After two busy days of sheep judging at the Royal Highland Show, the supreme Texel from Douganhill Farms, Castle Douglas, was crowned inter-breed sheep over the park-type North Country Cheviot leader from Hownam Grange, Kelso.

Judge, Archie MacGregor, Allanfauld, Kilsyth, soon whittled down the 26 section winners to his top four, but admitted that selecting a supreme overall was more difficult.

"It was very close between the top two as both were fantastic animals. The Texel gimmer will make a great ewe and the North Country Cheviot is a terrific female with a great carcase and character," said Mr MacGregor, who presented the honourary reserve to the supreme Suffolk from Stewart Craft, Glenrothes and the inter-breed male honours to a crossing-type Bluefaced Leicester champion from the Wights at Midlock.

Show stopper was a home-bred Texel gimmer from Douganhill, brought out by farm manager, Brian MacTaggart and son David, who were back exhibiting at the Highland following a 12-year absence. Producing a personal best here for this 150-ewe flock was an AI daughter of the 70,000gns Teiglum Young Gun bred from a ewe by Cairnam Tavish. She stood first in her class at Dumfries, last year.

Coming a close second was Hownam Grange Victoria, a two-crop ewe from Willie Thomson and his father Jimmy, Hownam Grange, Kelso. She bagged several championships last year and is by Wandylaw Scrumpyjack, out of a ewe by Durran Peebles.

Flying the flag for Suffolk breed to win the honourary reserve, was a massive one-crop ewe from new breeder, Stewart Craft, Glenrothes, who last year bought the entire Lakeview flock from Irish breeder, Gary Beacom. His show stopper, which last year won the Northern Ireland championship, is by the 36,000gns Solwaybank Major.

The Wights from Midlock, Crawford, were again in the tickets too, lifting the supreme male honours with a home-bred crossing-type Bluefaced Leicester shearling ram.