A REAL community spirit gathered for the champion of champions competition at Houston Show which saw a one-crop Texel ewe from Richard and Alison Close of Nethermill, Langbank, crowned supreme by the various judges.
Despite being on her first outing, she ticked all the boxes, having first won the continental section and then the supreme overall. Sired by Knock Ever Ready, she is out of a homebred ewe.
Leading the dairy section was Kaimhill Valentine 70, a fourth calver from Hugh Harper, Kaimhill, Bridge of Weir. His Holstein, shown by Emma Heywood, is sired by Kaimhill Lord, and was paraded due her fifth calf in September.
Supreme among the pedigree beef cattle was Barnsford Tinula, a 20-month-old Charolais heifer from Tom and Sheena Gatherer of Barnsford Farm, Bishopton. Reserve at Drymen, she is by Harestone Hercules.
Leading the Clydesdales was the two-year-old filly Fordelhill Sapphire from B and D McMillan, Clydeview, Rothesay. Judge Alasdair Fletcher, Bishopton, commented: “She stood out among the ring due to being young and fleshy looking and she was very well presented.”
Leading Awards
Dairy (Judge: R Fotheringham, United Auctions, Stirling). Champion – H Harper, Kaimhill Farm, Bridge of Weir, with Kaimhill Valentine 70, a fourth calved Holstein brought out by E Heywood, due with her fifth in September. She has produced 37,966kg to date. Reserve – H Harper with the third calver, Kaimhill Snowdrop 135, a Holstein daughter of Westcoast Penman Praser, out of dam Kaimhill Snowdrop 109, shown by Tom Stewart. She is projected at 9231kgs. All classes – H Harper.
Pedigree beef (Judge: I Mitchell, ABP, Perth). Champion – T and S Gatherer, Barnsford Farm, Bishopton, with Barnsford Tinula, a 20-month-old Charolais heifer, sired by Harestone Hercules, out of Barnsford Inula. Reserve at Drymen show. Reserve – T Marsh, Lower Bardrain Farm, Johnstone, with the 13-month-old Aberdeen Angus heifer, Bardrain Etta Z639. Sired by HW Black Baboushka X275 she is out of Bardrain Etbloo X623.
Commercial beef (Judge: I Mitchell). Champion – W and J Howie, Auchentiber, Kilmacolm, with Jimmy, a two-month-old Charolais cross bullock calf shown by William Laird. It is out of a home-bred Limousin cross dam. Reserve – A Young, Towncroft, Houston, with a 30-month-old Limousin cross Aberdeen Angus cow and a March-born calf at foot sired by Lorabar Just Eric.Children’s calf - W Laird.
Lowland native breed sheep (Judge: F McEwan, Angus). Champion – S MacIntyre, Knowes, Lochwinnoch, with a traditional Bluefaced Leicester tup lamb sired by Burndale R4. First show. Reserve – S MacIntyre, with a March-born Bluefaced Leicester ewe lamb also sired by Burndale R4. First show. Ewe, ewe lamb, tup – W and J Howie. Ewe hogg, tup lamb, group of three – S MacIntyre.
Continental sheep (Judge: F McEwan). Champion – R and A Close, Houston, with a one-crop Texel ewe by Knock Ever Ready and out a home-bred dam. First show. Reserve – R Close, with a Texel gimmer, sired by Milnbank Eddie Eagle, out of a home-bred ewe. Ewe, ewe hogg, tup, tup lamb, group of three – R Close. Ewe lamb – B Carruth.
Native hill sheep (Judge: R Fotheringham). Champion – A and S Gordon, Coslie Hill, Houston, with a Blackface ewe hogg sired by a Glen, Gatehouse tup. Reserve – A and S Gordon, with a Blackface tup lamb. Ewe – A Fletcher. Ewe hogg, ewe lamb, tup lamb, group of three – A and S Gordon. Tup – A and C Patterson.
Clydesdale (Judge: A Fletcher, Bishopton). Champion – B and D McMillan, Clydeview, Rothesay, with the two-year-old filly Fordelhill Sapphire. She is sired by Macfin Starlight, out of Fordelhill Jubilee Ruby and was bred by Scott Greenhill, Fordelhill. Reserve – A and E Campbell, Kilmacolm, with 13-year-old mare, Pacemuir Molly sired by Bogton Flying Scot and out of Rashhill House Betty. Her foal, Pacemuir Tobermory, is by Dillars Ollie.
A true community spirit was felt among the crowds at Houston Show last weekend as everyone eagerly awaited ringside while the judges selected the champion of champions from a selection of winning dairy, beef, sheep and equine.
The winning title was soon awarded to Richard and Alison Close of Nethermill, Langbank, with a one crop Texel ewe. Despite being on her inaugural outing, she ticked all the right boxes for the judges, having also won the continental sheep championships. Sired by Knock Ever Ready, she is out a homebred ewe.
Winning the lowland native breed sheep section was Sandy MacIntyre, Knowes, Lochwinnoch, with a March-born traditional Bluefaced Leicester tup lamb by Burndale R4 on his debut show of the year. The champion among the native hill sheep was awarded to Allan and Susan Gordon of Coslie Hill, Houston, for a ewe hogg sired by a Glen Gatehouse tup.
In the dairy line, the leading winner came from Hugh Harper with Kaimhill Valentine 70 of Kaimhill Farm, Bridge of Weir. This Holstein, shown by Emma Heywood, is sired by Kaimhill Lord, is due her fifth calf in September, and boasts a lifetime yield of 37,966kg.
Taking the red ticket home in the pedigree beef section was Tom and Sheena Gatherer of Barnsford Farm, Bishopton, with Barnsford Tinula. A 20-month-old Charolais heifer by Harestone Hercules and out of homebred Barnsford Inula, she was also reserve in her class at Drymen.
The best commercial beef animal was from W and J Howie, Auchentiber, Kilmacolm with a two-month-old Charolais cross bullock calf, Jimmy, who was shown by young William Laird. This calf goes back to Blelack Digger as his grandfather and is out of a homebred Limousin cross cow.
Leading the Clydesdale section was a two-year-old filly named Fordelhill Sapphire from B and D McMillan, Clydeview, Rothesay. Judge Alasdair Fletcher commented: “She stood out among the ring due to being young and fleshy looking and she was very well presented.”
Purchased from Scott Greenhill, Fordelhill, Fife, she is out of Fordelhill Jubilee Ruby and is a daughter of Macfin Starlight. She has previously proved her worth at Beith as champion and reserve champion at Kilmaurs already this year and is set to attend The Royal Highland show.
Leading Awards
Dairy (Judge: Ross Fotheringham, United Auctions, Stirling). Champion – H Harper, Kaimhill Farm, Bridge of Weir, brought out by E Heywood, with a four-crop Holstein cow due her fifth in September. Named Kaimhill Valentine 70, she has a lifetime yield of 37,966kg. Reserve – H Harper, shown by Tom Stewart, named Kaimhill Snowdrop 135 she is daughter to Westcoast Penman Praser and out of dam Kaimhill Snowdrop 109, with her third lactation projected to give 9231kgs. All classes – H Harper.
Pedigree beef (Judge: Ian Mitchell, ABP, Perth). Champion – T and S Gatherer, Barnsford Farm, Bishopton, with Barnsdord Tinula, a 20-month-old Charolais heifer. Out of Barnsford Inula and sired by Harestone Hercules, she was also reserve at Drymen show. Reserve – T Marsh, Lower Bardrain Farm, Johnstone. With a 13-month-old Aberdeen Angus heifer, Bardrain Etta Z639. Sired by HW Black Baboushka X275 and out of Bardrain Etbloo X623.
Commercial beef (Judge: Ian Mitchell). Champion – W and J Howie, Auchentiber, Kilmacolm, with a two-month-old Charolais cross bullock calf named Jimmy shown by William Laird. This calf is out of a homebred Limousin cross, with the grandfather going back to Blelack Digger. Reserve – A Young, Towncroft, Houston, with a 30-month-old Limousin cross Aberdeen Angus cow and a March born calf at foot, sired by Lorabar Just Eric.
Lowland native breed sheep (Judge: Fraser McEwan, Angus). Champion – S MacIntyre, Knowes, Lochwinnoch, with a traditional Bluefaced Leicester tup lamb sired by Burndale R4; first show. Reserve – S MacIntyre, March-born Bluefaced Leicester ewe lamb also sired by Burndale R4; first show this year. Ewe, ewe lamb, tup – W and J Howie. Ewe hogg, tup lamb, group of three – S MacIntyre.
Continental sheep (Judge: Fraser McEwan). Champion – R and A Close, Houston, with a one crop Texel ewe by Knock Ever Ready and out a homebred dam; first show. Reserve – R Close, with a 23-month-old Texel gimmer, sired by Milnbank Eddie Eagle and from a homebred ewe. Ewe, ewe hogg, tup, tup lamb, group of three – R Close. Ewe lamb – B Carruth.
Native hill sheep (Judge: Ross Fotheringham). Champion – A and S Gordon, Coslie Hill, Houston, with a Blackface ewe hogg sired by a Glen Gatehouse tup. Reserve – A and S Gordon, Blackface tup lamb. Ewe – A Fletcher. Ewe hogg, ewe lamb, tup lamb, group of three – A and S Gordon. Tup – A and C Patterson.
Clydesdale (Judge: Alasdair Fletcher, Bishopton). Champion – B and D McMillan, Clydeview, Rothesay, with two-year-old filly Fordelhill Sapphire. Out of the dam Fordelhill Jubilee Ruby and sired by Macfin Starlight. Bred by Scott Greenhill, Fordelhill. Reserve – Brood mare and foal from A and E Campbell, Kilmacolm, with 13-year-old Pacemuir Molly who is sired by Bogton Flying Scot and out of Rashhill House Betty. Her gelding foal was also by her side, Pacemuir Tobermory, he is by Dillars Ollie.
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