One of the best known North Country Cheviot females of her time from three generations of show enthusiasts, has come out on top to lift the Champion of the Decade supreme sheep honours.

Living up to her name was the 2010 park-type winner Hownam Grange Fantastic, from the Thomsons – Jimmy and Peggy, son Willie and his wife Laura, and their young family of Beth, Georgia and James from Yetholm, Kelso, which was the choice of inter-breed sheep judge, Jimmy Warnock, former Highland Show chairman and Texel breeder from Sandilands, Lanark.

This big win notched up a phenomenal fourth Highland inter-breed in the past 13 years and a fifth supreme sheep since 1998 for the flock which comprises 500 park-type Cheviots and 900 hill-type at Hownam Grange, with an additional 1100 Lairgy-types now based at Kelsocleugh.

"I have to congratulate The Scottish Farmer in staging the Champions of the Decade competition which has created a huge buzz for The Highland Show, it's exhibitors, and the owners of the breed champions for producing such fantastic animals," said Jimmy.

"The champion just had that extra look at me factor, that added attraction that made me go back and look at her after seeing all the winners. She's a real superstar amongst a star studded cast. A classy lady with 10 out of 10 for presentation."

Commenting on his short leet, Jimmy said he had also been most impressed by the Beltex, the gimmer, Woodies City Girl from Stuart Wood and Stasa Moyes, Aberdeenshire and the South Country Cheviot best, a ewe from Norman and David Douglas, Selkirk.

His choice of supreme, Hownam Grange Fantastic, a gimmer, was a big star performer, having not only won the breed title, the supreme sheep, Queen's Cup and made up part of the winning inter-breed pairs at the Highland Show in 2010, she also won the North Country Cheviot championship at the Great Yorkshire Show, the same year.

A daughter of Gilston The Midden, she was bred from a ewe by Hownam Grange Monarch. Although no longer with us, she was always a top breeder, with one of her best, Hownam Grange Royal Blend, sold privately to the Pengrose flock in Wales in 2014. He has sired several champion winners to include the 2016 Anglesey breed leader and reserve supreme, Pengrose The Lady, and the 2016 Countryside Live supreme sheep, Pengrose Vixen.