The sun shone for the return of Lesmahagow Show, ensuring a fantastic turnout of visitors – boosted by the addition of the YF West region tug-of-war – and a great display of quality in the livestock lines.

Local legend Ian Gardiner, of Kilnhills Farm, was tasked with job of selecting the show supreme and opted for the beef inter-breed champion, Wee Nippy, the Limousin cross heifer from Andy Ireland, Feoch, Darvel, which has already proved triumphant at several Ayrshire shows. This Farming Life’s Emma Gray, who was competing in the sheep dog trials on the day, presented the champion of champions award.

Reserve supreme was the dairy champion, Carnduff Chief Allie, a second calved Holstein giving 48kg a day after calving in January, from the Bryson family’s 190-strong milking herd at Dykehead. She was ably shown by 17-year-old Mark Bryson.

In the inter-breed beef championship, judged by Gareth Scott, Meikle Ittington, Wee Nippy stood ahead of the Limousin winner, Maraiscote Schnapps, a 16-month-old bull from Ian Nimmo. Sired by Bassingfield Machoman, this young bull is planned for sale at the National Limousin show in July.

Overall sheep, judged by Duncan MacGregor, Burnhead, was the best from a strong entry of Texels – a gimmer from Alan Clark’s Garngour flock. She’s sired by Procters Chumba Wumba.

Taking reserve amongst the sheep was the Beltex gimmer, Kingledores Guinevere, a daughter of Ryders Dick Turpin, from Richard Wood, Kingledores, Biggar.

A busy shearing contest during the show attracted a huge crowd of spectators, with some big names returning to top form. Hamish Mitchell overcame serious illness earlier in the year to triumph in the open final, shearing 20 sheep in 14 minutes, with Callum Shaw finishing second and Stuart Conner in third.

Cammy Wilson, of The Sheep Game fame, finished first in the senior section, with Kevin Sutherland leading in the intermediates and Jock Welsh taking the lead in the junior final. Meanwhile, Mark Armstrong came out best in the blade shearing.

LEADING awards:

Dairy cattle (Judge: A Brewster, Wester Borland, Thornhill). Champion – W Bryson, Dykehead, Lesmahagow, with Carnduff Chief Allie, a VG87 second calver on her first outing, by Stantons Chief, out of the Carlisle-bought Errolston Surefire Allie. Reserve – J Baillie, Dalserf, with Dalserf Recoil Petra, a second calver on her first outing, classified VG87 as a heifer. Sired by Alta Recoil and out of a home-bred dam, her grand-dam was a cow bred by the Baillies’ uncle, Andy Wilson, at Crumhaugh. Calf – J Boyd, Lettrickhills. Heifer in milk or calf, cow, group, bred – W Bryson.

Any other continental (Judge: D MacGregor, Burnhead, Kilsyth). Champion – B Radley, Craigend, Dumfries, with the 16-month-old Charolais heifer, Elgin Spice, a Westcarse Houdini daughter, out of Elgin Ginger, bought at the White Gold sale at Carlisle, to join Ben’s recently established herd.

British Blue (Judge: S Pattinson, Kinkry Hill, Roadhead, Carlisle). Champion – I McGarva, Nether Abington, Abington, with Abington Orchid, a 29-month-old in-calf heifer, by Bedgebury Kent, out of the past Lesmahagow Show champion, Abington Lily. Reserve – K Watret, Annan, with Solway View Perfect, a 19-month-old heifer by Dodou De St Remacle, out of Solway View Katie. Brought out by stockman Ali Jackson, she was senior continental inter-breed champion at Stars of the Future, in November. Bull – A and C Comrie, Stonebyres, Lanark. Heifer – I McGarva. Maiden heifer – K Watret.

Commercial cattle (Judge: D MacGregor). Champion, beef inter-breed and show supreme – A Ireland, Feoch, Darvel, with Wee Nippy, a Limousin cross heifer by Fieldson Mahrez, out of a Limousin cross British Blue dam. Bought from Barnard Castle, she also won at Kilmaurs, Beith and Catrine. Reserve – I Nimmo, Bogside, Newmains, with a 12-month-old pure Limousin steer, by Bassingfield Machoman, out of Maraiscote Mia. Bullock – I Nimmo. Heifer, YF calf – A Ireland. Calf – H McLaren, Howford, Lanark.

Limousin (Judge: D MacGregor). Champion and reserve overall beef – I Nimmo, Bogside, Newmains, with Maraiscote Schnapps, a 16-month-old bull by Bassingfield Machoman, out of Maraiscote Lemonade. He’s heading to the Highland, the Yorkshire and then the National in July. Reserve – I Nimmo’s Maraiscote Sojeri, a 13-month old heifer, by Machoman out of Maraiscote Jeri. Senior bull – A Lindsay, Kepscaith, Bathgate. Junior bull, calf, group – I Nimmo.

Native breed cattle (Judge: S Pattinson). Champion – D and Mairi Wyllie, The Gill, Cummertrees, with Burllie Roxy Rae, a yearling Beef Shorthorn heifer, by Willingham Kensington, out of Meonside Honeysuckle. Reserve – A Morrison, Buchknowes, Forth, with Heatherbell Pinocchio, a Shorthorn bull by Glenisla Masterton which was bought in utero with its dam, Glenisla Waterloo Andrea, and will be kept as a stock bull in the Heatherbell herd. He is heading to the Highland. Bull – A Morrison. Heifer – D and M Wyllie.

Cattle young handlers (Judge: A Brewster). Dairy or beef calf – 1, Katie Aiken; 2, Matthew Gray; 3, Jamie Boyd.

Suffolk (Judge: R Fleming, Hillhead, Kirkpatrick Fleming). Champion – A Currie, Haughhead, Hamilton, with a home-bred six-crop ewe, by Lakeview Larry Lamb. She’s stood reserve champion twice at Lesmahagow in the past. Reserve – J Barclay, Mid Brockloch, Maybole, with Roundacre Rocky, a shearling ram bought last year from Ross Lawrence. Ram – J Barclay. Ram lamb, ewe lamb, group – E Wilkie, Shaw Cottage South, Berryscaur, Lockerbie. Ewe, gimmer – A Currie.

Charollais (Judge: A Baillie, Carstairs Mains, Carstairs). Champion – B Radley, Craigend, Dumfries, with the shearling ram, Artnagullion Wee Joey, a Rockdale Vespasian son bought at Dungannon last year. Reserve – HW Sloan, Rigghead, Dumfries, with a home-bred gimmer by Edstaston Urban Warrior, out of a Logie Durno-bred ewe. Ram, ram lamb – B Radley. Gimmer, ewe lamb, group – HW Sloan.

Texel (Judge: A Wight, Midlock, Crawford). Champion – J and H Clark, North Garngour, Lesmahagow, with a home-bred gimmer by Procters Chumba Wumba, out of a Knock Bantastic-sired ewe which is a full sister to Teiglum Crackerjack and Cinnamon. Reserve – A Clark, Blackhill, Crossford, with a ram lamb by Seaforde Egyptian Warrior, out of ‘Mrs Creepy’, a Chumba Wumba daughter. Shearling ram, ewe, pair of home-bred gimmers – R Cockburn, Hill of Errol. Ram lamb, ewe lamb, group – A Clark. Gimmer – J and H Clark. Young handlers – Miss J Johnstone.

Beltex (Judge: A Baillie). Champion – R Wood, Kingledores, Broughton, with Kingledores Guinevere, a gimmer by Ryders Dick Turpin, out of Kingledores Bessy. Reserve – A Jackson, Maulscastle, Annan, with the Ayr Show champion, Tiptop Jeri, a Woodies Emperor-sired gimmer. Aged ram – G Morrison, Tarbrax, West Calder. Shearling ram, ram lamb, ewe, group – A Taylor, Heatheryhall, Biggar. Gimmer – R Wood.

Commercial sheep (Judge: R Kay, Gass, Straiton). Champion – A Muirhead, Wolfcrooks, Douglas, with a pair home-bred Beltex-sired prime lambs, out of Suffolk cross ewes.

Blackface (Judge: R Kay). Champion – A Provan, Parkhall, Douglas, with a home-bred gimmer, by a £2800 Parkhall that was sold last year, out of a ewe by £10,000 Dalwyne. Reserve – A Provan’s two-crop ewe, by an £11,000 Glenrath. All classes – A Provan.

Shetland white (Judge: S Russell, Queen Court, Irvine). Champion – F Frame, Hawthornebank, Douglas, with a home-bred gimmer by an Annanvale sire. Reserve – F Frame’s shearling ram, Destiny Elvis, by the same Annanvale sire as the champion. All classes – F Frame.

Shetland coloured (Judge: S Russell). Champion – F Frame, Hawthornebank, Douglas, with the home-bred gimmer, Destiny Eden. Reserve – F Frame’s home-bred ewe lamb. All classes – F Frame.

Ryeland (Judge: G Scott, Meikle Ittington, Ardrossan). Champion – S Bryden, Broomwell, Lockerbie, with a gimmer by the three times Lesmahagow champion, Broomwell Wallander, out of an Eaton-bred ewe. Reserve – S Bryden’s ewe lamb by Bachebrook Zappa, out of a home-bred ewe, which stood first in the ewe class. Aged ram – D Stainton, Burnbrae Stables, Chryston. Shearling ram, ewe, gimmer, ewe lamb – S Bryden. Ram lamb, group – A and D Mitchell, Wellhill Steadings.

Coloured Ryeland (Judge: G Scott). Champion – J Fisher and M Hoggarth, Greenlea, Southwaite, with a gimmer by Kneeton Zander, out of a home-bred ewe. She stood second at the recent Smallholding festival at Builth. Reserve – J Fisher and M Hoggarth, with a ram lamb by the same sire as the champion. All classes – J Fisher and M Hoggarth.

Dutch Spotted (Judge: R Kay). Champion – G Blacklock and S Harrison, Kirkconnel, with Carmen Maria, a three-year-old ewe by Spaniard, bought at an online sale from Tardoes. Reserve – G Blacklock and S Harrison’s ewe lamb by Challoch Bassett, out of the champion ewe. All classes – G Blacklock and S Harrison.

Clydesdale (Judges: A and E Campbell, Netherwood Cottage, Kilmacolm). Champion – Eleanor Blount and J McNay, Ryecroft, Kirkmahoe, with Ryecroft Millie, a yearling filly by Dillars Envoy, out of Ryecroft Billie. Reserve – R Hamilton, Dillars, Dillarburn, with the yearling colt, Dillars Flashman, also sired by Dillars Envoy. Gelding, ridden, young handlers – Hannah Lindsay. Two-year-old colt or gelding – Lorna Hume. Yearling colt or gelding – R Hamilton. Yeld mare – Jen Speirs. Yearling filly – E Blount and J McNay. Brood mare, foal – A Jackson and A Craig.