Exhibitors and visitors enjoyed a fantastic day as the sun shone down on Gargunnock Show, held last Saturday, with the showfield welcoming one of it's largest crowds to date as it returned after three years.
Heading up the busy sheep lines was the Blackface leader from James Graham, Mains of Burnbank, Blair Drummond. On her first outing his one-crop home-bred ewe, Queen Jubilee, which caught the eye of inter-breed judge Malcolm Coubrough, is sired by the £1400 Merkins and is destined for this year's Royal Highland Show.
Mr Coubrough also judged the beef inter-breeds, with his winner coming from Stuart and Lynsey Bett, Stirling. Supreme was the black Limousin cross heifer, Sexy Spice, which was bred by Llyr Hughes of the Pabo herd in Wales and was bought at the Royal Welsh Winter Fair. She previously ruled supreme at the Aberdeen Spring Show, at Thainstone in March and more recently, Ayr County Show, last month.
Amongst the Clydesdales, Neil Christie, Dalfoil Farm, Balfron took the plaudits for a second week running with his yearling filly, Dalfoil Lady Eliza. Sired by Doura Magic Touch and out of Little Ward Doreen, this girl has already won the Milngavie Foal Show back in January and stood second in her class at this year's Stallion Show. Eliza will be heading to the Royal Highland Show, later this month.
LEADING awards
Blackface (Judge: M Dunlop, Upper Wellwood, Muirkirk). Champion, reserve and inter-breed – J Graham, Mains of Burnbank. Supreme was a home-bred one-crop ewe which is sired by the £1400 Merkins. Reserve was the £5500 Greenside shearling purchased at Lanark, last year, with Sanny Blackwood retaining a quarter share. On his first outing, he is by the £1400 Crossflatt. Ewe nursing cross lambs – C Little, East Bracklinn, Callander. Ewe nursing Blackface lambs, clipped ewe hogg, shearling tup, group of three – J Graham. Tup lamb – Drimsynie, Lochgoilhead. Ewe lamb – J Pirie, Blarnavaid. Rough ewe hogg, best fleece – P and L McNickle, Gartincaber. Two-year-old tup – D Willison, Craigend.
Bluefaced Leicester (Judge: K Ridley, Shitlington Hall, Hexham). Champion, reserve and reserve inter-breed – J Pirie. Supreme was a ewe lamb sired by the £12,000 P1 Blarnavaid and out of the £5800 purchased dam from Dawyck. She is headed for the Royal Highland Show. Reserve was a full ET brother to the champion in the form of a tup lamb. Ewe nursing cross lambs, tup any age – R Steel, Kepculloch. Ewe hogg, tup lamb, ewe lamb, group of three – J Pirie.
Cross sheep (Judge: P Rattray, West Park, Auchterarder). Champion – R Bryce, Chalmerston, with a group of three home-bred cross gimmers all sired by a Kinimouth Beltex ram, out of Suffolk cross Beltex ewes. Reserve – T Buchanan, Wester Kepdowrie Farm, Buchlyvie with a pen of three prime lambs out of home-bred ewes. Three cross ewes, cross ewe with single lamb, three prime lambs – T Buchanan. Cross ewe with twin lambs – G More. Cross ewe with single lamb – J Steel. Three ewe hoggs, single prime lamb – R Bryce.
Scotch Mules (Judge: K Ridley). Champion – H Gray and L Smith with a gimmer purchased within a pen of ewe lambs at Castle Douglas from RJ Shennan and Sons, Farden. She is destined for the Royal Highland Show. Reserve – J Pirie with a ewe lamb backed by home-bred genetics on both sides. Ewe in milk – R Steel. Ewe hogg – H Gray and L Smith. Three ewe lambs – P and L McNickle. Single ewe lamb – J Pirie.
Suffolk (Judge: J Kinloch, Carddross, Dumbarton). Champion and reserve – R Bryce. Supreme was a home-bred two-crop ewe which is sired by Leitrim Lucky Lad and out of a home-bred dam by Sunnyhills X Factor. Reserve was a home-bred gimmer by Strathview Hashtag and out of another Leitrim Lucky Lad daughter. All classes – R Bryce.
Texel and AOB Continental (Judge: J Kinloch). Champion – D Allan, Ballochneck, Buchlyvie with the Beltex gimmer, Hackney Girls Aloud. Purchased as a ewe lamb for 2800gns at the Hackney dispersal, she is sired by Kingledores Braveheart and out of Hackney Deliasmith. Reserve – J Pirie with a Texel ewe lamb. Sired by a £2000 Craig Douglas ram, she is out of a Cowal-bred ewe. Ewe – Henderson family. Ewe lamb – J Pirie. Tup lamb, ewe hogg, group of three – D Allan. Tup – G More.
Zwartble (Judge: K Cowan). Champion – N Henderson, Whitehouse Farm with the gimmer, Aquilla Jittabug. Sired by Janetstown Hallmark, she is out of Mischief Dragonfly. Reserve – B Gibson with the one-crop ewe, Connic Hope, which is a daughter of Connic Endrick and out of Craigies Frannie. Ewe, ewe lamb, tup lamb – B Gibson. Ewe hogg, tup, group of three – N Henderson.
Native cattle (Judge: S Bourman, Middlehouse Farm, Carluke). Champion and reserve – G and S Harvey, Buchanan Street, Balfron. Supreme was the Hereford bull, Harveybros 1 Va Va Voom. Sired by Normanton 1 Laertes, he is out of Harverybros 1 Crocus E2 and is destined for the Royal Highland Show. Reserve was the yearling Galloway heifer, Harveys Emerald. A daughter of Blackcraig Kodiac, she is out of Ben Lomond Vimto. All classes – G and S Harvey.
Continental cattle except Limousin (Judge: S Bourman). Champion and reserve – A Hornall, Falleninch Farm, Stirling. Supreme was the Charolais heifer, Falleninch Susie. Sired by the 70,000gns Barnsford Fernie, which was used on loan from Charlie Boden, Stockport, she is out of Falleninch Lottie – the 2016 Stars of the Future champion. Reserve was the yearling bull, Falleninch Stormzy. Another by Fernie, he is out of Falleninch Orla which stood second in her class at as a heifer and was part of the 2019 inter-breed champion pairs, both at the Royal Highland Show. Young bull, heifer (three-years-old), calf up to one-year-old – A Hornall. Heifer (two-years-old) – R McNeil, Doune.
Limousin (Judge: S Bourman). Champion – R Graham, Airthrey Kerse with heifer, Grahams Sporty Spice, which is a Claragh Franco daughter, out of the show winning dam, Grahams Melody. Reserve – D and L Graham, Mains of Burnbank with the in-calf heifer Burnbank Roslyn. Sired by Redpath Nobleman, she is out of Burnbank Lipstick which is one of the best family lines within the herd. Aged bull – A Burnett, Upper Spittalton. Young bull, heifer (two-years-old) – R Graham. Heifer three-years-old) – D and L Graham.
Feeding stock (Judge: S Bourman). Champion, reserve and inter-breed – S and L Bett, Stirling. Supreme was the black Limousin cross heifer, Sexy Spice, which was bred by Llyr Hughes of the Pabo herd in Wales and was bought at the Royal Welsh Winter Fair. She previously ruled supreme at the Aberdeen Spring Show, at Thainstone in March and more recently, Ayr County Show, last month. She is sired by Pabo Oldspice and out of a Limousin cross British Blue cow. Reserve was a Happy Ending, a younger Limousin cross heifer that is by Mereside Oscar and was bought at Carlisle, in March from JM and AM Lewis, Wales. All classes – S and L Bett.
Clydesdales (Judge: J Tennant, Lanark). Champion – N Christie, Dalfoil Farm with the yearling filly, Dalfoil Lady Eliza. Sired by Doura Magic Touch, she is out of Little Ward Doreen. Reserve – K Wilson, Perthshire with his two-year-old home-bred filly, Blueton Grace. On her first outing she is sired by Glebeview Sir Charles and out of Blueton Daisy. Two-year-old filly – K Wilson. Yearling filly – N Christie. Gelding – S Millar, Mollinhillburn.
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