Despite some shows on the Scottish mainland being cancelled because of the wet weather, the Orkney County Show went off without a hitch on Saturday.

The forecast at one point was predicting rain and thunderstorms for almost all of the day before the show and show day itself. But in the end there was only lingering cloud around the Bignold Park and a couple of areas of the field which were challenging to anybody pushing a pram!

However, come rain or shine, nothing could have taken the smile off Balfour Baillie's face. Well-known as a breeder of top commercial show cattle throughout Scotland, he scooped his first supreme overall on home-turf.

Lifting the supreme cattle championship for him was a 14-month-old Limousin cross heifer which had earlier been the top animal in the cross black and blue section. Sired by Craigatoke Jameson and out of a British Blue cross cow, she's bound for the Thainstone Spectacular next week.

Mr Baillie, who has taken several inter-breed titles at the East Mainland Show, and numerous breed championships here and further south, runs his own suckler herd along side family beef, sheep and dairy operations at Sebay in Tankerness.

Reserve supreme amongst the cattle was presented to another member of the Baillie family in Balfour’s great-uncle Ronnie, wife Agnes and sons Rognvald and Magnus from the Biggings, Toab.

Their show stopper was the Charolais winner, Baillieston Orcadian, a 15-month-old bull by the 25,000gns Maerdy Hasse. Their success came just a week after they’d been awarded the supreme championship at the East Mainland Show with a different bull.

Winning the inter-breed sheep trophy was the Texel champion from former Banffshire breeder, Robbie Scott, Drumpark, who now lives on island just outside Holm. His best, a gimmer, is by Top Hill Wall Street, a ram that has sired lambs to 60,000gns, while her dam was the reserve champion at Lanark in 2015 which went on to sell for 6500gns.

Reserve supreme was Sheena Coghill’s Charollais champion from the 50-strong flock from Muce, Birsay. Hekra Tamara is a full ET sister to another gimmer that had won for her at the Dounby Show just two days earlier. She is by Hollylodge Storm and out of a ewe bought at the breed's 40th anniversary sale in Worcester.

Overall horse was the light-legged champion Lisronagh shown by Alannah Norquoy, Ingyquoy, South Ronaldsay.

Just pipped at the post was a six-year-old home-bred Shetland stallion from show president Laura Cromarty, Bayview Ideal.

LEADING awards

Beef Shorthorn (Judge: Carol Rettie, 10 College Place, Methven). Champion – JM Lennie and Co, Nearhouse, Tankerness with Nearhouse Lyall, a home-bred two-year-old bull by Pentland Emperor out of Nearhouse Joanna. Sire was purchased privately and was inter-breed champion at Orkney County Show in 2016. Reserve – Laga Farms, Evie with Hurtiso Lorna, a two-year-old in-calf heifer by the 5000gns Gregor’s Fernando and out of Hurtiso Deborah. Dam purchased in-calf from Erlend Flett, Hurtiso, Holm.

Aberdeen-Angus (Judge: C Rettie). Champion – JS Baillie and Co, Sebay Farm, Tankerness with Sebay Jilt U397, a 14-month-old home-bred heifer by Weeton Diamond, out of Cardona Jilt K721. Reserve – Messrs Davidson, Skaill Farm, Sandwick with Skaill Deric U876, a 16-month-old bull by Rawburn Jackson Eric P967 out of Skaill Diana M7171 – a past reserve breed champion at the Highland Show.

Charolais (Judge: R Rettie, 10 College Place, Methven). Champion – WR Baillie and Co, Biggings, Toab with Baillieston Orcadian, a 15-month-old home-bred bull by the 25,000gns Maerdy Hasse out of Baillieston Geri. Reserve – GT and S Coghill, Muce Farm, Birsay with Hekra Holly, a seven-year-old home-bred cow by Seawell Dagger out of Hekra Alicia. Past Charolais champion here and supreme at Dounby Show.

Limousin (Judge: R Rettie). Champion – A and L Cromarty, Hools, South Ronaldsay with Hools Paulo, a seven month-old home-bred calf by Lodge Hamlet out of Hools Malena. Reserve – R and J Johnston, Hewan, Shapinsay with Hewan Oscar, a nine-month-old home-bred calf by Garnedd Max out of Hewan Indy.

Other pure-bred Continental (Judge: R Rettie). Champion – A and A Foubister, Netherton, Holm with Graemshall Krystal, a three-year-old home-bred British Blue cow by Boothlow Dynamo, out of Graemshall Grace. Section winner here last year. Reserve – A and A Foubister with Graemshall Hope, a seven-year-old home-bred British Blue cow by Wacko Van Het Beekhof out of Graemshall Duchess.

Cross-bred coloured (Judge: M Rainnie, Loanhead, Logie Coldstone). Champion – T and J Leslie, Quoymorhouse, Shapinsay with a Limousin-cross heifer calf by Lodge Hamlet. Reserve – B Bailllie, Sebay View, Tankerness with a Limousin-cross steer-calf by Craigatoke Jameson.

Black/blue polled cross-bred (Judge: M Rainnie). Champion – B Baillie, Sebay View, Tankerness with the overall champion of champions, a 15-month-old home-bred heifer by Craigatoke Jameson out of a British Blue-cross cow. Reserve – R and J Johnston, Hewan, Shapinsay with a 10-month-old home-bred Limousin cross heifer calf by Ashmara Commander.

Border Leicester (Judge: D Allen, Humbleheugh, Alnwick) Champion – J Wilson, Tofts, St Ola with a home-bred gimmer by a Muirmouth tup and out of a ewe bought from J Kirkpatrick. Reserve – J Wilson with the two-shear ram that was the sire of the champion.

Suffolk (Judge: J Lorimer, Cadgerford, Kingswells). Champion – D Summers, Easthouse, Toab with a home-bred gimmer by Irongray Ivan, out of a Muirton Magnus-sired ewe. Champion at this year’s Orkney East Mainland Show and second at Orkney County last year. Reserve – JR Burgess, Stonehill, Firth with a Cadgerford-bred two-shear ram.

Texel (Judge: D McKerrow, Nochnary Farm, Freuchie). Champion – RE and RF Scott, Dawn Cottage, Holm with a gimmer by Top Hill Wall Street and out of a Plasucha Va Va Voom-sired ewe. Dam was reserve champion at Lanark in 2015 and was bought for 6500gns. Supreme sheep at East Mainland Show. Reserve – J Cowe, Little Howes, Holm with a one-crop ewe by Knock Yardsman out of Crailloch Victor-sired ewe. Bought from the Brackenridge flock last year as a gimmer.

Beltex (Judge: A Morton, Lochend Farm, Denny). Champion – R Flaws, Nisthouse, Evie with Woodwick Duchess, a home-bred gimmer by Langlands Bruiser and out of an Airyolland Avicii-sired ewe. Reserve – V and CCopland with Orkney Dancing Queen, a home-bred gimmer by Airyolland Wee Jimmy out of the Forglen Nearco daughter Orkney Twinkle Toes that was fourth prize gimmer at the Highland Show in 2014.

North Country Cheviot (Judge: D Allen). Champion – J and J Smith, Upper Cornquoy, Holm with a ewe lamb by Upper Cornquoy Wannabe and out of a home-bred ewe. Second at East Mainland Show. Reserve – Elsie Wishart, Newbigging, Harray with a ewe.

Cross-bred (Judge: J Lorimer). Champion – Sheena Coghill, Muce Farm, Birsay with a ewe. Reserve – Tommy Linklater, Stonelea, Stenness with a gimmer sired by a Beltex cross Texel tup. Champion commercial at Dounby this year.

Charollais (Judge: B Radley, Loaningfoot, Georgetown). Champion – Sheena Coghill, Muce Farm, Birsay with the reserve supreme, an ET-bred gimmer Hekra Tamara by Hollylodge Storm and out of Loanhead Rhianna. A full ET sister to the gimmer that won at this year’s Dounby Show. Reserve – J and H Taylor and S Campbell, Tayberry, South Ronaldsay with a ram lamb.

Any other pure-bred (Judge: B Radley). Champion – Lexie Dearness, Heatherlea, Toab with Dolores, a Dutch Spotted gimmer imported from the Netherlands. Reserve – R Stevenson, Backakelday, Holm with a Hill Cheviot ram lamb.

Highland ponies (Judge: H Russell, Mounteagle Farm, Fearn) Champion – IT and M Rorie, Easdale, Newark, Deerness with Fourmerk Harriet, a 15-year-old mare by Tuskerbister Jarl Haakon. Bought from Joan Alexander, Stirling as a yearling. Champion here last year. Reserve - IT and M Rorie with Tuskerbister Ola, a 12-year-old mare by Upper Drambuie Stalker, out of Bonnie Lass of Finnlarig. Previous champion at Orkney County and Dounby Shows

Heavy horse (Judge: L Cheyenne, Auchmaliddie Croft, Maud) Champion – Toots Cromarty, Hilltoft, Burray with Ingliston Crusader, a seven-year-old gelding by Ingliston Perfection, out of Ingliston Tina. Overall horse at the South Ronaldsay and Burray Show, this year and reserve ridden at Blair last year. Reserve – Ivy Cromarty, Heathervale, Burray with Hrossland Just Poppy, a three year-old home-bred filly by Arradoul Balvenie and out of Daigloch Lady Winhill.

Shetland (Judge: H Sleigh, St John’s Wells, Fyvie). Champion – Laura Cromarty, Bayview, Toab with Bayview Ideal, a six-year-old home-bred stallion by a Millhouse stallion and out of Bayview Manhattan. Reserve – Millquoy Shetland Pony Stud, Millquoy, Stenness with the home-bred yeld mare Millquoy Daybreak.