The sun shone a spotlight on Dalkeith Show, last weekend and the crowds followed on to see some pretty well-filled stock lines and as always the sheep section was heavily contested across 11 different sections.

Fittingly, the sheep section produced the champion of champions – a Texel gimmer from Davy Preacher, Holylee, Walkerburn. She was sired by the 17,000gns Cannonball and out of a home-bred ewe by the 28,000gns Billy the Kid.

She was tapped out in front of the light horse champion which was reserve overall. Owned and ridden by 11-year-old Lucy Goldie, from Collielaw, Lauder, this was a 10-year-old Welsh mare, Tremil Bumblebee.

Judge Alex Moir, from Fairmilehead, Edinburgh, said: "Both animals were just outstanding but the Texel gimmer had the edge. She had great presence, was very feminine, breedy and correct, with great fleshing qualities."

The sheep section had a strong line up of breed champions and the Texel was pushed all the way for the top honours by the Blackie champion from father and son duo, Angus snr and jnr Kennedy, from Mitchellhill. This was a home-bred two-crop ewe by a Gosland son of an £11,000 Auldhouseburn and out of a home-bred ewe by £9000 Glenrath.

The inter-breed sheep pairs title went to a smart pair of Scotch Mule ewe lambs from the Dick family, Hamildean, Peebles. One was by Sealhouses P13 and the other by a home-bred son of Giants Causeway N1.

Reserve pair belonged to another father and son team, Alan and James Cowens, from Philiphaugh Estate, Selkirk. Their Cheviots were a home-bred three-crop ewe by Synton Van Gogh and a gimmer by Hownam Grange Example, out of a Van Gogh-sired ewe.

Overall judge, Willie Thomson, Hownam Grange, said: "Credit must go to the exhibitors for such a strong line up of champions, but for me the Texel was a clear winner – oozing breed character and flesh and had something which is my bread and butter, amazing hair!."

Pedigree cattle champion was a Simmental heifer from Gavin Brown, Springfield, Penicuik, called Islavale Liquorice. Sired by Ranfurly Confederate and out of Islavale Ebony, she was fourth in her class at this year's Highland Show and purchased for £8000 at Carlisle, in May.

Reserve in the same section was a Limousin heifer called Annanview Rea, from Ross Farms, Wester Middleton, Gorebridge. She previously won Stars of the Future as a calf and is the foundation female for the Roscoe Limousin herd.

Commercial cattle champion was a cow and calf unit from Ross Farms. This was a British Blue cross Limousin cow with a 10-month-old Charolais calf at foot, which was sired by Roscoe Popadom.

In the heavy horse section, a well-supported Clydesdale section saw Boat Clydesdales picking up the red, white and blue for Agnes Jackson and shown by Alan Craig. This was a February-born filly called Boat Lady Adele, sired by Carnaff Perfection – a stallion which stands at the Coolmore Racing Stud, in Ireland – and her dam was Boat Lady Bethany, which they sadly lost in June.

LEADING awards:

Blackface (Judge: James Hamilton, Aikengall). Champion – AJ Kennedy, Mitchellhill, with a home-bred two crop ewe, by a Gosland son of an £11,000 Auldhouseburn, out of dam by a £9000 Glenrath. Aged ram, shearling ram, ewe, ram lamb, group, pairs – AJ Kennedy. Gimmer, ewe lamb – S McClymont, Tinnis.

Bluefaced Leicester (Judge: S Park, Dalpeddar). Champion – C Dick, Hamildean, with a home-bred ram lamb by Smearset M2 out of a dam by Carry House K16 and on his first outing. Shearling, tup lamb, group – C Dick. Ewe, gimmer, ewe lamb, pair – I and C Borthwick, Hollybush.

NCC (Judge: Ms J Cowan, Lockerbie). Champion – MsK Turnbull, Jedburgh, with a home-bred ewe lamb by Broomhillbank Alpha Male and out of a home-bred dam She was reserve at Haddington. Aged ram, shearling ram, ewe, gimmer, group, pairs and reserve inter-breed pairs – Philiphaugh Estate, Selkirk. Ram lamb, ewe lamb – Ms K Turnbull

Jacob (Judge: S Robertson, Dufftown). Champion – R Locker, Greenlaw, with a home-bred gimmer, by Hope Rocky, that was champion at the Highland. Ram, gimmer – Ms M Harper. Ewe, ram lamb – R Locker. Ewe lamb, group, pair – J Elliot.

Scotch Mule (Judge: S Park). Champion – Ms J McAskill, Dunbar, with a home-bred ewe lamb, by a home-bred tup that goes back to a Steel tup; champion at Haddington the previous week. Ewe – W Sanderson, Blackshields. Ewe lamb – Ms J McAskill. Pen of three ewe lambs, pair of ewe lambs and inter-breed pairs champion – C Dick.

Shetland white (Judge: A Bain, Pencaitland). Champion and all classes – A, D and P Playfair, Kelso.

Coloured Shetland (Judge: A Bain). Champion and all classes – A, D and P Playfair, leading with a home-bred aged ram, Kaimknowe Ben Lomond, by Hillend Cauldron out of a home-bred ewe, and which had also won at Haddington.

Suffolk (Judge: J Irving, Carlisle). Champion – D Lang, Oxmuir, Kelso, with a home-bred shearling ram making his show debut. He's by Whites Magic and out of a home-bred dam. Aged ram, ewe, group, pair – B and L Nicholson, Knock, Duns. Shearling – D Lang. Gimmer – G Brown, Springfield, Penicuik. Ram lamb – Highmuir, Lockerbie. Ewe lamb – Kelcastle, Chirnside, Duns.

Texel (Judge: B Renwick, Legars, Kelso). Champion – D Preacher, Holylee, Walkerburn, with a first-time out home-bred gimmer, by the 17,000gns Cannonball out of a dam by 28,000gns Billy The Kid. Shearling ram, ram lamb – J and C Connell, Lauder. Ewe, pair – C and J Nicholson, Knock. Gimmer – D Preacher. Ewe lamb – Ms K Cameron, Arniston, Gorebridge.

AOB sheep accredited (Judge: A Warden, Skelfhill). Champion and all classes – D Fleming, Heriot, leading with a home-bred Blue Texel gimmer, by Saltire Derek and out of Hackney Colisa, which also led at Haddington.

AOB sheep non-accredited (Judge: A Warden). Champion and all classes – A Smellie, Kalzie Mains, Peebles, winning with a home-bred Suffolk gimmer which was on her first outing. She's by a Glenrath sire and out of a dam by a Capielaw ram. Pairs – R Locker.

Prime lambs (Judge: G Maxwell, Faughills, Melrose). Champion – M Stewart, Brotherston, Melrose, with a trio of heavy prime lambs, by Beltex Ram and out of home-bred Suffolk cross ewes. Three down cross lambs combined under 120kg, three lambs other than down cross combined over 120kg – M Stewart. Three down cross lambs combined over 120kg – BMW Sheep Enterprise, Wester Middleton, Gorebridge. Three prime lambs other than down cross combined under 120kg – J and J Grant, Blackcastle.

Sheep young handlers (Judge: Ms J Cowan). Under 10 years –1, Enid James; 2, Allie Dick; 3, Isla Dick. Over 10 and under 16 – 1 and champion, James Cowens; 2 and reserve, Kirsty Turnbull.

Commercial cattle (Judge: G Maxwell). Champion – Ross Farms, Wester Middleton, Gorebridge, with a cow and calf unit, a BB cross Limmie dam with a 10-month-old Charolais cross calf, Roscoe Popadom, at foot; reserve at Haddington. Bullock or heifer by A-A, bullock or heifer by continental sire, cow with calf at foot – Ross Farms.

Clydesdale (Judge: W Dunbar, Easthouse). Champion – Mrs A Jackson and A Craig, The Boat, Biggar, with the February-born filly, Boat Lady Adele, by Carnaff Perfection and out of Boat Lady Bethany; first at Lesmahagow.