Despite heavy early morning showers, exhibitors and spectators enjoyed a good day out at Fettercairn Show, where a strong show of livestock, saw the lead horse reign supreme overall.
The event, staged just outside the village and the first since 2019, attracted just as many cattle and sheep - if not more – than the last show, and it was topped by winning pony under saddle, Rosedust Class Act, from Karen Watson and her daughter Aaliyah (12).
“She is very well brought out and so obedient with great presence and conformation. She really is a beautiful pony,” said the judge, Maggie Inglis, who together with Andrew Moir - two of three honorary presidents of Fettercairn Farmers’ Club – had to select an overall winner between the supreme horse, cattle and sheep champions.
The pony, a nine-year-old Welsh Section B was ridden by Aaliyah, from Aberdeenshire, who has achieved several top awards with the gelding over the past three years.
Bred by Mrs Duncan, this liver chestnut pony by Moelview Masquerade out of Waxwing Matinee, was the home produced overall miniature mountain and moorland for BSPS Scotland at the Royal International. He was also junior and mini ridden champion at Blair.
Leading a strong show of cattle was the Limousin best, Brockhurst Howzat, a 10-year-old in-calf cow from Aileen Ritchie, Tamala, Whiteside. No stranger to the top awards, this Wilodge Vantastic daughter is a former winner at the Highland and champion at Angus Show in June.
A Limousin pairing won the inter-breed pairs trophy too for Inverurie-based Ian Miller of Miller Farms, Midmar.
His winning duo comprised the reserve breed champion, Westpit Silly, a 15-month-old heifer, and her similarly aged herd mate, Millers Solomon, a home-bred bull by Plumtree Fantastic. The same two won the inter-breed pairs at last month’s Angus Show.
Reserve individual beef animal was the commercial champion, Truffles from regular winner, Blair Duffton, Huntly.
His 21-month-old black Limousin cross heifer that had been bought at Carlisle in September, was bred by Messrs Watt, Newnoth, was lightweight champion at Livescot and stood second in her class at the Highland.
Meanwhile, competition amongst the sheep entries was just as steep, with the supreme - selected by the breed judges on a points basis – being the champion Texel.
This was Kenny Duthie’s Hexel Dragons Den, a two-shear ram from the Caterthun flock based at Brechin.
Full brother to the 65,000gn Hexel Djagio, Dragons Den was bought privately as a tup lamb from Donald MacPherson and since then has gone on to stand supreme sheep at Kinross in 2021 and at Angus, last month.
Reserve sheep - just six points behind, on 69 points – was Graeme and Finn Christie’s home-bred gimmer from their Balquhain flock at Newton of Balquhain, Inverurie. By Howgillfoot Snipper, and out of a ewe by Lakeview Under The Radar, she was placed at the highland last month.
Honorary reserve was the any other continental champion, a Blue Texel from Deborah Atkinson, Duncanston. This was Derg Foxylady, a gimmer bought at Carlisle, last year from Allan Shortt.
The Agricar award which goes around the various sheep classes, and this year was for the supreme tup lamb, was also selected by the various judges and was found to be a Texel from Stuart and Wendy Hunter, Culsalmond.
This was their reserve breed champion, by Knap Eastern Promise, a tup used on loan from Robert Cockburn, out of a show ewe by Deveronvale Aftershock.
Runner up for the Agricar trophy was a Suffolk tup lamb from Hannah Lorimer which is also by Redbrae HRH.
Reserve overall horse was the Clydesdale supreme, Tulloes Emily, a two-year-old filly from Jim Greenhill, Upper Tulloes, Letham, which already boasts championship wins at Fife and West Fife Shows. She is by Arradoul Balvennie.
Cattle champions
Aberdeen-Angus: Allan Rennie, Mosston Muir, Forfar, with the 15-month-old bull, Mosston Muir Ernie, a son of Balmachie Ranald, out of Carlhurlie Eceleyllen, a cow that was bought as a calf at foot at the Carlhurlie dispersal. Ernie was champion at Angus Show and is bound for the Bull Sales at Stirling in October. Reserve - Graham and Fiona Willox, Meikle Pitinnan, Oldmeldrum, with a previously unshown in-calf heifer. Cardenwell Miss Bridget, a home-bred entry is by Moncur Fergus and out of Cardenwell Bluebell.
Highland: Heather Corrigall, Earn Fold, with the three-year-old heifer, Mhairi Ruadh 2 of Earn, brought out by Graeme Easton. A third prize winner at the Highland, she is by Angus Ruadh of Wester Croachy and out of Mhairi Ruadh of Earn. Reserve – I Adams, Brathans Fold, with the black yearling heifer, Lili Ann 14 of Cloan, a daughter of Leo of Cloan, that was reserve champion at the recent club show. She was bought privately from Cloan Estate, Auchterarder.
Any other native: Gerald and Morag Smith and son Douglas, Drumsleed, Laurencekirk, with the Beef Shorthorn bull, Drumsleed Rosco, an 18-month-old son of the privately purchased Pentland Hustler, out of Coldrochie Grace Beauty 12. He was champion at Angus Show. Reserve - Fiona Davidson, Mintlaw, with the Stirling purchase, Fordie Delilah P42, a 25-month-old in-calf heifer by Coxhill Luke, out of Westbroad Delila, on her first outing.
Charolais: Lyndsay Nelson, Edzell, with the 18-month-old heifer, Edzell Rose, a daughter of Gretnahouse Ming, out of Westcarse Orchid. She was reserve at Angus Show.
Limousin: champion, continental champion and supreme beef was Aileen Ritchie, Tamala, Whiteside, with the 10-year-old in-calf cow, Brockhurst Howzat, a former Highland Show winner and champion at Angus. She is by Wilodge Vantastic and out of Brockhurst Bolshoi. Reserve – Ian Miller, Miller Farms, Midmar, with the reserve winner from Angus Show, Westpit Silly, a 15-month-old heifer bought at the Westpit reduction sale at Carlisle. She is by Dinmore Immense, out of Westpit Millie and together with Millers Solomon, a similarly aged bull by Plumtree Fantastic, made up the inter-breed winning pairs.
Simmental: Gerald and Morag Smith and son Douglas, Drumsleed, Laurencekirk, with the male champion from the Highland Show, Drumsleed Legacy. A member of the inter-breed teams at the Highland, this 26-month-old is by Wolfstar Gordy and bred from the former show cow, Drumsleed Farina. Reserve – Heather Duff, Pitmudie, Brechin, with the Angus Show champion, Pitmudie Latte, a two-year-old heifer by Hiltonstown Irish, out of Cairnorrie Daisy.
Cross cattle: champion and reserve inter-breed beef was Blair Duffton, Huntly, with the 21-month-old black Limousin cross heifer, Truffles, which stood lightweight champion at LiveScot and second at the Royal Highland Show. She was bought at Carlisle in September and was bred by Messrs Watt, Newnoth. Reserve - Blair Duffton with Blackbomber, a 20-month-old Limousin cross steer that was third at the Highland. He was bred by J and A Jarman.
Young handlers : 1- Aiden Smith; 2 – Sandy Airth; 3 – Chloe McEwan.
Sheep champions
Blackface: William and Andrew Walker, Glen Prosen, with a shearling ram owned in partnership with David Murray, Lurgan, that had been purchased at Ballymena last year from James McCurdy. He is by a Correen ram that bred Mr McCurdy’s 30,000gn ram lamb and out of a Coreen ewe by the privately purchased Crossflatt Moonraker. Reserve - William and Andrew Walker, with a Dalwyne-bred ewe by a £22,000 Dalchirla, that was bought at the in-lamb female sale at Lanark in February 2022. She stood second in her class to the champion at Angus.
Suffolk: Graeme and Finn Christie, Newton of Balquhain, Inverurie, with a home-bred gimmer by Howgillfoot Snipper, out of a ewe by Lakeview Under The Radar, that was placed a the Highland. Reserve – Hannah Lorimer, Cadgerford, Kingswells, with an end of January-born ewe lamb by the Lanark purchase, Redbrae HRH, out of a Pyeston-bred female bought as a ewe lamb.
Jacob: Barbara Webster, Newburgh, with the home-bred gimmer, Carrochy Vivienne, a daughter of Whitefield Rambo, that stood third at the Highland, out of a home-bred ewe. Reserve -Barbara Webster with a full brother to the champion, Carrochy Va Va Voom, a triplet-born shearling ram that was placed at the Highland and is bound for the breed sale at Carlisle.
Any other native breed: Diana Milligan, Kincardine O’Neil, with a coloured Ryeland gimmer. Dessland Blueberry is by the home-bred ram, Dessland Zilco, out of Dessland Yasmin and was on her first outing. Reserve – Meg Mackie, Menmuir, with a privately purchased two-crop Shropshire ewe purchased for her Balhall flock of five ewes which runs alongside a Valais Blacknose flock.
Beltex: Finn Christie, Inverurie, with the reserve winner from Angus Show, a gimmer bought from Matthew Burrleigh as a ewe lamb. She is by the 14,000gn Murrays Expert and out of a Matts ewe. Reserve – Finn Christie, with a previously unshown one-crop ewe bought privately from Gary Beacom of the Lakeview flock.
Texel: champion and supreme sheep was Kenny Duthie, Brechin, with Hexel Dragons Den, a two-shear ram bought privately from Donald MacPherson, brought out with assistance of Mr Duthie’s partner, May Millar and mother, Linda Duthie. Full brother to the 65,000gn Hexel Django, he is by Proctors Chumba Wumba, and collected the same award at Angus Show last month and Kinross Show in 2021. Reserve – Stuart and Wendy Hunter, Culsalmond, with a tup lamb by Knap Eastern Promise, used on loan from Robert Cockburn, out of a home-bred show ewe by Deveronvale Aftershock.
Any other continental: Deborah Atkinson, Duncanston with the Blue Texel gimmer, Derg Foxylady, a Derg Dakota-sired female bred by Allen Short that was bought at Carlisle last year as a ewe lamb. Her dam is Beili Blues Euphoric. Reserve – Stuart and Wendy Hunter, Culsalmond, with a home-bred Blue Texel shearling ram by Eastberry Cut and Run, a Worcester purchase shared with Stasa Moyse, that has bred sons to 4,500gn. The dam, a home-bred ewe that goes back to the foundation Turbo ewe, has bred two sons sold into pedigree flocks.
Cross sheep: Frankie Hood (13), Glenclova, with a pen of three early March-born Beltex cross ewe lambs out of home-bred Texel cross ewes. They were on their first outing. Reserve – Graeme Mather, Shandford, Brechin, with a pen of three Texel cross butchers lambs.
Cross sheep singles : G Morrison, Keith, with a Beltex cross Texel mid-March-born ewe lamb by Rennies Flash. She is out of a pure Texel ewe. Reserve – Gavin Breathet, Blackpark, with the second prize winner to the champion, a Texel cross lamb.
Pet sheep handled by youngster: 1 – Angus Jacobsen; 2 – Kate Skene; 3 – John Mather.
Young handlers: Junior – 1 and reserve, Isaac Miskelly; 2, Fallon Mathers; 3, John Mather. Senior – 1 and champion, Faith Miskelly; 2, Frankie Hood; 3, Charlotte Riach.
Native horse champions
Shetland ponies: Donna Lochtie, Glenfarg, with the 12-year-old show winning mare, Mawcarse Lady Dionne, that was supreme overall at the Black Isle, in 2019. She is a daughter of Donna’s foundation mare, Hawkdale Dixie out of Stow Vulcan. Reserve – Claire Andrews, with the four-year-old yeld mare, Parlington Fantasia which was bought privately as a foal from the Parlington stud. She is by Parlington Pickles, out of Parlington Rosomund and stood fourth at the Highland and reserve at the Central Shetland Spring Club Show.
Highland ponies: Rebekah Whyte, with Cerys O’Lundie Crags, an eight-year-old novice ridden pony by Glenbanchor Macgillie Duby out of Ruby O’Lundie Crags. She was fifth out of 20 at the Royal Highland Show. Reserve – S MacIntosh, Peterhead, with a filly foal by Ruwenzoki of Ferdinand out of the show winning mare, Louise of Strathmore.
Clydesdale: champion and reserve overall horse was J Greenhill, Upper Tulloes, Letham, with the Fife and West Fife champion winner, Tulloes Emily, a two-year-old daughter of Arradoul Balvenie, that also stood overall champion of champions at the online Perth Show, last year. Reserve – Amanda Butler-Merchant, Rolling Thunder Clydesdales, Fettercairn, with the Angus Show champion, Rolling Thunder Maggie May, by Singlie Storm. This black eight-year-old mare out of Heatherwick Lady Lucinda, is a former native champion at Echt Show and reserve at Notts County.
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