ONE of Straiton’s best-known farming families lifted the champion of champions award at Straiton Show, when Andrew Kay, and sons Robert and Andrew from Gass, landed the overall red, white and blue sash with a Blackface ewe.

Their previously unshown winner was tapped out ahead of days’ other winners, by champion of champions judge, Andrew Fleming.

Reserve overall was the commercial cattle leader, a Limousin cross bullock, from the Pattersons from Low Three Mark.

Earlier in the day, the Texel sheep champion, a gimmer from John and Glenn Paterson’s Glenside flock, Maybole, was pipped at the post to land the reserve sheep rosette.

LEADING awards

Blackface (Judge: W Craig, Blendewing). Champion, sheep champion and overall champions of champions – A Kay and Sons, Gass, Straiton with a two-crop-ewe. By a home-bred son of £24,000 Glenrath, she is out of a £68,000 Elmscleugh ewe. Reserve – D Morrison, Dalwyne, Girvan with a ewe hogg, by a £5200 Hartside and out of a ewe by £22,000 Dalchirla. Tup – Craig, Straiton. Shearling ram, ewe – A Kay and Sons. Tup hogg, ewe hogg – D Morrison. Ewe lamb – D Ferguson, Drannandow. Gimmer – Knockdon. Ewe (shepherds), ewe hogg (shepherds) – D McMillan.

Suffolk (Judge: A McColm, Crailloch). Champion and reserve – J Barclay, Mid Brockloch, Maybole. Champion was the shearling tup, Roundacre Rocky, bought at Lanark as a lamb for £1700, from Ross Lawrence. He was reserve at Lesmahagow. Reserve was his stable-mate, a home-bred three-crop-ewe, by Brigadere on her first outing. Tup, ewe – J Barclay. Ewe hogg, ewe lamb, tup lamb – A Clark.

Texel (Judge: A McColm). Champion – J and G Paterson, Glenside with the same gimmer that won Newmilns. She is a daughter of the 40,000gns Mellor Vale Déjà vu and is out of a dam by 16,000gns Fordafourie Big Ben. Reserve – J McWhirter, Linfairn, Straiton with a Midlock-bred ewe that was bought at Carlisle. Tup – J Clark. Ewe – J McWhirter. Ewe hogg, ewe lamb, tup lamb – J and G Paterson.

Any other breed sheep (Judge: A Brown, McQueston). Champion – Ailsa McWilliams, Balcleachy with the Blue Texel shearling, Saltire Flying Scotsman. Previously unshown, he was purchased at Carlisle in 2021. Reserve – I Walker, Laigh Alticane with a Border Leicester two-crop-ewe, by Drennans Double Deal, out of a ewe by Mindrum Might. She stood first at the Highland as a ewe lamb. Tup, ewe hogg, group of three – A McWilliams. Ewe – I Walker. Ewe lamb – L Young. Tup lamb – R and J Andrew.

Commercial sheep (Judge: A Brown). Champion – J Guild, Laight with the same pair that won at Ayr. Reserve – J and A Dunlop with a pair of three-quarter Beltex lambs, by a Beachy sire. Pair of lambs (Suffolk sire) – Dalhowan. AOB ewe with lambs – J Guild.

Bluefaced Leicester (Judge: A Brown). Champion and reserve – S Fallows, Burnton. Leading the way was a ewe lamb, by P3 Midlock out of a home-bred mother. She also topped the section at New Cumnock. Reserve was a N15-sired ewe hogg, also out of a home-bred ewe. Ewe, ewe hogg, ewe lamb – S Fallows. Tup lamb – W Welsh.

Mules (Judge: A Brown). Champion – S Guild, Ashmark with a ewe lamb by an Easter Dawyck sire. Reserve – G Allan, Highfield Place, Ochiltree with a Sauchrie Mains-bred ewe hogg. Ewe lamb, ewe – S Guild. Ewe hogg – G Allan.

Belted Galloway (Judge: S McKinnon, Shancastle). Champion and reserve – Jennifer Taylor, Brae of Gadgirth, Sundrum. Supreme was Tobergill Yarnia, an 18-month-old heifer. Reserve was the October-2019-born heifer, Tobergill Xuist. Out of Tobergill Uist, she was champion at Ayr. Bull – B and J Landers. Two-year-old heifer, yearling heifer – J Taylor.

Commercial cattle (Judge: S McKinnon). Champion and reserve – J and R Patterson, Low Three Mark, Stoneykirk. Champion was Tic Tok, a 13-month-old Limousin cross bullock purchased at the Spring Spectacular that stood second at Ayr. Reserve was Razzle, another Limousin cross bullock, of the same age, bought out of Carlisle. All classes – J and R Patterson.

Any other native breed cattle (Judge: S McKinnon). Champion – RH Allan, Arnsow with a 13-month-old Beef Shorthorn heifer. Margrange Marigold Ruby was bought at Carlisle in May. All classes – RH Allan.