The Black family from Newton of Collessie swept the boards at their local North of Fife Foal Show by winning both the overall and reserve champion titles.
Their winner was the show’s senior champion, Collessie Alanna, a yearling filly by Arradoul Balvenie and out of Roughlands Jasmine.
Her success followed championship wins already this year at Kinross Show, Perth Foal Show and the show at Teen Ranch, Inchture.
The Blacks’ reserve overall champion was the winner of the foal classes, the colt, Collessie Maximus by Collessie Highlander.
The reserve senior championship was won by Charlotte Young with Litterward Megan, a mare by Arradoul Balvenie and the reserve overall foal was from the Black family, still unnamed and in the catalogue as Collessie Colt, a son of Collessie Monarch.
A strong show of ridden Clydesdales was won by Ailsa Noble from Penicuik on four-year-old Barra on only his second show outing.
Competition may have been fierce in the adult classes, but the young handlers classes were among the most entertaining, with seven-year-old Kieran Cowie from Perth winning the under-11 section leading the towering Elvis Inspiration.
Unlike many of the junior competitors, Kieran isn’t from an equestrian family and only started helping out on a local farm when his family moved to Perth a year ago.
Meanwhile, Blythe Duncan (13), who won the 12-16 young handlers class leading Davie – also 13 – has grown up with the breed beside her grandfather Bernie Duncan’s Balmacolm Clydesdales, and has already won championships at the Royal Highland Showcase and Perth Foal Show this year.
The judge of the young handlers’ classes, George Skinner from Strathorn Farm Stables at Inverurie, said breeders were working hard to encourage young people to get involved in the breed.
“There were seven taking part in the older group and three in the younger section, and you could see – especially with the youngsters that they were smiling and interested in what they were doing,” he said.
“There won’t be a future for the breed without them.”