fourth calver, Sun Rosa. She is by a home-bred Dairy Shorthorn, and is out of a home-bred dam, which produced milk until she was 15-years-old.

Commercial cattle (Judge: B Clark, Avisyard, Cumnock). Champion and overall beef champion – J Hyslop, Balluskie, Barrhill, with Queen of Hearts, a home-bred heifer. She is by Waindale UFO and out of a Charolais cross mother and is now hopefully destined for the Royal Highland Show and the Great Yorkshire. Reserve – G and A Scott, Meikle Ittington, Ardrossan, with Capaldi, a yearling Limousin cross bullock which was champion of champions at Beith. He is by Lodge Hamlet and bought at the YF Cally calf show and sale, at Stirling, from his breeders, Jim and Catherine McKechnie, France Farm. Heifer – J Hyslop. Bullock – J and A Scott. Cow or heifer and calf – W Chalmers, Muirlaught, Salcoats. Pair – D Blair.

Native cattle (Judge: B Clark). Champion – R Dunlop's Raethorn Edwina, a 22-month-old Aberdeen-Angus heifer which was bought in as an embryo from Gavin Tate. Her sire was Blelack Duke and her dam was Cardona Edwina. She was on her first show outing. Reserve – C Ross and D Logan, Rogan Galloways, with the two-year-old Galloway heifer, Barlaes Katie 82. Bought from Robert McTurk, Barlaes, as a founding beast of the herd, she is by Watchman of Kilnstown and was shows in-calf to Penninghame Winward. Having been reserve overall beef at Kilmacolm the previous week, she’s destined for the Highland and the Yorkshire. Bull, calf, pair – A and L Wilson. In-calf cow or heifer, best Galloway – C Ross and D Logan. Maiden heifer, best Aberdeen-Angus – R Dunlop.

Highland (Judge: W MacLean, Inverglen, Oban). Champion and champion of champions – 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 and reserve Highland champion at Beith earlier this month. Reserve – A Prentice, Hyndford, Lanark with the yearling bull, Maximus of Hyndford. He is by Alister 4 of Douglas. Bull, pair – A Prentice. Cow – W Thomson. Three-year-old heifer – Mr and Mrs D Fountain. Two-year-old heifer – D Logan. Yearling heifer – A Kennedy. Young handlers – L Ross.

Clydesdale (Judge: K Wilson, Blackford, Perthshire). Champion – A and E Campbell, Kilmacolm with Pacemuir Elizabeth, a two-year-old which stood reserve champion at Kilmacolm the previous week. She is by Dillars Jura and is out of Rashillhouse Betty. Reserve – A Anderson and I Nisbet with a yearling filly, Red Castle Analise. She stood second at Ayr. One-year-old, pair, confined, bred by exhibitor – A Anderson and I Nisbet. Two-year-old – A and E Campbell.

Continental sheep (Judge: R Close, Nethermill, Langbank). Champion, reserve and reserve overall sheep – P and L Gray, Scrogtonhead Flock, Galston. Champion was a ewe hogg by Clinterty Yaga Khan and out of a ewe by Langside Vagabond. This was her first show. Reserve from the same home was a tup hogg out of a ewe by Springwell Wallaby. All classes – P and L Gray.

Suffolk (Judge: R Close). Champion and overall sheep champion – Rigfoot Suffolks, Uplawmoor, with a ewe hogg by Pyeston Phantom, which had been champion at Neilston and reserve champion at Beith. Reserve – P and L Gray with a tup hogg by Brierton Black Magic. Tup, ewe and lamb – P and L Gray. Ewe hogg, ewe lamb, tup lamb – Rigfoot Suffolks.

Blackface (Judge: I Finlay, Blackcraig, Corsock). Champion – Brisbane Glen Estate, West Kilbride, with a Burnhead, Kilsyth-bred shearling. Bought at Lanark last year for £1000, this was his debut outing. Reserve – S and W Heads, Aitkenhead, Fenwick, with a tup lamb. By a £3800 Arnicle, his mother was by £8000 Nunnerie. This was also his first show. Shearling, ewe hogg – Brisbane Glen. Ewe, lamb – S and W Heads.

Any other breed sheep (Judge: R Close). Champion – M Simpson, Tardoes with a Dutch Spotted ewe hogg. Reserve – Abbie Scott, Meikle Ittington, Ardrossan, with a coloured Ryeland shearling. His sire is Barony Yorkie. Tup, ewe, tup lamb – A Scott. Ewe hogg – M Simpson.