A glorious few days of sunshine in the sheep lines at the Royal Highland Show culminated in a North Country Cheviot gimmer taking home the top title.
Runciman and Sons from Allanshaws, Galashiels, took the overall championship with a home-bred gimmer named Nikki by the past Highland Show champion, Synton Bulls Eye and out of a home-bred ewe.
Roderick Runciman was elated has taken the breed champion title for the past four years, but this was his first overall championship win.
The family run a herd of 280 pure Cheviot and 400 commercial ewes.
The reserve title went to a shearling Texel ram from Ian Murray, East Horton, Wooler.
The home-bred Glenway Universe is by Allanfauld Rockafella and out of a ewe by Castleknowe Matchmaker. He was first at Kelso and is heading for sale at Kelso, along with two full brothers.
Judge Angus Kennedy, Biggar, said: “Well as soon as the champion got away, it was just that ‘look at me’ syndrome. She was very correct in all aspects of her breed type.”
In the sheep pairs championship, the Texel reigned supreme with a pair comprising Ian Murray’s champion shearling ram and a ram lamb from Procters Farm, Woodhouse Lane, Slaidburn, Clitheroe.
The ram lamb was reserve breed champion and is by Tophill Union Jack and out of a ewe by Sportsmans Scania. He is destined for Lanark in August.
Reserve pairs champion went to the Suffolks.
The pair consisted of a two-crop ewe from Judith and Iain Barbour, Rosefield, Anna. This one is by the 12,000gn Rhaeadr Rastifari and out of a ewe by Solwaybank Santana.
The other half of the pair was a tup lamb from the north-east.
Kenny Mair, Kinnermit, Turriff’s tup lamb is by the 5,500gn Rhaedar Red Devil and out of a home-bred gimmer from the family’s Deveronside flock.
Judge Allan Wright Snr from Biggar said the Texel pair were a very good representation of the breed, and it was very hard to find fault in them.