KILLIN SHOW’S regular band of organisers and exhibitors, most from staunchly commercial hill farms, made it plain in the torrential week running up to their show that they were ‘not afraid of a little rain’. Happily, on the day, while the Falls of Dochart still boiled with the unseasonal flow from the hills, all the waterproofs proved unnecessary.

Blackface section judge, Colin Cameron was very much the centre of attention from the off, as he had no less than 16 classes to cast his eye over, all of which attracted a packed ring of entries.

After much deliberation, Peter McDiarmid and Co, of Shenlarich, Lawers, topped the Blackies with a home-bred three-year-old ewe, attending its only show of the year. By a tup bred by Ruaridh Kerr of The Glen, which was bought at Stirling as a lamb, the champion ewe’s last outing had been to Killin last year, when she was placed reserve.

Standing in breed reserve was Colin Little of Glen Ample, with a shearling tup, by a £13,000 Gass, that was bought in Fort William as a lamb for £4200. Having already been tried out this season, and having bred ‘tremendously well’, the shearling is now to be kept as a stock tup.

But despite the hefty numbers in the Blackface ring, the show’s supreme award went to the commercial cattle champion, shown by McDiarmid Bros of Ben Lawers, Aberfeldy. This home-bred bullock calf, born last September, is by the Irish Limousin sire Oldhouse Dougall, out of a British Blue cross cow, and was on its first show outing.

The commercial cattle reserve also came from Ben Lawers, in the shape of another home-bred bullock calf, by a Hornby Limousin bull, on its one and only show outing.

In the Any Other Breed sheep section, Shenlarich was again to the fore, with a Texel cross Beltex gimmer had been to Killin as a lamb and topped its class.

Similarly, the McDiarmid’s flock of 150 Texel cross ewes produced the AOB reserve, an April-born Texel cross Beltex ewe lamb.

Within AOB, the Swaledale breed was represented by Finlay Macaskill, of Tullich farm, Killin, who topped that section with a home-bred ewe, by a tup bred by Alan Alderson, of Kirby Stephen, shown unclipped.

Leading awards

Commercial cattle (Judge: M Hall, Dalmally). Champion – McDiarmid Bros, Ben Lawers, Aberfeldy, with a home-bred bullock calf, by the Irish Limousin sire Oldhouse Dougall, out of a British Blue cross cow. Reserve – McDiarmid Bros, with another home-bred bullock calf, by a Hornby Limousin bull out of a cross cow with some British Blue blood. Limousin-sired bullock, Limousin-sired heifer, Limousin-sired bullock calf, best spring-born calf – McDiarmid Bros. Limousin-sired heifer calf, breeding heifer, cow with calf, cow – K Taylor and Sons, Dall.

Blackface (Judge: C Cameron). Champion – P McDiarmid and Co, Shenlarich, Lawers, with a home-bred three-year-old ewe, by a tup bred by Ruaridh Kerr of The Glen. Reserve – C Little, Glen Ample, with a shearling tup, by a £13,000 Gass. Senior ram, ram, shearling ram, male group, reserve fleece – C Little. Senior ewe, ewe, pair of wedder lambs – P McDiarmid and Sons. Gimmer, pair of gimmers – H Taylor, Brae of Ardeonaig.Ram lamb, ram lamb pair – K Taylor and Sons. Ewe lamb, female group of three – I and R McLarty, Glen Tarken. Junior young handler’s lamb – Archie Little. Youung handler’s lamb – Iona Little.

Any other breed sheep (Judge: C Ewart, Glencarse). Champion – P McDiarmid and Co, with a Texel cross Beltex gimmer. Reserve – P McDiarmid and Co, with an April-born Texel cross Beltex ewe lamb, which will be kept for stock. Cross lamb pair from Blackface ewe, cross lamb pair from cross ewe, gimmer, ewe lamb, tup lamb – P McDiarmid and Co. Ewe – N and F McNaughton, Dualin. Mule ewe lamb – P Reilly, Tullochmhor. Tup – C Little. Swaledale ewe, Swaledale ram, best Swaledale – F McAskill.