Team Struthers, Boylston, had a field day at New Cumnock, landing their first supreme overall at their local show along with a several other top awards.

Aileen and Alastair Struthers, son Andrew, daughter Emma, alongside Andrew’s partner Morag Young, won the coveted champion of champions accolade with a home-bred Texel gimmer which first won the MV accredited section and then the supreme sheep.

Taking centre stage was a previously unshown Kettle Ding Dong daughter, out of a home-bred ewe that goes back to Halbeath Victor and a Teiglum dam. In closely contended sheep section, the family clinched the supreme sheep after their Texel and non-accredited champion, a Scotch Mule gimmer from George Allan, tied on points, resulting in the beef section, James Hodge, having to select between the two.

Boylston also won the top honours in the dairy section, with Andrew Struthers parading Glenmuir Appleman Pansy VG88, an Ayrshire third calver giving 45kg daily, to the top. She was part of the winning family group at the Ayr County Ayrshire Cattle Club Herds' competition last summer.

Baby beef and young handlers were to the fore in the beef lines with Ramsay Stevenson (10), Carolyn Stevenson (8) and Jake Prentice (9) battling it out for tri-colour before young Ramsay’s home-bred bull calf from Carbello, Cumnock, was tapped out supreme. Reserve at Catrine Show, he is sired by his parent’s stock bull, Kinniside Mobydick.

LEADING awards

Ayrshire (Judge: S McGregor, Parkmill, Tarbolton). Champion and supreme dairy – J and A Struthers, Boylston, Cumnock, with Glenmuir Appleman Pansy VG88, by Wyndford BD Appleman Red. A third calver, she is giving 45kg per day at 200 days calved, with her dam still milking at home in her seventh. She stood second as a heifer at West of Scotland Dairy Show, and was part of the winning family group in the Ayrshire Herds' competition, last year. Reserve – B Watt and Sons, Bowes, Cumnock with an unregistered December-born calf shown by John (10). Sired by Remsberg and out of a home-bred dam, she was on her first and only outing of the season. Senior cow in milk, pair, confined – J and A Struthers. Quey calves, pair yeld stock, yeld champion – B Watt and Sons.

Holstein/Friesian (Judge: S McGregor. Champion – J and A Struthers, Boylston, with Glenmuir Chief Sara, a June-born calf out of Glenmuir Lotto Sara VG88. She was champion calf at the Ayrshire Young Farmers' Rally at Kilmaurs Show. Reserve – J and A Stuthers, with Glenmuir Altitude Lemon Pie, a December-born calf that stood honourable mention at Ayr Show. Cow, maiden heifer, calf – J and A Struthers. Back-calving heifer – B Watt and Sons, Bowes.

Prime beef (Judge: J Hodge Jnr, Dykes, Auchinleck). Champion – Ramsay (10) and Carolyn (8) Stevenson, Carbello, Cumnock with their Limousin cross March-born bull calf. He is sired by their parent’s stock bull, Kinniside Mobydick, and out of a home-bred British Blue cross Limousin dam. He was reserve at Catrine. Reserve – S and E Prentice, Dallars Mains, Hurlford, with a home-bred pure-bred Aberdeen Angus March-born bull calf shown my Jake Prentice (9). He is by Haymount War Smith, and out of the Skaill Dino daughter McCornick Kim U479.

Cattle young handlers (Judge: J Hodge Jnr). Champion – Gregor Brown, Kirkhill, Craigie.

Blackface (Judge: A Blackwood, Boghead, Muirkirk). Champion – A Paton and Co, Craig, Straiton with a Dalchirla-bred two-shear ram by a son of a £26,000 Dyke, out of a ewe by a £24,000 Connachan, on his first outing. Reserve – D Morrison, Dalwyne, Girvan, with a previously unshown ewe hogg shown by Andrew McMillan. She is by a home-bred son of the £160,000 Dalchirla and out of Davinci's mother. Shepherd's champion – D McMillan, Craig, with a ewe by a £5400 Dalchirla purchased as at Fort William, out of a ewe by a homebred son of a £1100 Crossflatt. Confined ewe hogg – A Robertson, Little Blackdyke, Muirkirk. Confined tup gogg – H Gibson, Weitshaw, Sorn. Aged ram, ewe – A Paton and Co. Tup hogg – W Stevenson and Co, Balrazzie,, Ballantrae. Ewe hogg – D Morrison. Group of three – H Gibson, Weitshaw. Shepherd's ewe, shepherd's ewe hogg – D McMillan, .

Bluefaced Leicester (Judge: W Lockhart, Culdoach, Kirkcudbright). Champion – S and T Fallows, Burnton, New Cumnock with a P3 Midlock-sired tup lamb on his first outing. His dam is a home-bred daughter of the K11 Carryhouse. Reserve – S and T Fallows, with a ewe hogg by the K11 Carryhouse, out of a ewe by a K4 Alwinton. Tup, group of three – Mrs S Hamilton, Tower, Sanquhar. Ewe, ewe hogg, tup lamb – S and T Fallows. Ewe Lamb – A and A Kirkpatrick, Barr Farm, Sanquhar.

Scotch Mule (Judge: W Lockhart). Champion and Non-MV sheep inter-breed – G Allan, Bogside Cottage, Ochiltree, with a gimmer on her first outing of the season. She was purchased as a ewe lamb from Messrs Paton, Craig, and is sired by a N4 Macqueston bought at Castle Douglas for £3600 in partnership with Messrs Dunlop, Pinvalley. Her dam is Craig bred. Reserve – H Ferguson, Dykeneuk, Sorn, with a ewe lamb on her first outing by a £5000 M25 Blarnavaid, out of a Dalblair cast ewe. Ewe – J Guild and Son, Laight, New Cumnock. Ewe hogg – G Allan. Gimmer – D Bryson, Grassmilles Way, Mauchline. Ewe lamb – H Ferguson.

Texel (Judge: B McKerrow, Riverview House, Bo’ness). Champion, MV champion, inter-breed sheep and supreme overall – J and A Struthers, Boylston with a home-bred gimmer on her second outing of the season after standing second in her class at Catrine. Sired by Kettle Ding Dong, purchased at Lanark for 400gns, her dam is homebred by Halbeath Victor with a Teiglum mother. Reserve – G Gatherer, Fairlynne, Stair, with Scholars Director, a previously unshown two-shear ram bought at the Solway and Tyne sale at Carlisle. He is by Sportsmans Belter, with a Strathbogie Yes Sir-sired Deveronvale dam. He was also the sire of the first prize ewe lamb and second prize ewe hogg. Tup, tup lamb, ewe lamb – G Gatherer. Ewe, ewe hogg, group of three – J and A Struthers.

Beltex (Judge: B McKerrow). Champion – J Cousar, Howcommon, Craigie with the home-bred Gimmer Howcommon Gypsy. Previously unshown, she is by Clary Fly-Boy, a 9000gns joint purchase at Carlisle in 2020 with the Shawtonhill and Mid Shawtonhill flocks. Her dam is the Cromwell Call of Duty-sired Howcommon Diamond Doll. Reserve – J Cousar, with Kenny’s Gladiator a shearling ram purchased at Lanark in September 2021 for 1600gns. He is by Broughton Enricher, and bred from the Mortons Cheeky Boy-sired Kenny’s Elegance. Tup, ewe, ewe hogg, ewe lamb, group of three – J Cousar. Tup lamb – B Guild, Ashmark, New Cumnock.

Any other breed (Judge: B McKerrow). Champion – A Struthers and M Young, Boylston, of Glenhill Blue Texels, with their two-shear Blue Texel tup Matt’s Ee By Gum. He was purchased at Carlisle in 2020 and is sired by Saltire Blue Derek, out of the Hackney Your Joking daughter, Saltire Blue Chic. Reserve – Andrew Struthers M Young with the Blue Texel gimmer, Glenhill Firecracker ET. She is the result of a flush from the Caryl's Blues Captain daughter, Hunters Duchess and sired by the champion, Matt's Ee By Gum. Tup, ewe hogg, tup lamb, group of three – A Struthers and M Young. Ewe, ewe lamb – J Cousar and L Young, Howcommon, Craigie.

Sheep young handlers (Judge: A Blackwood, Boghead, Muirkirk). Champion – Bruce Guild (10), Ashmark, New Cumnock.

Prime lambs (Judge: James Hodge Jnr). Champion – CJ Guild and Son, Laight, New Cumnock with a pair of Beltex-sired lambs. Reserve CJ Guild and Son, with a pair of Texel-sired lambs by a homebred sire. All classes – CJ Guild and Son.

Clydesdale (Judge: W McInnes, Auchenlaw Cottage, Hurlford). Champion – A Steel and Sons, Jackton, with Jackton Clemintine, a yearling, by Greendykes Ignima, out of Dillars Ollie. She has previously been shown at West Foal Show and Kilpatrick Foal Show. Sole entry.

Horse and Pony (Judge: H Kerr). Champion – D Moore, Sanquhar, with Supersense Mayfair after winning the lead-rein pony class. Ridden by Rayna Moore (5), Mayfair has qualified for Blair in October.