A BRAVE decision made by the organisers to go ahead with Aberfeldy Show despite the horrendous conditions was well rewarded when the day, for the most part, welcomed glorious sunshine at Wade’s Park.

Having never shown at Aberfeldy before, it was a debut dream for John Graham when he not only secured the Clydesdale championship with Doura Joules but went on to claim the champion of champions trophy, as judged on a points-based system by the five section judges.

Three-year-old Joules, by Doura Jackpot, has had a successful 2019 show season having already stood champion at Ayr and Beith shows.

Judge of the Clydesdale section, Jim Greenhill, of the Tulloes stud, is a big fan of the mare and said she’s just about as good an example of the breed you’ll get.

Taking the overall reserve ticket was the cattle champion, a heifer from the Robertson family – John, his sister Margaret and John’s son, Craig. The September-born daughter of Whinfellpark Iago picked up a second prize ticket at Perth Show and is destined for the Thainstone Spectacular.

Claiming the supreme Highland pony ticket from a quality section was the in-hand winner, Kim Stretch’s Silver Rose of Roisbheinn, whose own dam, Beauty of Sma’ Glen, is a previous winner here. This five-year-old Chapelhill Earl daughter has rarely been out of the prizes.

Over in the busy sheep lines, the Blackface section was headed up by a two-crop ewe from Tay and Torridon Estate, managed by Billy Brady brought out with help from his son, Alan. This daughter of a £38,000 Auchloy has hauled in a number of top tickets this year, including the reserve inter-breed title at Perth.

A trio of prime lambs topped the prime lamb and commercial sheep section for the Thomson family, brought out by Roddy. Tipping the scales at 44kg apiece to win the heavyweight class, they are seven-eighths Beltex and by a Tiree sire.

LEADING awards:

Highland pony (Judge: Mrs V Fletcher, Burnton of Boquhan, Kippen). Champion – K Stretch, Cuilt Farmhouse, Gilmerton, with Silver Rose of Roisbheinn, a five-year-old yeld mare bred from a former champion here, Beauty of Sma’ Glen, which was in fact bred by Kim’s mother. Rose, a Chapelhill Earl daughter, has picked up a number of top tickets over the years – including champion at Kirriemuir as a two and three-year-old – and this year has been first at Braco, second at Fife and third at Perth. Reserve – S Murray, Lurgan Farm, Camserney, Aberfeldy, with last year’s supreme Highland pony champion, Lurgan Tay Mhor, a 10-year-old mare shown this year with her colt foal at foot by Glenwestcastle Loch Rannoch. Sired by Red Rock Dunain and out of Tessa of Alltnacailleach, Tay has done well under saddle, taking the ridden championship at Aberfeldy in 2017 as well as the reserve novice title at Blair last year. Ridden – L Roberts, Glenlyon, with Loandhu Lexi, a nine-year-old mare that secured a sixth in her ridden class at the Royal Highland. Ridden by Pat McDonald, she is by Oakley of Whitefield and out of Whitefield Princess Mercury. Yeld mare – K Stretch. Gelding – S Laing, Dalnacardoch, Pitlochry. Three-year-old, ridden – L Roberts. Two-year-old – S Yeaman, Coupar Angus. Yearling, brood mare, foal – S Murray.

Clydesdale (Judge: J Greenhill, Upper Tulloes, Forfar). Champion – J Graham, Mains of Burnbank, Stirling, with Doura Joules, a three-year-old mare that was champion at Ayr and Beith shows as well as reserve at Kilmaurs. Sired by Doura Jackpot and out of Mill Barbara, she also went on to win the champion of champions trophy to make John’s first time exhibiting at Aberfeldy a successful one. Reserve – C McCulloch and L Crooks, Trinity Cottages, Luncarty, with Elvis inspiration, their 10-year-old gelding by Muirton Inspiration and out of Muirton Morag. He has always been in the prizes for Colina and Laura, most recently standing reserve male at Perth. Mare – J Graham. Gelding, harness, decoration, groomed horse – C McCulloch and L Crooks. Yearling filly – S Aitken, Newton Cottage, Memus, Forfar. Young handler – Keira Gowans.

Commercial cattle (Judge: Mrs L Wylie, Carie, Blairgowrie). Champion – J Robertson and Co, Newton of Logierait, Ballinluig, with a September-born heifer by the privately purchased Whinfellpark Iago, which was the sire of the majority of the Robertson’s show team. This second prize heifer from Perth Show, which is bred from a Limousin cross Blue cow bought at Kirkby Stephen, will next head to the Thainstone Spectacular. Reserve – Ballechin Farms, Ballechin, Ballinluig, with an April-born heifer on her first outing brought out by Iain Michie and family. Sired by the current stock bull, Foxhillfarm Justthejob, she is out of a home-bred Limousin cross Angus mother. Cow – A Kennedy and Son, Tom of Cluny, Aberfeldy. Cow and calf, autumn-born Limousin-sired stot calf, autumn-born Limousin-sired heifer calf, best Limousin calf, yearling heifer, best calf – J Robertson and Co. Breeding heifer, spring-born Limousin-sired male calf, spring-born Limousin-sired heifer calf, reserve Limousin calf, yearling stot, reserve calf – Ballechin Farms. Autumn-born continental-sired stot calf, autumn-born continental-sired heifer calf, spring-born continental-sired male calf, spring-born continental-sired heifer calf, best AOB calf – Messrs Marshall, Borlick Farm, Aberfeldy. Native-sired animal, reserve AOB calf, pair of calves, best Aberdeen-Angus calf, reserve Aberdeen-Angus calf – B and J Menzies, Baledmund, Tulliemet, Ballinluig.

Blackface (Judge: R Nixon, Marbrack Farm, Carsphairn). Champion – Tay and Torridon Estate, North Amulree, Dunkeld, with the two-crop ewe that was champion and reserve inter-breed champion at Perth Show as well as champion at Kirriemuir and reserve at Doune and Dunblane. Her breeding features a £38,000 Auchloy on to a ewe by an £11,000 Midlock. Reserve – D Murray, Lurgan Farm, Camserney, Aberfeldy, with an April-born twin ewe lamb on her first outing. She is by the home-bred son of a £15,000 Crossflatt that won his class, while her dam is a daughter of a £2000 Crossflatt. Aged ram, shearling ram, ram lamb, ewe lamb, male group, female group, male champion – D Murray. Two-shear ram – Remony Estate Partnership, Remony, Aberfeldy. Ewe, female champion, bred by exhibitor – Tay and Torridon Estate. One-crop ewe – T Muirhead, Ptarmigan House, Blair Atholl. Gimmer – A Frame, Dullator Farm, Amulree, Dunkeld. Shepherd’s sheep – W Nicol, Remony.

Prime lambs and cross sheep (Judge: B Robb, Westerhall Farm, Dollar). Champion – D and J Thomson, West Park, Aberfeldy, with a pen of three fat lambs that won the heavyweight class having weighed in at 44kg. Second in their class to the champion pen of fat lambs at Perth Show, they are seven-eighths Beltex, being by a Tiree ram and out of a ewe with Tiree breeding. Reserve – M & J Kennedy, Lurgan Farm, Edradynate, Aberfeldy, with a ewe and pair of lambs at foot brought out by daughters, Katrina and Yvonne. The ewe is a Beltex cross with a spot of Bleu du Maine in her while the lambs, by an Easter Ochtermuthill tup bought last year, will be at least three-quarter Beltex. Three Blackface lambs, three cross lambs out of Blackface ewe – P McDiarmid and Co, Shenlarich, Lawers, Aberfeldy. Three Mule lambs, Mule ewe lamb – Remony Estate Partnership, Remony, Aberfeldy. Three Cheviot lambs – Derculich Farms, Derculich, Strathtay. Three Suffolk-sired lambs, three cross lambs, ewe, gimmer, ewe lamb, native female, female group, best prime lambs, reserve prime lambs – D and J Thomson. Ram – B and J Menzies, Baledmund Farm, Tulliemet, Ballinluig. Ewe with twins – M and J Kennedy. Young handlers – 1, Jake Burgess; 2, Finlay Corbitt; 3, Nicole Frame.

Wool (Judge: M Sanderson, North Wheatlands Mill, Galashiels). Mattress Blackface, fine Blackface, Cheviot, naturally coloured – W and WI Bruges, Laighwood, Dunkeld. Greyface/Mule/lustre, fine/medium – Messrs Kennedy, Borlick Farm, Aberfeldy.