Quality over quantity was the key to success at Orkney’s County Show as Elsie Wishart’s one and only North Country Cheviot ewe claimed the interbreed sheep title.
The home-bred two-crop ewe was the breed champion and reserve overall at the Dounby Show just two days earlier.
She went one better at Bignold Park in Kirkwall on Saturday with Mrs Wishart dedicating her win to late husband James.
Catching the eye of inter-breed judge Johnny Aitken, the winner is by Cairnside Northern Light and out of a home-bred dam by Bardnaclavan Elite.
Mr Aitken said: “She’s just full of breed character – she’s very correct on her legs and feet and commanded the ring. The Cheviot just had that bit of extra flash about her.”
Mr Aitken, who runs flocks of pedigree Beltex, Texel, Border Leicester and Charollais sheep, described the quality of stock as “second to none.”
He chose one of two strong ewes from Davy Summers of Easthouse in Toab as the overall reserve.
The duo, who were champion and reserve in the Suffolk section, have similar breeding being sired by the 1,200gn Crewelands Charisma and both are out of ewes by a Conveth tup.
Despite a short but heavy burst of rain early on in the day, conditions for the 132nd edition of the event were favourable.
In the cattle lines the overall winner was the champion in the cross-bred section from JS Baillie and Co of Sebay Farm in Tankerness.
Interbreed judge John Wight of Rowantree, Biggar, said it was an easy job picking out the winner who was, for him, the stand-out animal. A Craigatoke Jameson son, the December-born Limousin cross calf is heading to this year’s Thainstone Spectacular along with a number of others from the family.
Reserve supreme in the cattle section was the winner of the Aberdeen-Angus section from Phyllis Hepburn, Messigate Tankerness.
The four-year-old cow, Newlot Esmeralda W114 was bred by Phyllis’ father, John Hepburn, and comes from a successful line.
Meanwhile, over 60 years of showing Clydesdales was rounded off in perfect style for Ian Smith, of Holburn in Kirkwall, when his seven-year-old mare, Downhill Snowflake, did the business once again.
There was plenty of discussion among the judges before the animal was tapped out as the Supreme horse champion and there were cries of delight as Mr Smith’s hat was seen being hurled high into the air as he bids farewell to the show ring.
His champion was an Irish-bred horse who has won on several occasions in the past. He now plans to sell her on the Scottish mainland.
RESULTS
CATTLE
Beef Shorthorn – J.M. Lennie and Co., Nearhouse, Tankerness with seven-year-old bull Pentland Emperor by Chapelton Wildfire and out of Pentland Laura. Bought from Inkstack three years ago. Shorthorn champion at the show for the past three years and inter-breed winner in 2016. Reserve – B and S Slater, Newbigging, Dounby with the two-year-old home-bred in-calf heifer Queenamoan Cassie by Rowanberry Donatello and out of Odin Star Gazer. Due to calf in December, reserve champion at the show as a calf and overall junior champion at the Stars Of The Future Show in Stirling in 2016.
Aberdeen-Angus – Phyllis Hepburn, Messigate, Tankerness with four-year-old cow Newlot Esmeralda W114 by Silvermoss Everest K044 and out of Newlot Esmeralda K090. On her first outing. Bred by Phyllis’ father, John Hepburn. Reserve – J S Baillie and Co., Sebay Farm, Tankerness with 19-month-old heifer Sebay Electra S286, by Retties JFK M195 and out of Sebay Red Electra K778. Champion at the Orkney East Mainland Show.
Charolais – W.R. Baillie and Co., Biggings, Toab with two-year-old heifer Baillieston Mary by the 25,000gn Maerdy Hasse and out of Baillieston Gemini. Reserve – GT and S Coghill, Muce Farm, Birsay with six-year-old home-bred cow Hekra Holly by Seawell Dagger and out of Hekra Alicia.
Limousin – K and M Eunson, Braebuster, Deerness with seven-year-old bull Dinmore Gold Crest by Ronick Hawk. Bought for 18,000gn in Carlisle in 2012 by Harry Emslie and sold to Braebuster last year. Reserve – R and J Johnston, Hewan, Shapinsay with home-bred 10-month-old bull calf Hewan Norman by the 6,000gn Ampertaine Interrogate and out of Hewan Inga.
Other pure-bred continental – A and A Foubister, Netherton, Holm with two-and-a-half-year-old home-bred British Blue in-calf heifer Graemshall Krystal by Boothlow Dynamo and out of Graemshall Grace. Reserve – A and A Foubister with home-bred 19-month-old British Blue bull Graemshall Laird by Tweeddale Faldo.
Cross-bred coloured – Frazer Leslie, Odin Stone, Shapinsay with home-bred six-month-old Limousin cross steer calf Gordy, by Lodge Hamlet and out of a Limousin cross cow by Aultmore Jay. Reserve – Messrs Spence, Norton, Dounby with 21-month-old home-bred Limousin cross heifer Shiraz by Chytodden Conan and out of a British Blue cross cow. Champion cross-bred coloured animal at the show last year.
Black/blue polled cross – JS Baillie and Co., Sebay Farm, Tankerness with a home-bred December-2017 born Limousin cross steer calf by Craigatoke Jameson and out of a Limousin cross cow. Supreme champion at Orkney East Mainland Show and part of Sebay show team heading to the Thainstone Spectacular. Reserve – Balfour Baillie, Sebay View, Tankerness with a home-bred Limousin cross steer calf by Lodge Hamlet and out of a Limousin cross cow. Also going to the Spectacular later this month.
SHEEP
Border Leicester – James D Wilson, Tofts, St Ola with a one-crop home-bred ewe by a Didcot ram and out of a home-bred ewe. Champion here last year as a gimmer. Reserve – James D Wilson with a home-bred ram lamb by a tup bought from Jimmy Douglas, Cairness, Fraserburgh at Thainstone last year.
Suffolk – David Summers, Easthouse, Toab with a home-bred one-crop ewe by the 1,200gn Crewelands Charisma and out of a dam by a Conveth tup. Champion at Orkney East Mainland Show. Reserve – David Summers with another home-bred one-crop ewe by Crewelands Charisma and out of a dam by a Conveth tup.
Texel – LS Flett and Co, Nistaben, Harray ,with a three-crop Milnbank bred ewe by the 40,000gn Glenside Razzle Dazzle. Bought privately from Robbie Wilson in 2015. Reserve supreme at the show in 2017. Reserve – James Cowe, Little Howes, Holm with an ET ram lamb by Tophill Wallstreet and out of a ewe bought from Brian Buchan, Clinterty. He will be sold at Lanark.
Beltex – Raymond Flaws, Nisthouse, Evie with home-bred shearling ram Woodwick Celebrity by the 6,000gn Corstane Whistler and out of Artnagullion Ringmaster. To be sold in Carlisle on Friday. Reserve – Raymond Flaws with home-bred gimmer Woodwick Cupcake by the 1,800gn Airyolland Wee Jimmy and out of a Corstane Whistler dam.
Cheviot – Elsie Wishart, Newbigging, Harray with a home-bred two-crop ewe by Cairnside Northern Light and out of a ewe by Bardnaclavan Elite. Reserve interbreed at this year’s Dounby Show. Reserve – JS Baillie and Co, Sebay Farm, Tankerness with a home-bred gimmer by Allanshaws Terminator and out of a home-bred ewe.
Cross-bred – Sheena Coghill, Muce Farm, Birsay with a home-bred two-crop Texel cross Charollais ewe by a Veltigar ram. Reserve – Iain Laird, Yeldabrek, Burray with a home-bred Texel cross Beltex gimmer.
Charollais – Sheena Coghill, Muce Farm, Birsay with a four-crop ewe by Logie Durno Majestic King and out of a home-bred ewe. Reserve – Sheena Coghill with a ram – Logie Durno Seargeant, by Wernfawr Red Bull. Bought for 1,100gn at the Worcester Charollais sale.
Zwartbles – Nancy Fergus, Grindigar, Deerness with a home-bred gimmer by Speyside Big Foot and out of a home-bred dam. Reserve – Nancy Fergus with a shearling ram by the same sire as the champion. On his first outing.
Any other pure-bred – Jo Higgs, Appiehouse, Harray with a Blue Texel gimmer bought in Carlisle last year as a lamb as a foundation female for the flock. Reserve – Iain Laird, Yeldabrek, Burray with a two-shear Lleyn ram.
NATIVE HORSES AND PONIES
Highland Pony – I.T. And M Rorie , Easdale, Newark, Deerness with the fourteen-year-old mare Fourmerk Harriet by Tuskerbister Jarl Haakon. Bought from Joan Alexander, Stirling at a year-old. First time as champion.
Pure-bred heavy horse – JD and DM Smith, Holburn, Holm Branch Road, Kirkwall with the seven-year-old mare Downhill Snowflake by Carnaff Ambassador and out of Garleton Betty.
Shetland Ponies – James Slater, Millquoy, Stenness with mare Millquoy Danielle.