Dumfriesshire-based Ben Radley, claimed a second consecutive sheep inter-breed title at Ayr with a Charollais from his Loaningfoot flock.
His show stopper which was on her first outing, was the gimmer Loaningfoot Broxi, a daughter of the 17,000gns Foxhill Walkabout, bred from a Logie Durno ewe bought at the Ingram’s sale in 2022. She is however, destined for a new Hybrid sale at Carlisle, next month.
Commenting on his choice of champion, inter-breed judge, Keith Campbell said: “The Charollais gimmer is very balanced and well handled. She has a great carcase and is just a good all round gimmer.
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“It was a very close call with my runner up going to the strong Suffolk two-crop ewe which was well turned out,” he said.
This was the winner of Scottish National Show, a two-crop ewe from David McMillan, Bute, that had been purchased privately from John Christie, Westcarse. Sired by Ballyboe Boe, she was champion at Beith and Neilston Shows, and is now destined for the Royal Highland.
In the inter-breed groups of three, a Charollais team from Hannah Jackson, Rigghead, lead the way, with a trio of Bluefaced Leicesters from the Firm of Shawhead in reserve.
Leading Awards
Scottish National Suffolk Show (Judge: S Buckley, Sittinglow, Buxton). Champion – D McMillan, Isle of Bute, with a two-crop ewe purchased privately from J Christie, Westcarse, sired by Ballyboe Boe. Champion at Beith and Neilston, she is now destined for the Royal Highland. Reserve – A Gray, Langside, with a home-bred gimmer by Sportsmans Director, which was bought at Lanark for 11,000gns as a lamb, out of a Brijon Black Magic-sired ewe. The same home produced the reserve male champion with the second prize ram lamb, a January-born entry by the same sire and out of a Muirton Premier sired-ewe. Male champion – H Goldie, Harpercroft, with a January-born tup lamb, by Claycrop Cassius, bred from a Strathbogie 24 Carat daughter. Tup – W and M Haining. Tup lamb, ewe lamb – H Goldie. Ewe – D McMillan. Gimmer – A Gray. Pair – JT Cannon. Junior young handlers – A Clark. Senior young handlers – F Glover.
Border Leicester (Judge: M Leggat, Cairnton, Huntly). Champion – D Whyte, Whitelee Gate, Newton Mearns. Champion was a gimmer by Gortnagross Rocket, a £3600 purchase at Lanark, out of a Clola Double Deal sired-ewe. Champion at Beith. Reserve – P and N Brown, Bosolo Farms, Arran, with a home-bred two-crop ewe, sired by Kinninmonth Galileo, out of a home-bred ewe. Tup, ewe hogg, group – D Whyte. Ewe – P Brown.
Zwartbles (Judge: S Rae, Wallacetown, Dumfries). Champion – AJ Thorburn, Holmlea, Dumfries, with the two-crop ewe, Holmlea Karenza. Scottish National champion last year, she is a daughter of Holmlea Count, bred from Holmlea Ester. Reserve – A Baird, Greystone, Stirling, with a home-bred gimmer that was unbeaten as a ewe lamb. Greystone Lady Gaga, is sired by Greystone Hero and out of the private purchase, Auchmantle Jungle Book. Tup, ram lamb, gimmer – A Baird. Shearling, ewe, ewe lamb – AJ Thorburn. Groups – B Gibson.
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Hampshire Down (Judge: JM Fletcher, North Yorkshire). Champion – E and F Dalgleish, Dumfriesshire, with the December-born ewe lamb, Barnhill Crumble. A daughter of Normanbay Outlay she is out of a Greylan bred ewe. Reserve – G Todd and A Shaw, Portpatrick, Stranraer, with the gimmer, Graylen Gracie, on its first outing. Bought at Carlisle she is sired by Rennisons T.rex and is out of a Willstrop ewe. Tup, ewe, ewe lamb – E Dalgleish. Ram lamb – L Brown. Gimmer and group – G Todd.
Texel (Judge: M Leggat). Champion – S Woodrow, Newmains, Islay, with a two-crop Allafauld ewe purchased at the Carlisle Cracker sale for 7500gns. Reserve female champion at the Royal Highland Show last year, she is a daughter of Claybury Dunkirk and out of an Allanfauld-bred ewe by Knock Yardsman. Reserve – K and R Scott, Shacklehill, Tarbolton, with a ewe lamb christened Lambert and Butler after being given the kiss of life by father Robbie.Champion at Catrine she is by Tullysoo Funtime and out of a Harestone gimmer. Tup, shearling – J Wilson. Ram lamb – Messrs Harvie and Davies. Ewe and group – S Woodrow. Gimmer – B and R Westby. Ewe lamb – K and R Scott.
Blue Texel (Judge: M Burleigh, Enniskillen, Co Farmanagh). Champion – J and D Hodge, Dykes with Hodges Golddust, a one-crop Blue Texel ewe by Pistyll Empire out of Grahams Essex Girl. Champion at Catrine. Reserve – AD Brisbane, Auchmantle, with the shearling tup, Quarryview Hank bought at Carlisle in partnership with Stuart Wood. Sired by Matt’s Escobar he is out of a Silson dam. Shearling, tup lamb, gimmer, group – AD Brisbane. Ewe – J and D Hodge. Ewe lamb – C Rae.
Charollais (Judge: M Burleigh). Champion – B Radley, Loaningfoot, Dumfries, with the home-bred gimmer, Loaningfoot Broxi, on its first outing. A daughter of Foxhill Walkabout, she is out of a Logie Durno ewe, purchased at their sale in 2022. She is for sale at the new Hybrid sale at Carlisle in June. Reserve – HW Sloan, Rigghead, Dumfries, with a December-born ewe lamb. Sired by Logie Durno Ultimatum, she is bred from a ewe bought at the Ingrams flock sale in 2022. Tup, gimmer – B Radley. Tup lamb, ewe lamb, group – HW Sloan. Ewe – A Gray.
Any other continental (Judge: K O’Connor, Lanark). Champion – A Jackson, Maulscastle, Dumfries, with the Rouge two-crop ewe, Sunrise You Peach. Sired by Bennachie Winning Shot and out of Sunrise Unicorn, she was reserve inter-breed at the Royal Welsh and Ayr last year. Reserve – F Barbour, Newark, Sanquhar, Dumfries, with a three-shear Berrichon ram bought at Carlisle as a lamb from Adrian Bowen, Wales. Ram – F Barbour. Ram lamb, ewe, ewe lamb, group – A Jackson. Gimmer – K McDermid.
Beltex (Judge: A Morton, Lochend, Stirlingshire). Champion – A Dunlop, Corstane, with the two-shear ram, Brilly Heatwave, purchased at Carlisle for 9000gns with Brian Wylie and Graham Burke. Sired by Ardstewart Fred Flintstone. Reserve – J Barclay, Mid Brockloch, Maybole, with the home-bred three-shear tup, Beachy Gypsy King. Sired by the 3000gns Glenpark Dynamite, his dam is a daughter of the 10,000gns Kingledores Battleaxe. Ram, gimmer – A Dunlop. Shearling, ewe, group – J and L Cousar. Tup lamb – D and K Padkin. Ewe lamb – W McMillan.
Valais Blacknose (Judge: B Goldie, Townfoot, Dumfries). Champion – R and K Taylor, Whiterigg, Stirling, with the gimmer, Whiterigg Coco Chanel, by Mourahill Indy 500, out of Bridgehaughhill Faith. Reserve – Ayrshire Valais Blacknose, with the two-year-old ram, Kinneff Jacobson, bought from Joe Jacobson. Sired by Highland Glen. Tup – Ayrshire Valais Blacknose. Ram lamb, ewe lamb – C Losty. Ewe – M Dempsie. Gimmer, group – Whiterigg.
Commercial (Judge: A Morton). Champion – J Guild, Laight, New Cumnock, with a Scotch Mule ewe hogg, purchased privately from the Walkers of the Tower. Champion at East Kilbride, Coylton, Muirkirk and LiveScot last year. Runner up was another of the same from Kelsie Guild, Laight. All classes – J Guild.
Ryeland (Judge: J Milne, Thornhill, Stirling). Champion – A Hunter Blair, Nether Cleugh, Dalry, with Carsfad Delaware, a gimmer by Pembroke Apollo out of a Ruslin Yoxter ewe. Reserve – D Mitchell, New Cumnock, with the January-born ewe lamb, Wellhill Elizabeth. Sired by Bryn Caffo Zac, she is out of a home-bred ewe. Tup, tup lamb, ewe lamb, group – D Mitchell. Ewe – GW Scott. Gimmer – A Hunter Blair.
Any other native (Judge: J Milne). Champion – T Peters, Glenvale, exhibiting at his first show, and winning with a three-crop Kerry Hill ewe bought privately from Dalwyne. Reserve – E and G Minuntion, Pinclanty, with a February-born Hampshire Down ram lamb. Tup, ewe – T Peters. Ram lamb, group – E and G Minuntion. Gimmer, ewe lamb – S and JE Fisher.
Bluefaced Leicester crossing (Judge: B Kerr, Sauchrie Mains, Maybole). Champion and reserve – Firm of Shawhead. Champion was a shearling tup bought from Shittlington at the Kelso Ram sales last year and now destined for the Royal Highland Show. Runner up was a home-bred ewe hogg by a Forebrae tup and out of a home-bred ewe. Tup, gimmer, group – Firm of Shawhead. Tup lamb, ewe – D Bryson. Ewe lamb – S Bryson.
Blackface (Judge: B Kerr). Champion and reserve – W Stevenson, Balrazzie. Supreme was a home-bred two-crop ewe by a £28,000 Auldhouseburn, out of a £14,000 Auldhouseburn sired-ewe. The blue and white rosette went to a ram lamb purchased from Elmscleugh. Tup – Firm of Shawhead. Shearling, ewe, gimmer, group – W Stevenson.
Young stocksperson sheep (Judge: R O’Neil, Ayr). 11 and under – 1, Islay Thorburn; 2, Matthew Gray; 3, Lucas Peters.
12-15 years of age – 1, Cameron Barclay; 2, Lachlan Rae; 3, Jack Jamieson.
YFC sheep breeds (Judge: K Campbell). 1, Kelsie Guild; 2, Jordan Cuthbertson; 3, Freya Glover.
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