There was a buzz of excitement round the cattle rings as the Highland Show kicked off yesterday, with everyone delighted to be back enjoying a great show of cattle and plenty of spectators around the ring.
It was fitting that in the Queen’s platinum jubilee year, her Highland bull should win the 200th Royal Highland Show.
Farm manager, Dochie Ormiston was especially pleased as this was the first time winning with a home-bred animal. He also won last year but reckoned that didn’t count as it was a much reduced show. Gusgurlach of Balmoral is by Tomintoul of Glamis and out of Bhadair Ruadh 44th of Balmoral, one of around 60 breeding cows on the Aberdeenshire estate.
Another bull which won last year and again this time was the six-year-old Charolais, Maerdy Morwr by Maerdy Dynamite from AJR Farms at Ellon. This win was an emotional one for farm manager, Andrew Reid, who was showing in memory of his wife, Sarah, who he lost to Covid in November.
David Stubbs of AJR Farms took over the existing Logie Aberdeen Angus herd a few years ago and established a Charolais herd on the farm in 2017 with Morwr as the stock bull, which he bought privately from Esmor Evans for £25,000. The first two sons off him sold for 12,000gns and 10,000gns respectively at Stirling and he was also interbreed champion at last year’s Great Yorkshire.
Wilson Peters from Monzie, Crieff, is no stranger to the commercial cattle ring at the Highland, having exhibited there for many years but this year he was judging.
There was definitely a female theme going on in the ring with Fifty Shades of Grey, a 13-month-old heifer from JCB Commercials, Co Down, taking champion and Sexy Spice, the prolific winning heifer from Stewart and Lynsey Bett, Boqhan farm, Stirling, taking reserve. This heifer was champion at Thainstone Spring show, Ayr and Stirling.
Meanwhile, sheep exhibitors were delighted to be back at Ingliston, with just short of 2000 entries overall and the addition of two new breed sections – Dutch Spotted and Valais Blacknose.
There was a strong turnout across the 15 breeds shown on the first day, which was one to remember for 18-year-old Finn Christie, who runs the Maidenstone Suffolk flock at Inverurie. He triumphed in that section with a home-bred gimmer by Howgillfoot Sniper, securing a first championship at the Highland for this 15-ewe flock.
Reserve Suffolk championship went to Glenrothes-based Stewart Craft, with a ram lamb that is destined for sale at Lanark next month.
Jonnie Campbell, who runs 1000 ewes at Bardnaclavan, Caithness, led the way in the Park-type North Country Cheviots, winning with the home-bred shearling ram, Bardnaclavan Cooper, which is destined for sale at Quoybrae in September. He last won the section 20 years ago – and incidentally, he also met his wife Christine at that same show. This time round, they were joined by their children, Ross and Ailsa, to join in the celebrations.
It’s been 20 years since Andy Frazier last exhibited at the Highland, but he made a worthwhile return, winning the Ryeland section along with his wife Wendy, with the gimmer, Catherton Beatrice. The Fraziers are now based in France and their Cellardyke flock of Ryelands are looked after by Robert Paterson at Upper Auchinlay, Dunblane.
This gimmer has plenty show-winning blood in her pedigree – her dam won at the Three Counties in 2019 and her sire stood champion at the Royal Welsh the same year.
Reserve in the Ryelands was Stirling-based Janice Milne, of Thornhill, with the three-shear ram, Red Sewell Zuperman, which also won at Stirling Show.
It was a double win in the commercial sheep ring, for Denny-based Andrew Morton, son Andrew and daughter Kirsty. They took the champion ticket with their lightweight pair of prime lambs and the reserve prize with their heavyweight duo. They are all Beltex cross ewe lambs, sired by the same home-bred ram.
Mirroring the 2019 show, the Ramsay family from Milnmark, Dalry, secured both the champion and reserve awards in the busy Blackface section. This marked a seventh breed win at Ingliston for the family, with a home-bred one-crop ewe leading the way for them this year.
The champions
Beef Shorthorn: Andrew Thornber, West Yorkshire, with the 17 month-old heifer, Blackbrook Heathermaid Rosa by Fearn Godfather. Reserve: Mary Cormack, Herefordshire, with the nine month-old heifer, Millersston Irania Rainbow by Portnadoran Maestro.
British Blonde: Thor Atkinson, Cumbria, with the five-year-old cow, Brownhill Netta by Hallfield Homer. Reserve: Thor Atkinson, with the January-born heifer calf, Newland Tanza by Ark Maverick.
British Charolais: AJR Farms, Ellon, Aberdeenshire, with the six-year-old bull, Maerdy Morwr by Maerdy Dynamite. Reserve: Thor Atkinson, with the two-year-old heifer, Tophill Roxanne by Hackleton Lagerlout out of Hackleton Hetty.
British Simmental: Reece and Andrew Simmers, Backmuir, Keith, with the two-year-old heifer, Islavale Lullaby by Shacon Hannibal. Reserve: The late Lachlan Quarm, Annick Lodge, Irvine, with the second prize two-year-old heifer, Annick Ginger’s Lucia by Wolfstar Golddigger.
Hereford: Simon and Gemma Hartwright, Oxfordshire, with the two-year-old bull, Spartan 1 Typhoon by Solpoll 1 Perfection. Reserve: Heather Whittaker, West Yorkshire, with the four-year-old cow with heifer calf at-foot, Gouldingpoll 1 Duchess by Gouldingpoll 1 Robust.
Highland: HM The Queen, Balmoral, with the three-year-old bull, Gusgurlach of Balmoral by Tomintoul of Glamis. Reserve: Stephen, Rosemary and Laura Hunter, Barnhill, Shotts, with the two-year-old heifer, Alice of Hunters by Jura 3rd of Thaggnam.
Salers: Edgerston Trading, Carter Bar, Northumberland, with the two-year-old heifer, Kaaimburn Precious by Cuil Marvin. Reserve: Roy and Adam Crockett, Hawick, with the five-year-old cow, Bacardi Miss Moneypenny by Gulliver.
Aberdeen-Angus: Billy, Kate, Dallas and Ruth Stouphill, Alnwick, with the four-year-old cow, Stouphill Quorum by Duncanziemere Jigsaw. Reserve: Neil Wattie, Tonley, Alford, with the three-year-old cow, Tonley Lady Heather by Blelack Evermore.
Belted Galloway: Jason and Sarah Wareham, Sussex, with the two-year-old heifer Tottingworth Mary 1st by Shelsleys Eros. Reserve: Judith Cowie, Gatehouse of Fleet, with the eight-year-old cow, Copelaw Isabella by Mochrum Kingfisher.
British Blue: Kevin Watret, Maulscastle, Annan, with the seven-year-old Solwayview Kesha by Solwayview Firecracker. Reserve: Dean Saunders, Ulverston, with the two-year-old heifer, Droit Penny by Greystone Kellogs.
British Limousin: A W Jenkinson Farms, Penrith, with a three-year-old bull, Pabo Procters by Derry Gullinane Kingbull. Reserve: Graham Morrison, Cornhill, with the 18 month-old bull, Deveronvale Razzledazzle by Foxhillfarm Jasper.
Commercial Cattle: JCB Commercials, Co Down, with the 13 month-old heifer, Fifty Shades of Grey by Ampertaine Elgin. Reserve: Stewart and Lynsey Bett, Stirling, with the 13 month-old heifer, Sexy Spice by Pabo Old Spice.
Galloway: J and S Ross, Romesbeoch, Castle Douglas, with the rising two-year-old heifer, Beauty of Romesbeoch by Blackcraig Kodiak. Reserve: J and A Finlay, Blackcraig, Castle Douglas, with the nine-year-old cow, Blackcraig Dora May by Blackcraig Rasputin.
Suffolk: Finn Christie, Newton of Balquhain, Inverurie, with a home-bred gimmer by Howgillfoot Sniper. Res – Stewart Craft, Glenrothes, with a ram lamb by Mullanvale Munro by Rookery Rodeo.
Charollais: Ben Radley, Craigend, Dumfries, with Loananfoot Wa Wa Wee, a gimmer by the jointly owned Logie Durno Ultimatum, out of a ewe by Wernfawr Stormer. Res – Jonathan Aiken, Hesket New Market, with a gimmer by Ffwrd Topnotch.
NCC Park: Jonnie Campbell, Bardnaclavan, Caithness, with Bardnaclavan Cooper, a shearling ram by Cairnside Action Man. Res – W Thompson, Hownam Grange, Kelso, with the three-crop ewe, Vicky.
Ryeland: Andy and Wendy Frazier, Cellardyke, Fife, with Catherton Beatrice, a gimmer by Dolwen Young Uther. She was bought at Worcester from Ann Davies, out of a show-winning Mansel ewe. Res – Janice Milne, Keirhead, Thornhill, with the three-shear ram, Red Sewell Zuperman, by Ryeside Zylon.
Blackface: W Ramsay, Milnmark, with a home-bred one-crop ewe by £9000 Grimmet. Res – W Ramsay, with a four-shear ram by £11,000 Auldhouseburn.
Border Leicester: Tom Tennant, Gilmanscleugh, Ettrick, with a gimmer by Kininmonth Galileo. Res – J Barrowman, Knockglass, Stranraer, with Drennans Class Act, a three-shear ram by Didcot Duster.
Commercial: Andrew Morton, Lochend, Denny, with a pair of Beltex cross prime ewe lambs, weighing 77kg, sired by a home-bred Beltex ram. Res – Andrew Morton’s pair of heavyweight prime lambs, Beltex cross ewe lambs weighing 84kg.
Cheviot: J Common, Crossdykes, with the shearling ram, Crossdykes Sonic, by Becks Revolution. Res – N Douglas, Catslackburn, Yarrow, with a two-crop ewe by Mainside Yarrow.
Lleyn: T and I Walling, Farmstock Genetics, with a two-shear ram. Res – Colin, Carolanne and Carrie Crawford, Teuchitfauld, Maud, with a home-bred gimmer, sired by a Cragg-bred ram.
North Country Cheviot Hill: Roderick Runciman, Allanshaws, Duns, winning this section for the first time, with a four-crop ewe by Instack VIP, a ram used on loan. Res – Robert Rennie, Bowmont Farming, Attonburn, with a four-shear ram bought from Badanloch, sired by Armadale Seagull.
Bleu du Maine: Neil Millar, Woodhousehill, Kirkpatrick Fleming, with a two-crop ewe. Res – Johnny Stables, Co Durham, with a two-crop ewe by Dunelm Only Looking.
Jacob: Robert Locker, Greenlaw, Duns, with a gimmer by the AI sire, Hope Rocky, out of a home-bred ewe. Res – Messrs Connor and Dalrymple, DunMor, Linlithgow, with Dun-Mor Hugo, a shearling ram by Dun-Mor Ace.
Berrichon: Ewan Burgess, New Abbey, with a two-crop ewe. Res – Frances Barbour, Newark, Sanquhar, with a home-bred shearling ram by Newark Vulture.