A strong turnout of sheep from the North, South and North of England-types was forward for the Blackface Sheep Breeders' Association National Show at United Auctions' Stirling Market, giving the three section judges, Tom Adams, Billy Renwick and Philip Walton – plenty of food for thought.

Breed president, Alec Telfer, praised the overall standard of entries across all types: “It was a first-class show of sheep – an excellent showcase for the breed, which has tremendous enthusiasm around it at the moment. The high standard on display, highlights that buyers should be confident that these breeders are doing an excellent job,” he said.

South-type

A month after winning the breed championship at the Royal Highland, the Ramsay family’s superstar ewe was back out in fine form, to take the overall championship, after securing first place in a strong ewe class.

Christened ‘Jubilee Queen’, this one-crop ewe secured a first National Show win for the Ramsays, who farm at Milnmark, Dalry. Sired by a £9000 Grimmet and out of a ewe by £6000 Milnmark, she is currently rearing a ram lamb by a £30,000 Elmscleugh.

Reserve overall was the best from a quality line-up of gimmers, a daughter of £14,000 Craigdarroch from Andrew Kay and sons, Andrew and Robert, Gass, Straiton. She is out of a ewe by £20,000 Auldhouseburn.

The male championship went to Tom and Mairi Paterson, and son Robert, Dunruchan, Muthill, for their aged ram, a £5000 Dalblair, bought at Dalmally last year as a shearling. Sired by Dalblair Bodyguard and out of a daughter of £52,000 Crossflatt, he had stood second in its class at the Highland.

Standing reserve in the males was the shearling ram winner, shown by Angus Kennedy, Mitchellhill, and jointly owned by Malcolm Coubrough. Sired by a Crossflatt loan, he was bought for £9000 from South Cobbinshaw last year. He was breed champion at Biggar the previous week.

North-type

Females were also to the fore in the North-type section, with a ewe from Matthew Hamilton and son Matthew’s Woolfords flock at West Calder, going all the way to take the overall champion ticket.

This three-crop ewe – shown by shepherd Gregor McPherson – is sired by a 2000gns Conway ram, bought at Ballymena, while the dam is a home-bred ewe, one of 1200 in the family’s flock.

The second placed ewe finished up reserve female and reserve overall for Stephen Duncan and son, Stephen, Achdregnie, Glenlivet. Their one-crop ewe is by a home-bred son of an £18,000 Calla, out of a ewe by a 4400gns Tom Adams-bred ram.

Best in the males was a shearling ram from Cadogan Estates, Auchnacloich, Amulree, brought out by the MacKinnon team. Planned for sale at Stirling in October, he is by a £10,000 Woolfords, and out of a ewe by an £1800 Hillhead of Morinsh.

The Duncan family, Achdregnie, also secured the reserve male championship, with their ram lamb which is sired by a 5500gns Conway, out of a daughter of a home-bred ram that sold for £3000.

North of England type

The Murray family from West Deanraw, Langley on Tyne, cleaned up in the North of England championship, taking the overall champion and reserve tickets with their father and son duo, an aged ram and shearling.

The team – Andrew and Samantha and their sons Layton and Kaden – run 1000 ewes at West Deanraw (600 bred pure), with help from Andrew’s father, Angus. Their champion was a four-shear ram which had been bought for £8000 from Tofthouse, sired by a £16,000 Wanwoodhill.

Standing reserve overall was a son of the champion, a shearling ram, out of a ewe by a £3600 Carrick.

Best in the females was an entry from Andrew’s brother Jamie Murray, Sewingshields, Haydon Bridge, with a gimmer that was placed first at the Great Yorkshire, earlier in the month. She’s sired by a £17,000 Kirkstead, out of a Westhills ewe.

Reserve female was the winner from the ewe class, a three-crop from Selby Robson, Yatesfield, Otterburn. On her first outing, this daughter of a £1300 Larg, Creetown, is out of a home-bred dam.

LEADING AWARDS:

South-type (Judge: B Renwick, Craigdouglas, Yarrow).

Aged ram – 1, T and M Paterson, Dunruchan, Muthill; 2, W Ramsay and Sons, Milnmark, Dalry; 3, DC and JJ Marshall, Gosland, Broughton; 4, C McClymont, Cuil, Palnure; 5, Dunruchan, Muthill; 6, W Stevenson and Son, Balrazzie, Ballantrae.

Shearling ram – 1, AJ Kennedy and Son, Mitchellhill; 2, JW Kay, Gass, Straiton; 3, Burncastle Farming, Lauder; 4, J Wight and Sons, Midlock, Crawford; 5, Midlock; 6, Gosland.

Ram lamb – 1, A MacGregor, Allanfauld, Kilsyth; 2, Midlock; 3, D Murray, Lurgan, Aberfeldy; 4, Balrazzie; 5, T Muirhead, Orchilmore, Comrie; 6, Midlock.

Ewe – 1, Milnmark; 2, Balrazzie; 3, J and J Anderson, Upper Wellwood, Muirkirk; 4, Midlock; 5, JR MacGregor, Dyke, Milton of Campsie; 6, J Graham, Mains of Burnbank, Blairdrummond.

Gimmer – 1, Gass; 2, Midlock; 3, Allanfauld; 4, Midlock; 5, Orchilmore; 6, Dyke.

Ewe lamb – 1, Burncastle Farming; 2, J Jackson and Son, Pole, Lochgoilhead; 3, Midlock; 4, Upper Wellwood; 5, Orchilmore; 6, Upper Wellwood.

North-type (Judge: T Adams, Eglish, Rathkenny).

Aged ram – 1, Achdregnie and Scarhill; 2, Codogan Estates, Auchnacloich, Amulree; 3, D Baillie, Calla, Carnwath; 4, Scarhill and Doldy, Glenkindie; 5, A Smith, Scarhill.

Shearling ram – 1, Auchnacloich; 2, M Hamilton, Woolfords, West Calder; 3, R and S Duncan, Achdregnie, Glenlivet; 4, T and M Paterson, Craigneich, Comrie; 5, Messrs Sewart, Bomakelloch, Drummuir; 6, Woolfords.

Ram lamb – 1, Achdregnie; 2, Calla; 3, SW Robertson, Conval, Dufftown; 4, Calla; 5, Bomakelloch; 6, Scarhill.

Ewe – 1, Woolfords; 2, Achdregnie; 3, Achdregnie; 4, Craigneich; 5, Scarhill; 6, M Simpson, Sidlaw, Kinrossie.

Gimmer – 1, Achdregnie; 2, Calla; 3, Woolfords; 4, Craigneich; 5, Woolfords; 6, Auchnacloich.

Ewe lamb – 1, Achdregnie; 2, Calla; 3, Craigneich; 4, Woolfords, West Calder; 5, Conval; 6, Auchnacloich.

North of England Type (Judge: P Walton, Wanwood Hill, Alston).

Aged ram – 1, A and S Murray, West Deanraw, Langley on Tyne; 2, H and H Robson, Town Shields, Haydon Bridge.

Shearling ram – 1, West Deanraw; 2, S Robson, Yatesfield, Otterburn; 3, J Murray, Sewingshields, Haydon Bridge; 4, West Deanraw; 5, Sewingshields; 6, Town Shields.

Ram lamb – 1, West Deanraw; 2, JJ Pattinson, Hotbank, Bardon Hill; 3, Messrs Weatherspoon, Edges Green, Haltwhistle; 4, Town Shields; 5, Sewingshields; 6, Sewingshields.

Ewe – 1, Yatesfield; 2, Sewingshields; 3, West Deanraw; 4, Sewingshields.

Gimmer – 1, Sewingshields; 2, Hotbank; 3, Sewingshields; 4, Yatesfield; 5, Hotbank; 6, Town Shields.

Ewe lamb – 1, Sewingshields; 2, Sewingshields; 3, Townshields; 4, Edges Green; 5, West Deanraw; 6, Hotbank.