THE SUN shone down on the wet fields just in time to welcome local farmers and members of the public to Coylton Show, which ended with the ever-popular egg throwing competition.

Many familiar faces took on the sheep lines to await judge, Andrew Neilson, of East Brackenridge Farm’s decision on his supreme sheep champion, which he awarded to the Bluefaced Leicester from Alistair Clark and Sons, Avisyard, Cumnock, for their home-bred March-born ewe lamb. Mr Neilson commented on her ‘outstanding size, length and balance, topped off with a tremendous character’, but said his reserve choice from the Suffolk section was ‘only narrowly behind the champion.’

That Suffolk belonged to Peter and Lynn Gray of the Scrogton flock and is a shearling by Brijon Black Magic.

Over in the cattle lines, local dairy farmer, Shaun Rennie, Brocklehill, Mossblown, won with his two-year-old Holstein, Spotlight Bankroll Paradise, on her first show outing.

Cumnock farmers, Alan and Shona Stevenson, Carbello, took the reserve in the cattle championship with their four-month-old Limousin cross calf, Hot Shot, by Kinniside Moby Dick. They also took the championship in the pure-bred section with their two-year-old Limousin, Burnbank Neve, which has been sweeping up red tickets this show season.

LEADING awards

Holsteins (Judge: A Neilson, East Brackenridge, Strathaven). Champion – S Rennie, Brocklehill, Mossblown, with his two-year-old cow, Spotlight Bankroll Paradise on her first outing. She is home-bred, out of Leasebeck Atwood Paradise and is producing 42 litres daily. Reserve – M and R Scott, Shacklehill, Mossblown, with their fifth calver, Aliann Damian Miss Lolli Ex 92. She is by Erb Acres Damian, out of Aliann Shottle Miss Lolli Ex93, and is producing 55 litres daily. Derby quey, heifer-in-milk and best Holstein – S Rennie. Cow-in-milk – Mackie. Cow-in-milk and best pair – M and R Scott. Calf – A Brown.

Native (Judge: I Nimmo, Bogside, Newmains). Champion – W and EI Brown, Laigh Drumdow, Turnberry, with their 17-month-old Aberdeen-Angus bull, Drumdow Rasper. He is by Blelack Evril and out of a Rosemary dam, and stood male champion at Stranraer and is due to be sold at Stirling in October. Reserve – R Crawford, Brackenhill, with his 16-month-old Shorthorn heifer, Backenhill Sally Broadhooks M340, by T-Star, a bull bought at Stirling in 2015 and out of a home-bred cow Brackenhill Sally Broadhooks B002H. Bull – W and EI Brown. Heifer and calf – R Crawford.

Prime cattle (Judge: I Nimmo). Reserve inter-breed and beef champion – A and S Stevenson, Carbello, Cumnock, with their four-month-old Limousin cross calf, Hot Shot, by their stockbull Kinniside Moby Dick, purchased at Carlisle in 2018 for £9000. He is out of a British Blue cross Limousin dam bought from Craig Malone and bred at Fardan, Girvan. He is destined to be sold at Caledonian Marts sale in September. Reserve – L and A Allan, Arnsow, Kirkmichael, with a 14-month-old Limousin cross bullock, Game Changer. He is Welsh bred by Emily Jones, sired by Swarland Larry and out of a Limousin cross cow. He stood reserve beef champion at Colmonell on his first outing of the season and will next be shown at LiveScot and Agri-Expo. Bullock born before September 1 – L and A Allan. Bullock born between Nov 1, 2018 and March 31,2019 and bullock born after April 1 2019 – A and S Stevenson.

Pure-bred continental cattle (Judge: I Nimmo). Champion – A and S Stevenson’s 25-month-old pure Limousin heifer, Burnbank Neve, which had been bought at Carlisle as a weaned calf and is by Maraiscote Lettisier. She stood pure-bred champion at Dalrymple, continental champion at Stranraer and beef champion at Colmonell.

Young stockperson (all ages) – 1, Kyle Scott; 2, Gregor Brown; 3, Callum Brown.

Border Leicester (Judge: S Bourman: Middlehouse, Carluke). Champion and reserve – D and I Walker, Laigh Alticane, Pinwherry, with their home-bred three-crop-ewe by a Eildon Merrick tup and out of a Hill Billy dam. Reserve was a gimmer by Clola Cracker Jack and out of a dam by Lyham Lord Kelso. She stood champion at Stranraer and is due to go to the Four Nation breed show at Carlisle. Tup lamb – Stevensons, Drumsuie, Coylton. Ewe , gimmer, ewe lamb and group of three – D and I Walker.

Suffolk (Judge: S Bourman). Inter-breed group of three champion, reserve inter-breed, breed champion and reserve – P and L Gray, Scrogton Flock, Galston, with a home-bred shearling by Brijon Black Magic and out of a home-bred ewe, also by a home-bred sire. He is destined for Kelso Ram Sales. Reserve was a home-bred one-crop-ewe, also by Brijon Black Magic, which was also the father of the flock’s top price shearling in 2018. She is out of a home-bred ewe by a Roseden ram. All classes – P and L Gray.

Prime sheep (Judge: S Bourman). Champion – Ian Craig, Rankinston. Reserve – J Guild, Laight.

Texel (Judge: D Clark, Lee Meadow Farm, Braidwood, Carluke). Champion – J and G Paterson, Oxenshaw, with a home-bred gimmer by Millers Action Man and out of a dam by Castlecairn Va Va Voom, on her first outing. Reserve – C and R Brown, Kirkhill, Craigie, with a home-bred three-crop-ewe by Springwells Ulster Boy. She is out of a dam bought from Jimmy Warnock, Sandilands, in 2014 and picked up the reserve ticket on her first show outing. Ram – P and L Gray. Tup lamb, gimmer, ewe lamb and group of three – G and J Paterson. Ewe – C and R Brown.

AOB pure-bred continental sheep (Judge: D Clark). Champion – J and D Hodge, Dykes, Auchinleck, with their one-crop Beltex ewe, Aviemore Corra, which was bought in 2018. She is by Corstane Whistlers and out of Aviemore Red Patch. Reserve – I Lammie, Longhouse, Cumnock, with a home-bred March-born Blue Texel ewe lamb by Hackney You’re Joking and out of an imported ewe from the Turbo flock in Wales, bought in 2018 at Carlisle. Tup lamb, ewe lamb – I Lammie. Ewe, gimmer, group of three – J and D Hodge.

Blackface (Judge: I Minto, Townhead, Dolphinton, West Linton). Champion and reserve – G Watson, Knockbreck, Straiton with a home-bred gimmer by a Marbrack tup and out of a home-bred dam. Reserve was a home-bred three-crop-ewe by a £16,000 Happrew tup and out of an Auldhouseburn-bred ewe. Tup hogg, tup lamb, ewe, gimmer lamb, group of three – G Watson. Ewe lamb – Sorn flock

Bluefaced Leicester (Judge: I Minto). Inter-breed sheep champion – A Clark and Sons, Avisyard, Cumnock, with a home-bred March-born ewe lamb. She is by the shearling tup which stood first in his class and out of a home-bred ewe by a Maunby tup bought at Hawes. The sire will be sold at Kelso. Reserve – S Hamilton, Tower Farm, Sanquhar, with a home-bred gimmer by a J7 Finniness tup and out of a Carryhouse H25 dam. She stood second in her class at Dumfries and will be kept to run with the home-flock. Ram, ewe lamb – A Clark and Sons. Tup lamb, gimmer, group of three – S Hamilton. Ewe – Sorn Mains.

Scotch Mule (Judge: I Minto). Champion and reserve – J Guild, Laight, New Cumnock, with his one-crop ewe bought in a pen of 40 lambs at Castle Douglas in 2017. She was bred by S Hamilton, Tower Farm and collected seven championships as a gimmer in 2018 and stood champion this season at Dumfries. Reserve was his gimmer bought in a pen of 40 ewe lambs at Castle Douglas in 2018. She was bred by Willie Lockhart, Culdoach, and will be retained in the home flock. He also took reserve in the inter-breed group of three. Ewe, gimmer, ewe lamb, group of three – J Guild. Pen of three ewe lambs – B Craig.

Young stockperson – 12 and under – 1 and reserve overall, Sienna Nisbet; 2, Glen Paterson; 3, Callum Brown. 13 and over – 1 and champion, John Paterson; 2, Shaun Lammie; 3, Adam Robinson.