Drizzle failed to dampen spirits at the Yarrow Show as spectators looked on to witness the Texel champion from Zoe Hall, Horsleyhill, Hawick, win the sheep inter-breed honours.
Judge Billy Goodfellow, Townfoot, Roberton, found his champion in a gimmer sired by a Proctors tup purchased from Kelso, out of a home-bred ewe.
Judge Quintin Dunlop judging the Blackface at Yarrow Show
“There was a nice show of champions. Overall, though, I thought the Texel was a good example of the breed and was well fleshed,” said Mr Goodfellow.
A close reserve to the Texel was the North Country Hill Cheviot victor, a three-crop ewe from George Irving, Mountbenger, Yarrow, hailing from the late Tom Kerr’s Colony flock.
Clydesdale champion was a four-month-old colt foal from Tom Tennant, Gilmanscleuch, Ettrick. Making his show debut, the foal is by Singlie Limited Edition and out of West Forth Jenny Wren.
Leading Awards
South Country Cheviot (Judge: W Nixon, Cooms Tarras, Langholm). Champion – JG Irving and Son, Mountbenger, Yarrow, with Crossdykes Talisman, a tup purchased for £10,000 at Lockerbie last year in partnership with Catslackburn after standing as pre-sale champion. He is sired by a Becks Quicksilver. Reserve – D and C Hume, Sundhope, Yarrow, with a two-crop ewe by Castle Fury. Second at the Royal Highland. Aged tup, gimmer, male group, group – WN Douglas, Catslackburn, Yarrow. Two-shear tup, tup lamb – JG Irving and Son. Shearling, ewe, ewe lamb, ewe, female group – D and C Hume. Wool – K and K Duncan, West Deloraine, Ettrick. Shepherd – M Carryer, Catslackburn.
North Country Cheviot park-type (Judge: A Pate, Nettlingflat, Heriot). Champion – A Cowens, Philiphaugh, Selkirk, with a three-crop home-bred ewe sired by Hownam Grange Xample. Inter-breed champion at Dalkeith and St Boswells and second at the Royal Highland. Reserve – S Davis, North Synton, Ashkirk, with a home-bred ewe lamb by Synton Delta Work. Shearling, ewe – FM Strang Steel, Philiphaugh. Tup lamb, gimmer, ewe lamb, female group – G Davies and Partners, North Synton.
North Country Cheviot hill-type (Judge: B Elliot, Yetholm, Kelso). Champion and reserve inter-breed sheep – J G Irving and Son, shown by shepherd John Allan, with a three-crop Colony ewe bred by the late Tom Kerr. She is the mother of the champion gimmer at the Highland. Reserve from the same home was gimmer sired by Benger Dambuster and also bred from a Colony ewe. She is a full sister to the Highland Show champion. Champion at Peebles and Border Union. Tup – WN Douglas, Catslackburn, Yarrow. Shearling, ewe, gimmer – JG Irving and Son. Tup lamb – M and S Wilson, Newbank, Beattock. Ewe lamb – FM Strang Steel.
Blackface (Judge: Q Dunlop, Elmscleuch, Dunbar). Champion – T Renwick and Sons, Blackhouse, Yarrow, with a gimmer sired by a £32,000 Dalblair and out of a £42,000 Glenrath-sired ewe. Champion at Peebles. Reserve from the same home was a two-crop ewe, sired by a £15,000 Merkland tup and bred from a £25,000 Elmscleugh-sired dam. Tup, shearling, bred shearling, tup lamb, male group, group – S McClymont and Son, Tinnis, Yarrow. Ewe, gimmer, ewe lamb, ewe lamb pair, female group – T Renwick and Sons. Shepherd’s – D Faulds, Kirkstead.
AOB sheep (Judge: W Thomson). Champion and inter-breed sheep – Z Hall and M Batty, Horsleyhill, Hawick, with a home-bred Texel gimmer, sired by a Proctors tup and out of a home-bred ewe. Reserve – J Elliot, Kirkhope Steading, Ettrick, with a Dutch Spotted ewe lamb sired by Back Tor Godzilla. Tup, female group – Sir FM Strang Steel. Ewe – J Goldie, Collielaw, Oxton. Gimmer – Z Hall and M Batty. Ewe lamb – J Elliot.
Prime lambs – open (Judge: B Elliot). Champion – Z Hall and M Batty, Horsleyhill. Best three over 40kg – Z Hall and M Batty. Best three under 40kg – Z Hall and M Batty. Three Blackface – T Renwick and Sons, Blackhouse, Yarrow.
Sheep young handlers (Judge: B Goodfellow, Biggar). Champion – James Goldie (13), Collielaw, Oxton. Reserve – Lucy Goldie (15). Under 10yrs – Angus Hume, Sundhope.
Hill cattle (Judge: D Gall, Lockerbie). Entries judged on farm. Champion – G Gray, Sunnycroft, Lindean. Group of cow and calves – Buccleuch Estate, Fauldshope. Group of three suckled calves – Farmstock Genetics, Over Whitlaw, Selkirk. Suckled calf born after Jan 1, 2024 – JG Irving and Son, Mountbenger. Suckled calf born before Jan 1, 2024 – G Gray.
Clydesdale (Judge: Yvonne Pringle, Newtongrange, Midlothian). Champion – T Tennant, Gilmanscleuch, Ettrick, with a four-month-old colt foal, sired by Singlie Limited Edition and out of West Forth Jenny Wren. First show. Reserve – R Morton, Stobilee, Cleghorn, Lanark, with a four-month-old filly foal, sired the same way and out of Stobilee Zola. Brood mare with foal at foot, yearling or two-year-old colt, foal – T Tennant. Foal – R Morton.
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