With damp and drizzly conditions failing to prevent visitors and competitors from making their way to Langholm Show, it was fitting that local enthusiasts – Jim Robertson and Sharon Graham – stormed the sheep section, taking both champion and reserve tickets, as well as the South Country Cheviot 'champion of champions' title.

On her first outing, the inter-breed sheep champion from their Becks Farm, just outside Langholm, was a Texel gimmer out of a ewe by the 18,000gns Scrogtonhead tup, and by a Strawfrank sire.

“She’s a cracking gimmer, with a good carcase and skin like some of her predecessors from the same bloodline. She is definitely one of my favourites within the flock,” said Sharon Graham, who runs the Texel flock at Becks.

Partner Jim Robertson’s South Country Cheviot went on to take the reserve inter-breed ticket. She's a gimmer that was first at Teviothead and reserve at Dumfries, earlier this year. She is by Hindhope Cavalier and out of a home-bred ewe.

The sheep section also welcomed the South Country Cheviot breed society’s champion of champions, where the winners from various shows come together to compete for the overall title.

Following their already successful day within the sheep ring, the Becks also took the South Country Cheviot crown with their Teviothead champion, the three-shear tup, Mainside Yielder, which was purchased at Lockerbie Ram Sales last year for £4200, from the Weir family's flock, from near Jedburgh. He is a son of Castle Angus and is out of a home-bred dam.

In the cattle lines, taking the commercial and overall inter-breed rosette was the British Blue cross Limousin heifer, Lucky Star, from Thomas Hunter, Upper Brydekirk, led out by Emily Hunter.

Taking reserve at Moffat and coming fourth in her class at the Beef Expo last year, she is a daughter of the British Blue bull, Stonebyres Imp and is out of a home-bred Limousin cow.

Reserve overall cattle was the Galloway champion, Octavious, a bull calf owned by David and Rosemary Cornthwaite, Balgray Hill, Lockerbie, that stood first in his class at Dumfries this year. He is by Troloss Impeccable and out of Penninghame Queen.

Securing the native championship was a Beef Shorthorn heifer calf, Neve, from John Anderson, Rowanburnfoot, Canonbie. Winning her calf class at Peebles earlier this year, she is by Farloanan Ranger, and is out of Cairnsmore Chapelton.

Another feature at Langholm is the South of Scotland young handler championship, where 13-year-old James Drummond, from Cassington Farm, ruled supreme when showing his Bluefaced Leicester gimmer.

Winning the Langholm young handlers championship was Lara Ried, showing her Suffolk tup lamb.

LEADING awards

South Country Cheviot – Champion and reserve inter-breed – J Robertson, Becks, Langholm, with a gimmer that stood reserve at Dumfries and a class winner at Teviothead. She is sired by Hindhope Cavalier and is out of a home-bred ewe. Reserve – W Nixon, Cooms Farm, Langholm, with a shearling tup, sired by the £1200 Sunhope and out of a home-bred ewe. He stood second in his class at Teviothead. Best female bred by exhibitor – J Robertson. Male group – N Cavers, Hoghill. Best male – W Nixon. Untouched champion – C Weir. SCC champion of champion – J Robertson, with a three-shear tup, Mainside Yielder, sired by Castle Angus and out of a home-bred dam. He was bought at Lockerbie in 2018 for £4200, from the Weirs.

Blackface – Champion – G Jackson, Blackburn, Newcastleton, with a gimmer that was champion at Holm this year. She is sired by an £1800 Dyke and is out of a Midlock-sired dam. Reserve – D Aitken, Upper Cleuch, Lockerbie, with a home-bred tup lamb on his first outing. He is a Troloss son of the £5000 Nunnerie and is out of home-bred dam sired by the £26000 Crossflatt tup. Best female – G Jackson. Best opposite sex to the champion – G Jackson. Best untouched sheep – D Aitken. Untouched sheep points – S Lambie. Betweeen touched and untouched – C Weir.

Prime lambs – Champion pen – L Williamson, Dykehead Farm, Penton. Two weighing 80kg and over – L Williamson.

Blueface Leicester – Champion and reserve – J Anderson, Rowanburnfoot, Canonbie, with a shearling tup which was bought from Midlock at Lanark in 2018. He is sired by Shafthill K1 and is out of a Midlock-bred dam. He was the class winner at Holm Show. Reserve was J Anderson’s ewe lamb, also a daughter of Shafthill K1, and her dam bought-in lamb from the Midlock flock in 2018.

Texel – Champion and inter-breed champion – S Graham, Becks Farm, Langholm, with a gimmer sired by a Strawfrank tup and out of a 1800 Scrogtonhead-sired home-bred ewe. This was her first outing. Best accredited – J Carlile, Fawrass. Best opposite to champion non accredited – K Little, Fiddleton. Best non accredited – S Graham.

Suffolk – Champion – S Brown, Woodhead, Midlothian, with a ewe lamb by Flodden Magician and out of a Muirton Kickoff-sired dam. Reserve – P and D Reid, Calfpark, Mouswald, with a tup lamb that is a son of Conchar Secret Weapon, out of a Conchar Contender-sired dam. This is his first outing in the show ring. Group of three – P and D Reid. Best opposite to champion – P and D Reid.

Continental – Champion – D Fleming, Heriot House, Heriot, with a Blue Texel gimmer, sired by Dulas Axe and out of a Millside ewe. Reserve – A Dodd, Tundergarth Mains, Lockerbie, with a one-crop-Blue Texel ewe on her first outing. She is a daughter of Jolans Wifi and is out of a Bailey’s Blue import.

Zwartbles – Champion – J Thorburn, Homelea Farm, Eastriggs, with a home-bred gimmer, Homelea Fliss, sired by home-bred tup, Homelea Count, and out of a home-bred ewe, which stood champion at Bowes and Cumberland shows. This is her first outing. Her grandmother, Homelea Whinstone, was champion at the Royal Highland Show in 2008. Reserve – C Graham, Canonbie, with a gimmer, Saltur Francesca, which was bought from Chapelknowe Farm as a ewe lambs in 2018.

AOB – Champion ­– L Barnes, Borelon, Dumfries, with her coloured Ryeland ewe lamb, born in March, 2019. She is sired by Welsh Favacious and out of a ewe by a Wrackerton sire.

Commercial cattle – T Hunter, Upper Brydekirk, with a British Blue cross Limousin heifer, Lucky Star, led out by Emily Hunter. She stood reserve at Moffat and fourth in her class at the Beef Expo last year. She is a daughter of the British Blue bull Stonebyres Imp and is out of a home-bred Limousin cow. Reserve – D and L Watret, Muirfield, Lockerbie, with a British Blue cross Limousin heifer calf, Black Magic, that was bought at Kirkby Stephen in March of this year. She stood champion calf at Dumfries and first in her class at Strathaven this year. Best pen of four – D and R Cornthwaite, Lockerbie. Cow and calf – M and L Bell. Calf – R Watret.

Native cattle – Champion and reserve – J Anderson, Rowanburnfoot, Canonbie, with a Beef Shorthorn heifer calf, Neve, sired by Farloanan Ranger and out of Cairnsmore Chapelton. She stood first in her calf class at Peebles this year. Reserve was the heifer calf’s mother, Cairnsmore Chapelton, a seven-year-old Shorthorn cow. She is a daughter of Chapelton Dolphine and is out of Cairnsmore Glorious Grace. She stood third in her class at Peebles and Langholm five years ago.

Galloway cattle – Champion – D and R Cornthwaite, Balgray Hill, Lockerbie, with their bull calf, Octavious, that stood first in his class at Dumfries this year. He is sired by Troloss Impeccable and is out of Penninghame Queen.

Calves – Champion – T Hunter with a commercial British Blue cross Limousin calf. Best home-bred – T Hunter. Young handler – G Watret.

Young handlers – Champion – J Drummond (13), Cassington Farm, with his Bluefaced Leicester gimmer. Reserve – Lara Reid, with her Suffolk tup lamb.