RHS BEEF

In the beef inter-breeds it was a case of the continentals reigning supreme, but with a close following pack of natives breeds.

Supreme individual was the champion Charolais, followed by the Limousin leader, while the prestigious group of four judging saw the Lims top the table, closely followed by a team of Angus, then the Highland quartet.

But out in front for the big parade was Balthayock Nessie, a two-year-old in-calf heifer owned by Major David Walter, Balthayock, Perth, and brought out by husband and wife stockmen duo, David and Tracey Nichol.

It was a fitting win for this famous 100-cow herd which is to celebrating its 50th anniversary and will surely prove a great draw for the herd which is having an open day in the next few weeks. A few days before travelling to Ingliston, this daughter of Ugie Echo had been champion of champions at Alyth Show.

The man who chose her, Stewart Wood, from Orkney said: “The inter-breed was a tremendous show of young cattle, there was little to pick between my champion and reserve, but the Charolais heifer had such presence and style in the ring, and displayed excellent movement, it has a great future ahead.”

Slotting into reserve was another two-year-old in the shape of the Limousin breed champion, Foxhillfarm Naomi, shown by Michael and Melanie Alford, from Devon. Breed champion at both Devon and Cornwall shows this season, she is by the 140,000gns world record Limousin bull, Trueman Jagger – in which the Alfords have a share – and is out of a home-bred cow which goes back to the herd’s foundation cow, Bankdale Alice, a matron of the herd which has produced progeny worth more than £1m.

She was not part of the winning Limousin team, though, which the society had put together from outwith the champions list. That decision of getting a matching team was given the nod by the judge, Mr Wood, who said: “In the team competition, it’s all about balance and the Limousin team shone out in that respect. But they also had plenty of character about them which was enough to give them the top spot.”

The team was led out by the senior bull, Redpath’s Nobleman, a son of Dinmore Jollygood, from Keith Redpath, from Kelso, along with two from AW Jenkinson Farms, Penrith – Whinfellpark Jeansjiggle, a five-year-old cow by Dolcorsllwyn Fabio, and Whinfellpark Nerissa, a two-year-old by Trueman Jagger – with the final cog in the wheel being Dougie McBeath and Sara-Jane Jessop’s rising two-year-old heifer Springsett Nancy, a daughter of Woodroad James, from near Stirling.

The Angus breed which was in reserve proved popular over the two-days of inter-breeds.

The ‘big’ team consisted of the bull Alistair Clark and sons’ Carruthers Grenadier, a four-year-old by Morven Kilo Master, along with David Walker’s seven-year-old fresh-looking veteran, Galcantray Best Maid, by Blelack Black Velour – with those two winning the inter-breed pairs contest in front of judge, Rob Forrest, from Duns. The heifer brigade provided the other two in the group of four – D and K Graham’s Carruthers Elspeth, by Halbeath Kitemark, from near Lockerbie, along with Skye-based Donald Rankin’s Kilmaluag Lady Irish, by Retties Euromillions, which is looked after by Richard and Carol Rettie, from Methven.

Grenadier and Best Maid were also joined with Donald Rankin’s Kilmaluag Lady Isobelle, by Retties JFK, to win the native inter-breed group of three ahead of the Hereford trio, which consisted of the breed champion Heather Whittaker’s two-year-old Coley 1 Clara, by Solpoll Kentucky Kid, her class-mate, Philip Martindale’s Moralee 1 Kimberley, by SMH Kingsize, with a rising two-year-old bull, Romany 1 Roxburgh, by Barwise 1 Lancer, from Miss Rebecca Robinson, making up the final part of the trio.

The sought-after junior title went to the Charolais heifer, Harestone Natalie, from the Barclay family. This daughter of Thrunton Socrates was ahead of the Beef Shorthorn winner, the two-year-old Tamhorn Glen daughter, Trowbridge Tessa Linsay, which was giving Bute’s Tom McMillan ‘one helluva show.’

Young handlers

Rachael Graham, Millerhill Farm, Cumbria won the senior class and was then tapped out as overall beef young handler.

She was showing the commercial entry, Queen of Hearts a home-bred heifer from Jennifer Hyslop. This was the first time Rachael, aged 15, has shown at the Highland and was delighted with the result.

The junior class winner, Gregor Vance, Newton Stewart, went on to take the reserve honours. Another exhibiting for the first time at Ingliston, 12-year-old Gregor does have plenty experience as he has triumphed at several young handlers competitions at Ayr, Wigton, Stranraer and Dumfries. He was showing the Limousin steer champion, Doodlebug. He and his sister, Amy, both enjoy working on the family farm at Bridgehouse, Whithorn.

Beef Shorthorn

Taking a fourth breed championship but getting his first Highland win was Tom McMillan, Rothesay, Isle of Bute, with a little help from the ‘professionals’, Carol, Richard Rettie and their sons, Jamie and Chas.

Tom’s Trowbridge Tessa Linsay, a two-year-old heifer sired by Tamhorn Glen, is out of Knockenjig Tessa. She was bought in as a calf at foot from Trowbridge at a mixed sale at Stirling ‘for not a lot of money’ and she also topped Stirling Show this year. She is set to take on the Great Yorkshire later this year.

First-time exhibitors, Alfie and James Shaw, Dungannon, Co Tyrone, took reserve with Glebefarm Cherry May, a 16-month-old heifer. The Shaws who are relatively new to the breed having established the herd just two years ago, won with a heifer which had first triumphed over a massive class of 27 entries.

She is by Carrarock Chalkie Ie, out of Bushypark Cherry and is set to attend further shows in the season.

Mark and Tracy Severn, Halifax, West Yorkshire, lifted the champion male title with the home-bred two-year-old bull, Highlee Lenny. The couple who regularly exhibit at Ingliston having taken the breed honours here two years ago, saw their reserve male junior here last year step up to lift the top male award.

He is sired by Poyntington Himself and out of Highlee Enya. His only other outing this year has been Todmorden Show, where he was champion in the AOB section, but he’s also heading to the Great Yorkshire. However, this two-year-old bull won’t go much further with the Severns, as he has been sold to A and C Farms, in Rutland, where he’ll go after the show season has finished.

Another first-time entry, this time from the Page Farm Partnership, Bedale, Yorkshire, saw stocks team Heather and Martin Grayshon take reserve male and junior champion.

This was with Rookwith Marvellous, a 13-month-old bull sired by Castlemount Junior and out of Chapelton Waterloo. It was a first outing for him, but he’ll be heading to the Great Yorkshire. Their Rookwith herd led the Northern herd competition last year.

Aberdeen-Angus

First time exhibitors, the McCornicks from Newton Stewart – Martin and Emma, and daughters, Gemma and Kate, led a bumper entry of all blacks to win the supreme overall.

Their show stopper was McCornick Keira U451, a daughter of Skaill Dino, out of McCornick Keira J378. This 14-month-old heifer has already been earning her corn at local shows, as well as winning the Agri Expo back in November.

Alistair Clark and sons, Brian and Alistair, Cumnock, Ayrshire, were reserve overall with their male champion, Carruthers Grenadier which earlier in the year bagged the inter-breed at Ayr. Providing a fourth breed title for the herd was a four-year-old son of Morven Kilo Master out of Carruthers Gemma, which had been purchased privately from his breeder, Donald Graham as a yearling.

A three-year-old heifer from Donald Rankin, from Skye, brought out by freelance stocksmen, the Retties, from Perthshire, stood reserve female. Regular winners here, their top performer this time was Kilmaluag Lady Isobelle, a home-bred female by Retties JFK out of Mosston Muir Lady Isobelle K249. She was second in her class here last year as well as reserve breed champion at Central and West Fife Show. She is now destined for the Great Yorkshire and the Royal Welsh Shows.

Reserve male was an entry from Richard Hassall and Rachel Wylie’s Brailes Livestock unit, from Banbury, Oxfordshire, again brought out by the Retties. Their 15-month-old bull, Schivas Methlick Boy, is sired by Gretnahouse Exocet and out of Schivas Miss Betty. He was bought in as a calf from Schivas Estate and was champion at Stirling earlier this year. He is also set for the Great Yorkshire and the Royal Welsh.

Galloway

It was a successful show for debut exhibitor, Andrew Waugh, Kilnstown, Carlisle, when a bull from his family run business first took the male championship before being tapped out as overall breed winner.

This was with the seven-year-old bull, Buccleuch Adonis, which has bred sons up to 4500gns. A son of Kirkstead Nancy Boy out of Dalwhat Moss Rose J1, he was on his final outing of the year having already scooped the breed honours at Northumberland in May.

Regular show winners, John, Ann and son, Iain Finlay, from Blackcraig, Castle Douglas, took reserve overall with their female leader, Blackcraig Blondchen. No strangers to the Ingliston show ground, the family boasts no fewer than 11 championship wins here and many reserve winners too.

Their winner this time, a four-year-old, is bred from home-bred genetics on both sides with the sire being Blackcraig Sid – a bull that scooped the breed honours on two previous occasions here – onto another home-bred Blondchen.

Jim and Douglas Ross, Dumfries, retained the reserve female spot gained last year with an in-calf cow which is due in November. This was the home-bred 3½-year-old, Moira 1926 of Romesbeoch, a daughter of Holsten Oder out of Moira 408 of Romesbeoch. Previously a reserve champion at their local Dumfries Show, she will also travel down to the Great Yorkshire.

A bought-in four-year-old bull bred at Kilnstown, but now in the hands of Jason and Sarah Wareham, Heathfield, East Sussex, was reserve male. The couple have shown at the Highland for five years, having been junior female champion two years ago and reserve overall last year.

Their Welling of Kilnstown is a son of Coldplay of Fingland and is out of Marina 67 of Kilnstown. The bull has been ‘out and about at local shows’, having been inter-breed winner at Heathfield Show.

Belted Galloway

Females led the way amongst the Belties with Judith Cowie, from Castle Douglas, lifting her first supreme championship with a five-year-old cow with calf at foot in what was just her third year exhibiting at Ingliston.

Her Copelaw Ruby is a daughter of Coulmony Coll, out of Copelaw Cherry. Previously, she was champion of champions last year at Glenkens Show and is another set for the Great Yorkshire next month.

Regular winner and exhibitor, Carolyn Fletcher, Appleby-in-Westmoreland, Cumbria, picked up the top male ticket and reserve overall with her five-year-old home-bred bull, Barwise Benchmark. This was his first outing this year and he will be entered for the National Belted Galloway show later this year. He is sired by Whitepool Kitemark and is a daughter of Barwise Ermine 411.

Last year’s winners, Ann Bell and her show team of Hamish Bell, Rory Bell, Hayden Ross and Katie Keiley, from Clifton, Southwick, took the reserve male honours this year with Clifton Darwin – a spot he attained last year too. This two-year-old is sired by Clifton Hercules and out of Clifton Daffodil, which was breed champion at the Highland in 2014.

The same home was also runner-up amongst the females with Clifton Lily, which a paternal sister to the reserve male but out of Clifton Lolita. The two-year-old was also shown here last year, gaining third prize in her class and, like her brother, is also set to take on the Great Yorkshire and the Belted Galloway National Show.

Highland

One of the best-known ‘faces’ of this year’s Royal Highland Show, Skye of Little Rannoch, achieved what few, if any have ever done by winning the championship at the Highland two years in succession for Donald and Bryon McNaughton and Donald’s sister, Connie Lawrie, from their base in Kelty, Fife.

She has appeared all over the place as part of the pre-show publicity after being captured on canvas for RHASS by artist, Wil Freeborn, and comes from a long line of show winners.

Now a three-year-old, Skye was sired by a bull bought from HM The Queen’s Balmoral fold, Fearghus of Balmoral and out another well-known show-winning cow, Skye 3 of Rannoch – which along with her dam, Skye 2 of Rannoch, have amassed a prodigious kist-full of rosettes over many years.

Reserve to her in the female section and then on to be reserve overall was one of the bonniest sights of the show, Catherine and Jim McKechnie’s cow Catriona 3 of Gartocharn, which was shown with two matching bull calves at foot, Pinkie and Perky.

Sired by Angus of Dunvegan and out of Morag 44 of Woodneuk, this cow has been a winner for most of her five years, and last year led at Drymen and Perth, while at that latter show was also part of the inter-breed winning pair for the Gartocharn-based couple. But this year, she’s been working hard rearing those two bulls calves which were born in February to Brodie of Culfoich.

The owner of that service sire and current breed president, Gordon McConachie, produced the male champion at the show, Jacob 2 of Benmore. This seven-year-old cost 3600gns when bought at Oban but is now looking for a new home as he’s coming on to his own stock at Culfoich, where he has been highly successful – siring last October’s sale heifer champion and a bull which sold for 5000gns.

Great show supporter, Alan Prentice, from Ravenstruther, Lanark, took reserve male with his home-bred Maximus of Hyndford, which was also junior champion for him. This yearling looks to have a bright future ahead of him and is by Alasdair 4 of Douglas and out of Banrigh 2 of An Sidean.

Hereford

It was a tremendous show for Miss Heather Whittaker, from Halifax, West Yorkshire, who knew she was going to be champion for a second year by the final leg as she had both the female and male champions in the final line-up.

In the end it was her female leader from the 60-cow herd, Coley 1 Clara, which held sway over her herd sire, Romany 1 Primetime. Clara is a two-year-old daughter of Solpoll 1 Kentucky Kid out of a successful show line in the herd. A few week’s earlier, she’d also been breed champion at Northumberland.

Also coming out of a strong heifer section to take the reserve supreme was Harvey Bros 1 Crocus Rose, from father and daughter team, George and Sophie Harvey, from Balfron. This 15-month-old daughter of the former Royal Highland inter-breed champion, Normanton Laertes, has already been on a winning streak, taking championships at Drymen, Gargunnock and Stirling

The male champion, Primetime, is also a two-year-old, but he was put to work pretty quickly after being purchased from the Wilsons, Ronald and Robert, from Kelso, for £4000 in a private deal. With six calves due this year, he’s been taking some ‘time out’ and was male champion at Shropshire and West Midland Show earlier his year and is now heading to the Royal Norfolk.

He’s a son of Barwise 1 Lancer – and so was the reserve male, Miss Rebecca Robinson’s Romany 1 Roxburgh, which was also bred by the Wilsons. Bought at the breed’s spring show in Hereford this year for 5500gns – where he had been reserve junior champion – he’s now the main stock sire on the 30-cow Whittle herd.

Charolais

Females led the way within the Charolais with 85-year-old Major David Walter, Balthayock, Perthshire, taking top spot with the help of his husband and wife stocks-team of Davie and Tracey Nicol.

Celebrating the herd’s 50th year in the breed this year with a big win, they also won quite recently, too, in 2015.

The home-bred two-year-old heifer, Balthayock Nessie, was their champion this year and she is a daughter of Dingle Hofmeister and out of Balthayock Jessie. She was also overall champion of champions at Alyth Show the previous week.

The Balthayock herd iss one of the oldest in the UK herd book and its first bull was bought at the Royal Highland in 1969. The winning heifer is in calf to Barbican Lancer.

Commenting on his win, Major Walter said: “It is all thanks to my wonderful team and their dedication and hard work that we have won today. The breed has improved enormously over the past 50 years, thanks to Breedplan identifying the genetic value scientifically.”

Lifting reserve was Neil and Stuart Barclay, Insch, Aberdeenshire, with the three-year-old, Harestone Mamma Mia. Stocksmen Robert Marshall and Hugh Ross also helped bring out this year’s champion, as well as Harestone’s breed champion here last year. This was her only outing of the year so far and she is sired by Maerdy Dublin out of Harestone Brigitte.

Leading the males was Jennifer Rix and stockman, Darren Knox, Colchester, Essex, with their 18-month-old bull calf, Wissington Olaf. Winning at this event is not unusual for them, having been overall champion Charolais three years ago and junior champion two years ago.

This year’s starring performer is a son of Edenhurst Leader and out of Wissington Imogen. Previously shown at the South of England, where he was junior champion plus many other local show wins, Olaf is destined for the Great Yorkshire and the Royal Welsh.

Second place from the same class as Olaf went on to be reserve male champion, which was Sean and Aiden Mitchell, Penrith, Cumbria, with the 16-month-old bull, Huttonend Oli.

This was their first time showing at the Highland and are just new in to the breed, only having three Charolais cattle at home with the hope of building up numbers. Their success came with a son of Alwent Goldbar, out of Edenhurst Indigo.

British Simmental

It was probably almost a honeymoon like no other for recent newlyweds, Laura and Robert Beattie, when they helped parade the Simmental overall champion, Corskie Disco, and her twin calves for Laura’s family’s herd, at the Highland.

Entered by Iain and Jimmy Green (Laura’s father and grandfather, respectively) this impressive matron – she’s now a seven-year-old – has shown little signs of slowing up in her showing career and her breeding is equally impressive with a nicely matched set of twins beside her at Ingliston. The former Grantown and Turriff show winner is a daughter of Islavale Sabre and was bred out of Corskie Swirl back home at Fochabers.

She was chased all the way through from the female championship by Reece and Andrew Simmers, from Keith. Their Sterling FCUK Impuls, is a two-year-old sired by Sterling Gino and out of Sterling’s Candy FCUK.

Bred by Boddington Estates, in Cheltenham, this came to the Simmers in a round-about way having been reserve female champion at last year’s Great Yorkshire Show.

They purchased her from Mr McMillan – a former stockman at Boddington – for a sale-topping 13,000gns after she was female champion at this year’s Stirling Bull Sales, in February. He had earlier bought her and her dam for 8000gns at the Boddington herd dispersal.

Gerald and Morag Smith and son Dougie led the way in the male section with their home-bred bull, Drumsleed Hivy 16. This three-year-old was only on his second show outing and he’d not long come back home to the herd at Fordoun, Laurencekirk, with the breed trophy from Alyth.

He is by Haystar Cracker, a bull which had been bought for 4800gns at the multi-breed sale at Stirling after he’d been champion – and out of Drumsleed Varonia.

Following him through from the same class to be reserve male was the similarly aged Denizes Hamish, from Michael Barlow, Leyland, Lancs. He was bull leader and supreme champion at the Simmental calf show at the Beef Expo, in 2016.

He was sired by the Genus sire, Dinton Nautical, and is out of Auroch Eve, a cow which took her second Royal Highland Show championship in 2016, when she shown with the future champion, Hamish, at foot.

Limousin

The star Devon show team of Melanie, Michael and their daughter, Charlotte Alford, of Foxhill, Cullompton, took the top spot within the breed with the two-year-old, Foxhillfarm Naomi.

The family has already had four breed champions and two reserves with Limousins at the Highland with their latest show winner being a daughter of by the record-breaking 140,000gns bull Trueman Jagger – in which the Alfords have a share. Naomi is out of Foxhillfarm Isla and earlier this year bagged the inter-breed beef championships at both Devon and Cornwall. She will head down to the Great Yorkshire and Royal Welsh.

First time Limousin exhibitor at Ingliston, Gareth Small, from Kilkeel, Co Down, who is better known for showing commercial cattle, also had a good day winning the reserve female and reserve overall. His best, Strathearn Red Oopsadaisy, an 18-month-old heifer, was also reserve at Balmoral this year. Another daughter of Trueman Jagger, she is out of Claragh Layla.

AW Jenkinson, Whinfellpark, Penrith – with stocksmen Craig and David Douglas in the driving seat – retained their male championship title, this time with the 14-month-old bull, Whinfellpark Oz. This one is a son of Gunnerfleet Lion, out of Whinfellpark Elite, and was reserve at both Ayr and Northumberland shows.

The team is also aiming to have a stab at the Great Yorkshire and the Royal Welsh shows later this year.

Making a bit of history for Andrew and Jim Gammie, Laurencekirk, was Westpit Oban, which gave them the reserve male title and a personal best for the herd. Their success came with a 15-month-old son of Jalex Itsallgood, which was junior champion here four years ago, while he’s a heifer’s calf out of Westpit Harmony. Again the Great Yorkshire and the Royal Welsh will be a target.

British Blonde

Ayrshire-based vet Alan Walker was again on the winning trail in what was a fairly small British Blonde section, taking top honours with his five-year-old cow, Gleniffer Jazmine.

Last shown at the Highland as a two-year-old – when she was first in her class – she is by Maidenlands Guy, which makes her a paternal half-sister to Mr Walker’s champion of three years ago.

The Savage family team from Northern Ireland – Sean, Shane and their nephew, Connor – took reserve overall with their reserve female, the home-bred three-year-old heifer, Shanvalley Mona, which is a daughter of Seaview Barney.

Shown with a February-born heifer calf at foot, the Savages have been champion at Ingliston before with her sister and have been showing since 2013. Mona was reserve female at Balmoral Show this year.

Winning the fight for the male championship was Sean and Aiden Mitchell, from Penrith, who took the sash with the yearling, Hutton Oli, a home-bred son of Hutton Harry out of Hackleton Elecia.

Runner-up was the two-year-old Forthview Nemo, from James Campbell, from Blackness, West Lothian. This home-bred bull is by Freefield E-Tay and was bred out of Forthview Jemma.

British Blue

Electrician and bike racer, Kevin Watret, from Annan, lifted his eighth breed champion – this time with Solway View Milly, which was also the junior female winner at last year’s Great Yorkshire.

The home-bred two-year-old is a daughter of Empire d’Ochain and its dam is Solway View Elegance, which made it a hat-trick of wins in 2013 when winning the breed championship at the Highland, Great Yorkshire and Royal Welsh. This year’s topper, brought out by stockman Ali Jackson, is also set to take on the Great Yorkshire and the Royal Welsh.

Taking a third consecutive breed male trophy back home to Dunblane was Robert and Mamie Paterson and son Robert. This time it was their home-bred yearling bull. Auchenlay Nimrod – a son of Sandyvale Jagerbomb, out of Auchenlay Hope – which got its name on the silverware.

Previously breed champion and reserve inter-breed champion at West Fife and Drymen shows earlier this year, he will take on the competition at the Royal Welsh later in the year.

Miss Charlotte Alford, Cullompton, Devon, followed up the family success in the Limousin section, when her Foxhill Nadiya was made reserve female within the breed. This home-bred 18-month-old show star is sired by Park Daimler and is a daughter of Rhymil Kylie. She has already won a number of titles including leading the breed at Devon County, Royal Cornwall and North Somerset shows, and is another heading for the Great Yorkshire and the Royal Welsh.

It was a ‘best ever’ win for Ian McGarva, Abington, South Lanarkshire, and his show stock team of Kelly Blackwood and Duncan Davidson, when he achieved his best ever placing at the Highland, taking the reserve male ticket with the home-bred 15-month-old bull, Abington Nitro. He is already a bit of a show winner, though, having been male champion and reserve overall at Agri Expo and the Stars of the Future, plus some other local show wins. He is sired by Corrandulla Finton and is out of Abington Harriet.

Salers

Regular winners, Roy and Adam Crockett, Hawick, Roxburghshire, again took the top ticket amongst the Salers this time with Bacardi Keisha – this was their fourth overall breed championship out of six showing opportunities at the RHS.

The silveware this time went to their four-year-old cow which is a full sister to their overall Salers champion from last year – both are by Gulliver and out of Cleuchhead Delilah 3. This year, she has already been reserve female at Northumberland and reserve AOB at Stirling.

Reserve overall and runner-up female came from Rob and Kath Livesey, and their son Rory, from Melrose, in the Borders. The Highland was the start of the show season for Cleuchhead Image, though she is now set for more local shows and the Great Yorkshire. The three-year-old in-calf heifer is sired by Cuil Godfather and out of Image. The family previously succeeded at the show, having the champion Salers here in 2010.

Topping the males this year was the two-year-old bull, Cumbrian Moonraker, from brothers, Tom and Ian Walling, Over Whitlaw, Selkirk. His mother, Cumbrian Ladybird, has been previously overall Salers champion here and he is sired by Lataster Hector. Tom and Ian have exhibited at the RHS for many years and this was their third championship at the show, but this was the first outing for this young bull, which is set to take on the Great Yorkshire competition this year.

Father and son duo, Michael and Leslie Durno, Auchorachan, took the reserve male honours – the best the family has done at the RHS since starting in the breed. Their stock bull, Cleuchhead Munro, was shown last year as a calf where he was placed third in his class, before taking four championships at local shows, although this was his first outing this year. The two-year-old is by Cuil Godfather and out of a Cleuchhead Mhairi.

Commercial

It was a family affair again in the commercial ring, with Hugh Dunlop and son Stewart, Holehouse, Cumnock, taking home the big prize – they previously won the same award four years ago.

Their home-bred two-year-old heifer, Darcie, is sired by the Limousin bull, Cromwell Fendt and out of a Limousin cross cow. Earlier this year she was first at Ayr and is set to compete at the Great Yorkshire.

A 22-month-old steer almost continued his winning form to secure Blair Duffton and Rebecca Stuart, of Huntly, a first Highland win. Their male and reserve champion was shown by Steve Smith. While the team has been close to the podium before, this year’s success came with Dancer, which has been at 14 shows and has stood first at each one. This includes Livescot and the Welsh Winter Fair. His win at Ingliston however, was his first championship. He was bought at Brecon in February, 2018, for £2800 as a calf.

Katrine and Craig Malone, from Lochgelly, in Fife, lifted the reserve female title with the 15-month-old heifer, She’s a Belter. The couple have had two championship wins in the past and she was bought in from her breeder, David Erskine. Since then, she has scooped the calf championship at Livescot and reserve calf at the Welsh Winter Fair. She is by Connon and out of a Limousin cross cow.

In only her second year of showing at the Highland, Suzie Dunn, Stirling, grabbed the male reserve prize with the December, 2017-born steer, Haggis Bomb. A well known show goer, Haggis Bomb has been a regular champion and is set for many more this year. The young bullock is sired by the Limousin bull, Craigatoke Jameson and out of a Limousin cross cow. He was bought from from JS Baillie and Company, from Sebay, Orkney.