Showery weather failed to dampen spirits at Straiton Show, where a previously unshown Blackface ewe hogg from local breeders Andrew Kay and sons Robert and Andrew, Gass, lifted the overall champion of champions title.
Overall judge Alan McClymont, Kirkstead, Yarrow, found his supreme in a ewe hogg by a £48,000 Midlock shearling ram bought at Dalmally, and presented the reserve honours to a two-year-old Salers heifer from Kieran Limond of Drumore, Kirkmichael.
Reserve inter-breed sheep was a Scotch Mule gimmer on her show debut from Matt Ross, Birchwood Way, Dumfries. She was purchased at UA Stirling last year.
Leading Awards
Blackface (Judge: B Cluckie, Biggar). Champion, inter-breed sheep and overall champion of champions – JW Kay and Co, Gass, Straiton, with a home-bred ewe hogg by a £48,000 Midlock. Reserve – I Campbell and Sons, Grimmet Farm, Dalmellington, with a £15,000 Gass tup hogg bought last year at Lanark in partnership with Auldhouseburn. He is sired by the same £48,000 Midlock and out of a £24,000 Glenrath-sired ewe. Tup hogg – I Campbell. Tup hogg (shorn) – D Morrison, Dalwyne. Tup lamb, ewe lamb – W McFarlane, Drumgrange. Ewe hogg, group of three, – JW Kay, Gass. Ewe hogg (shorn) – D McMillan, Craig. Ewe – W Stevenson, Balrazzie. Shepherds’ ewe – A McMillan, Dalwyne. Shepherds hogg – J Cockburn, Grimmet.
Texel – (Judge: W Armstrong, Friarland). Champion – B and R Westby, Craigenquarroch Farmhouse, Stranraer with a home-bred gimmer bred by Knap Yorkie. Reserve – J Wilson, Barneil, Girvan, with Barneil Grit, a son of Didcot Firefly, out of a home-bred ewe. Tup, ewe – Barneil. Ewe hogg, ewe lamb, tup lamb, group of three – B and R Westby.
Suffolk (Judge: W Armstrong). Champion – A Clark, Meikle Glengyre, Leswalt, with a four-crop ewe sired by a Mid Brockloch ram. Reserve from the same home was a gimmer by Spoutwell Black Demond, on her first outing of the year. All classes – A Clark.
AOB continental sheep (Judge: W Armstrong). Champion – R and J Andrew, Rowanston, Maybole with a Charollais gimmer, out of a Tymaen Poundstretcher dam, sired by Foxhill Wyhan. Reserve – E Clark, Meikle Glengyre, with Sinclair’s Chanel, a six-crop Beltex ewe purchased from Graham Sinclair. Tup – Viking Grazers. Tup lamb – R and J Andrew.
Mules (Judge: D Hall). Champion and reserve inter-breed sheep – M Ross, Birchwood Way, Dumfries, with a Scotch Mule gimmer on her first outing. Reserve from the same home, was a ewe hogg purchased from UA, Stirling.
Commercial cattle (Judge: D Gall, Lockerbie). Champion and reserve champion of champions – K Limond, Drumore, with a two-year-old bought in Salers heifer. Reserve – R Paterson, Low Three Mark, Stoneykirk, with 15-month-old Limousin cross heifer, bought from Newton of Logierait, Pitlochry.
Native (Judge: D Gall). Champion – RH Allan, Arnsow, with the two-year-old Shorthorn heifer Arnsow Gipsy Snowdrop, by Millerston Minesweeper out of Brackenhill Gipsy Ray M318.
Belted Galloway (Judge: D Gall). Champion – J Taylor, Brae of Gadgirth, Sundrum, with Tobergill Zoe, a rising three-year-old heifer by Turin Jumbo, out of Tobergill Pocahontas that is due to calf in September. Reserve – J Cowie, Copelaw, Gatehouse, with Copelaw Kelpie 2, a 17-month-old heifer by Copelaw Lennie, out of Copelaw Kelpie.
Highland ponies (Judge: A Forde, Dalrymple). Champion – J Kendal. Reserve – S Potter.
Goats – Champion – A Dick.
Young handlers – (Judge: A McClymont). Champion – Alexander Clark.
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