Tom McMillan scored a hat-trick at Bute Show, securing a third champion of champions title with a Beef Shorthorn heifer.
Claiming the top spot was Eskechraggan Fairy Sara, which last year won the native title here. Champion at the Royal Highland Show she was also a member of the native pair at the Great Yorkshire and stood reserve inter-breed beef at Stirling earlier this year.
The Shorthorn was placed supreme by judge Willie Hamilton, who had to select a winner from the lead dairy, Highland, sheep, Clydesdale, light horse, alpaca and goat winners.
Inter-breed dairy was Lewis Robertson’s black and white champion from Ballycurrie. A third calver sired by Secretariat and out of a home-bred dam, she is giving 55 litres per day.
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Supreme sheep was the two-crop Suffolk ewe, Westcarse Bella from David and Murray McMillan, from Lower Ettrick. She was purchased privately from John Christie, Westcarse, and is a daughter of Ballyboe Boe. Reserve female at the Royal Highland Show, she was inter-breed sheep at both Beith and Neilston Show.
Mill Rosie claimed the top spot among the Clydesdales for JM McMillan and family, Greenan Mill. This two-year-old filly is by Kirnath Maverick and out of Mill Miss Kerinn.
Leading Awards
Ayrshire (Judge: A Logan). Champion – S Lyon, Little Kilchattan, with Kilchattan Buster Ella, a second calver giving 39litres having calved 55 days previous. A daughter of Cuthill Tower Buster, she is out of Kilchattan Dice Ella. Reserve – J Rodenhurst, Mid Ascog, with Badenheath Pearl Princess 106, a calved heifer sired by Halmyre Urr Prime and out of Badenheath Pearl Princess 96. Calved in April she is part of the Rodenhurst family’s growing herd when they moved to the island 15 months ago from the Midlands, England. Quey stirk born after Jan 1, 2022, four-year-old cow in milk, pair – S Lyon. Back-calving two-year-old quey, group of females two years and under, heifer in calf – J McAllister, Ascog. Heifer in milk – Messrs Rodenhurst, Mid Ascog.
Holstein Friesian (Judge: W Bryson). Champion and inter-breed dairy – L Robertson, Ballycurrie, with a third calver by Secretariat, out of a home-bred cow. She is giving 55litres per day. Reserve – A Kennedy, Largievrechten, with the similarly aged Ettrick Jarhead Mina Ex91. Bred from 12 generations of Ex or VG classified cows, she is sired by BWN K and L Jarhead and out of Ettrick Unix Mina Ex93. Maiden heifer – C Malcolm, Kerrycroy. Back-calving heifer, senior cow in milk, pair – L Robertson. Two-year-old heifer to calve before October 1, 2024 – R Tierney. Junior cow in milk – R and E Kennedy. Heifer in milk, group of three – S Lyon.
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Commercial cattle (Judge: M Irvine). Champion – J Sweeting, Windyhall, with a home-bred four-month-old British Blue cross calf sired by Swells Popeye. Reserve – G Reynolds, Kildavannan, with a March-born Limousin cross sired by the same bull as the champion. Cow with calf – I Crackford, Stuck. Calf born after Feb 1, 2024 – J Sweeting. Calf born after Sept 1, 2023 – February 1, 2024 – R Sweeting. Prime animal – T McMillan.
Native cattle (Judge: M Irvine). Champion and overall supreme – T McMillan with the two-year-old Beef Shorthorn heifer, Eskechraggan Fairy Sara. Native champion here in 2023, she was also breed champion at the Royal Highland Show in June. She is by the 20,000gns Millerston Kasper and out of Ballylinney Fairy Zara K1638. Reserve – J Sprowl, Eastlands with the Aberdeen Angus cow, Eastland Pooh Pooh, a three-year-old, by McCormick Del Boy, out of a home-bred cow. She was shown with her March-born bull calf by Logie Evolution at foot. Bull, calf born in 2024 – R and P McAlister. Cow in calf or suckling – G Spowl, Eastlands. Senior heifer – T McMillan. Junior heifer – R McMillan, Little Grenach.
Continental cattle (Judge: M Irvine). Champion – G Reynolds, Kildavannan, with the 18-month-old Charolais heifer, Clyde Uptown Gill. Sired by Blelack Digger, she was second at Neilston. Reserve – E McAlister, Coxhill, Falkirk, with the two-year-old Simmental heifer Coxhill Nelly, a daughter of Bruchag Imperial 17, out of Coxhill Hope. Bull – R Sweeting. Cow, junior heifer – G Reynolds. Senior heifer – J Wightman and E McAlister. Calf born in 2024 – M Planck, Barone Road. Group – T McMillan.
Highland (Judge: A Kirkpatrick). Champion – I McKay, Brindlepoint Croft, Appin, with the three-year-old home-bred heifer, Bridget 4 of Brindlepoint, out of Bridget 5 of Kynder and sired by McSaua of Achnacroish. Champion at the Royal Highland at Lorn Show. Reserve – T Groves, Glenmassan Estate, Argyll, with the two-year-old black heifer, Morag Dubh 6 of Leys, sired by Cathag Dubh of Craigowmill, out of Morag 13 of Leys. Cow, two-year-old heifer – T Groves. Calf born in 2024, yearling heifer, group of three – R McMillan, Little Grenach. Three-year-old heifer – I McKay. Bull – S McKay, Glenkinless. Pair – A Clotworthy, Vinepark Drove.
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Clydesdales (Judge: B Marshall). Champion – JM McMillan and family, Greenan Mill, with the two-year-old filly Mill Rose, sired by Kirnath Maverick and out of Mill Miss Kerinn. Champion here last year, champion at Wigtown and reserve at Biggar. Reserve – T McMillan, Eskechraggan with the yearling colt Eskechraggan Raos, a son of Eskechraggan Ernest out of Eskechraggan Lady Bell and a son of Dillars Olly. Best one or two-year-old colt or filly, gelding two years or over, yeld mare, pair – JM McMillan and family. Best yearling or two-year-old colt or filly – T McMillan.
Blackface (Judge: B Simpson). Champion – J and J McPherson, Balliemeanoch, Dalmally, with a suckled gimmer by a £3600 Elmscleugh. Reserve – KA and R Campbell, Drimsynie, with an aged ewe by a £16,000 Dalchirla and out of a ewe by a £14,000 Dalchirla. First outing. Tup, tup lamb, group – J and J McPherson. Ewe – C Toner, Drimsynie. Ewe lamb – I Maclean, Largie.
Continental (Judge: W Baird). Champion and reserve inter-breed sheep – R and P McAlister, Langalbunioch, with a Texel gimmer bought at Lanark last year from Angus McColm, Crailloch. She is by Kirrin Freddie. Reserve – R Currie, Westlands, with the second prize ewe lamb, sired by Drumbreddan Gizmo, out of a Stainton-bred ewe. Ewe, ewe lamb – R Currie. Shearling, tup lamb – S McMaster, Springfield. R and P McAlister.
Suffolk (Judge: W Baird). Champion and inter-breed sheep – D and M McMillan, Lower Ettrick, with the two-crop ewe Westcarse Bella, sired by Ballyboe Boe. Bought privately from J Christie, Westcarse, she was reserve female at the Royal Highland Show, and inter-breed sheep champion at Beith and Neilston Show. Reserve from the same home was the ewe lamb Westmore Maisy, sired by Westmore Zac and out of Westcarse Annie. Ewe, ewe lamb, tup lamb – D and M McMillan. Gimmer – R and P McAlister.
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Prime sheep (Judge: W Baird). Champion – Chloe Robertson, Ballycurrie, with a pen of three cross lambs. Three Bluefaced Leicester cross lambs, three Blackface lambs – R Kennedy, Edinbeg. Three AOB cross lambs – C Robertson. Three pure-bred lambs – W Robertson.
Bluefaced Leicester (Judge: A Steedman). Champion – Tod Mcneish, Balgowan Farm, Isle of Arran, with a gimmer gifted to him from Santa last Christmas. She is sired by Riddings and out of a Marriforth dam. Reserve – J Wightman and E McAlister, Coxhill, with a Clunebeg-sired ewe lamb, out of a Westerbowhouse dam. Tup, shearling, group – W Robertson, Birgidale Knock. Ewe, gimmer – T Mcneish. Ewe lamb, tup lamb – J Wightman and E McAlister.
Mule (Judge: A Steedman). Champion – D Ralston, Rhoin, Campbeltown, with a two-crop ewe sired by a Reddhill ram. Champion at Mid Argyll Show. Reserve – J Wightman and E McAlister, Coxhill, with three home-bred ewe lambs. Ewe lamb, gimmer – J Wightman and E McAlister. Ewe – D Ralston.
Any other native breed (Judge: A Steedman). Champion – A and C Paterson, Plan Farm, with a three-crop Cheviot ewe purchased from Dingwall. First here last year. Reserve – W Robertson, Birgidale Knock, with a Cheviot ewe lamb. Tup, gimmer, ewe lamb, tup lamb – W Robertson. Ewe – A and C Paterson.
Young handlers (Judge: Alice Mullen). Champion – T McMillan, Eskechraggan.
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