There’s a couple of things that are essential for a successful show – good weather and a great turnout – and Houston Show, held at the public park, had both.
It was a day for the dairy as the president’s champion, chosen by Tom Stewart, was the third calver, five-year-old cow from Kerr Scott, Kilburn Farm, Neilston. Home-bred, she’s by Ards Paramount and is giving 60 litres a day, sitting at 128 days in milk and she also took the title at Neilston, recently.
In the pedigree cattle lines, it was Tom and Sheena Gatherer’s Barnsford Roquette, a Charolais heifer, that topped the day. By Maerdy Grenadier and out of Barnsford Jonquil, this was the first show for this frisky two-year-old and had Tom testing his handling skills.
Reserve spot went to Ally Young, Towncroft, Houston, with a home-bred Limousin cross cow with calf at foot. Born in August, 2015 and sired by an Airtnock-bred Limousin bull, she has an April-born A-A cross bull calf at foot off the current stock bull, Lorabar Just Eric, which was purchased privately as a 14-month-old from Colin Montgomery, Lorabar. She was shown previously at Kilmacolm in 2019 and will likely be headed for Kilbarchan soon.
Leading the busy sheep lines was the continental section champion from Willie Baird, Floors Farm, Eaglesham. This Texel gimmer, by Curley Denver, had been breed reserve at Drymen a week earlier.
Clydesdale champion was an 11-year-old, in-foal mare shown by Alan and Evelyn Campbell. Pacemuir Molly is by Bogston Flying Scot, out of Rashhill House Betty and is a former best ridden female at the Highland Show. Her foal picked up reserve.
LEADING awards:
Dairy cattle (Judge: R Reid, High Unthank, Strathaven). Champion – K Scott, Kilburn Farm, Neilston’s five-year-old cow, a third calver, which is home bred by Ards Paramount and is giving 60 litres a day, sitting at 128 days in milk. Reserve – K Scott’s home-bred heifer, giving 45 litres a day, at 148 days in milk. She is by Bacardi and was reserve at Neilston on her last outing. Dairy cow in milk, heifer in milk, best pair – K Scott. Calf – D Wright, Laverock. YF handler – E Heywood, Kamehill.
Beef cattle (Judge: R Reid). Champion – T and S Gatherer, Barnsford, Inchinnan, with the two-year-old Charolais heifer, Barnsford Roquette Charollais. By Maerdy Grenadier, and out of Barnsford Jonquil, it was on its first show outing. Both its dam and grand dam were previous champions at Houston. Reserve – A Young, Towncroft, Houston, with a home-bred Limousin cross cow with calf at foot. Born in August, 2015, by an Airtnock Limousin bull, she had an April-born A-A cross bull calf at foot off the current stock bull, Lorabar Just Eric. Yearling heifer – T and S Gatherer. Best Aberdeen-Angus – T Marsh, Bardrain. Cross-bred bullock – T Marsh. Best bred – A Young. Calf – W Laird, Auchentiber Farm.
Lowland native sheep (Judge: A Campbell, Drimsynie, Lochgoilhead). Champion – W and J Howie, Auchentiber, Kilmacolm, with a two-shear Bluefaced Leicester ram by Watersyke M1 and out of a dam by Woodcroft J4. It stood champion at Kilmacolm earlier this year. Bred by Sandy Macintyre, it was bought at the Stirling Ram Rendezvous. Reserve – S Macintyre, The Knowes, Lochwinnoch, with a Bluefaced Leicester ewe hogg by Watersyke M1 and out of a dam by a Leadburnlea sire. It was on its first outing. Ewe hogg – S Macintyre. Tup – W and J Howie.
Continental sheep (Judge: A Campbell). Champion – W Baird, Floors, Eaglesham, with a Texel gimmer by Curley Denver and out of a ewe by Knock Yardsman. It had stood breed reserve at Drymen. Reserve – R Close, Nethermill, Langbank, with a one-crop Texel ewe by Harestone Commander and out of a Milnbank ewe bought from the Lakeview flock. It was first at Kilmacolm. Ewe, ewe lamb, tup, tup lamb, group – R Close. Ewe hogg – W Baird.
Native hill breed (Judge: A Dunlop, Upper Wellwood, Muirkirk). Champion – A Fletcher, Laigh Hatton, Bishopton, with a one-crop Blackface ewe by a £3200 Elmscleugh sire. Running with a single, she was on her first outing. Reserve – E Robertson, Linthills, Lochwinnoch, with a two-shear Blackface Auldhouseburn-bred ram, got by an Elmscleugh sire and bought privately as a lamb. Ewe, tup lamb, group – A Fletcher. Ewe hogg, ewe lamb, tup – E Robertson.
Clydesdale (Judge: A McMillan, Little Barone Farm, Rothesay). Champion – A and E Campbell, Netherwood Cottage, Kilmacolm, with the 11-year-old in-foal mare, Pacemuir Molly. She’s by Bogston Flying Scot, out of Rashhill House Betty, and is a former best ridden winning female at the Highland Show. Reserve – A and E Campbell’s yearling filly, Pacemuir Viola, out of Pacemuir Molly and by Dillars Olly. She was champion at Kilmacolm Show. Best filly/gelding – A Barns.
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