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Rupert is star of Orkney’s County Show

CHAMPION: Lagas Rupert was supreme champion, winning for the Cursiter family who own Laga Farms in Evie in Orkney’s West Mainland.
CHAMPION: Lagas Rupert was supreme champion, winning for the Cursiter family who own Laga Farms in Evie in Orkney’s West Mainland.

There was a triumphant return for Orkney’s County Show when the islands’ livestock were showcased in force.

Thousands of spectators flooded through the gates on Saturday to take in the huge range of animals, agricultural machinery and trade stands at the islands’ premier show in the centre of Kirkwall.

The livestock were a credit to the islands’ farming community and there was compelling viewing as judges ran the rule over who would come out on top for cattle, sheep and horses.

It was the Cursiter family from Laga Farms in Evie, Orkney’s West Mainland, that took home the supreme cattle champion title, with their magnificent 17-month-old Shorthorn bull, Lagas Rupert.

Sired by Westboard Jackpot Explorer and out of Lagas Joan, the  bull is expected to go to the Stirling Bull Sales in February.

The interbreed beef judge, Neil Barclay from Harestone in Banchory, lavished the animal with praise, saying that the minute he stepped into the ring he stood out.

Judging in full swing at the County Show.

Reserve beef interbreed champion was a March-born Limousin cross calf from Balfour Baillie of Sebay in Tankerness, sired by Red River Powerful to a British Blue cross cow.

It will join Mr Balfour’s other show cattle at the Thainstone Spectacular Show and Sale in Inverurie on Friday. The heifer had a lot of potential, said Mr Barclay, to be a “really good cow in the future”.

First place for interbreed sheep champion went to a one-crop homebred Suffolk ewe from Davie Summers, of Easthouse in Toab. The ewe was sired by Roundacre Rolex,  part of the Voyburn flock formerly owned by now-retired breeder Tommy Delday, of Old Voy, Toab, and a son of the 10,000gn Birness Bang Tidy. The county champion was also out of an Irongray Ivan ewe.

The reserve sheep award went to a Cheviot gimmer, by Gerston Woohoo and out of a homebred ewe owned by JS Baillie of Sebay in Tankerness.

A nine-year-old Shetland brood mare was the champion horse. Hools Janet, with her foal, May-born Hools Je t’aime alongside her, wowed the judges.

The overall horse champion  Hools  Janet.

Sired by Wells Masterclass and out of Merkisayre Poppy, Hools Janet is a previous junior champion at the Royal Highland Show and former junior and reserve champion at Orkney.

Dallamires Golden Touch, a seven-year-old Oldenburg mare, owned by Alannah Norquay, of Ingquoy, South Ronaldsay, continued her impressive season which also featured competing in the Horse of the Year Show in Hickstead.

Sired by coloured stallion Semper and out of Langallers Hatties Pearl, she won the overall reserve championship, adding to titles won earlier in the day such as the best in the ridden section and best animal in light-legged section.

The champions

Beef Shorthorn — Laga Farms, Evie, with a 17-month-old bull, Lagas Rupert by Westboard Jackpot Explorer and out of Lagas Joan. Reserve: GRT Scarth & Co, Twatt Farm, Birsay, with a two-year-old in-calf heifer, Cavans Waterloo P950 by Cavans Kolbign and out of Cavans Waterloo L536.

Aberdeen Angus — Phyllis Hepburn, Messigate, Tankerness, with a six-year-old cow in milk, Burnside Elaine P678 by Burnside Jeremy Eric L053 and out of Burnside Elaine D188. Reserve: J. S Baillie & Co, Sebay Farms, Tankerness, with a seven-month-old bull calf, Shadwell Fleetwood Mac Y298, by Shadwell Evolution T003 and out of Shadwell Frances R784.

Native Pure-Breed — A. & D. Clark, Stratheast, Holm, with five-year-old bull, Brackenhurst Wise Guy, by Stix Would Eileen and out of Beverley Raider.

Charolais — W. R. Baillie & Co, Biggings, Toab, with a yearling heifer, Baillieston Serena, by Baillieston Orlando and out of Baillieston Gina. Reserve: W. R. Baillie & Co, Biggings, Toab, with a two-year-old in-calf heifer, Baillieston Rona, by Baillieston Northern Light and out of Baillieston IA.

Limousin — R. & J. Johnston, Hewan, Shapinsay, with a 21-month-old bull, Hewan Rio, by Garnedd Max and out of Hewan Lairo. Reserve: Frazer Leslie, Odinstone, Shapinsay, with a six-month-old bull calf, Odinstone Tidy, by Lodge Hamlet and out of Hools Isla.

Any Other Pure Breed and Continental — A. & D. Clark, Stratheast, Holm, with a ten-year-old Simmental cow in-milk, Innerwick Delia, by Islavale Admiral and out of Innerwick Anna.

Black/Blue Cross — Balfour Baillie, Sebay View, Tankerness, with a five-month-old Limousin X heifer calf, by Redriver Powerful and out of homebred British Blue X cow. Reserve: Balfour Baillie, Sebay View, Tankerness, with a 16-month-old Limousin X steer, by Gunnerfleet Noble and out of homebred Lim X Bow

Cross-Bred Coloured — L. Muir, Upper Onston, Stenness, with a four-month-old Limousin X heifer calf, Lilibet, by Proctors Orion and out of homebred cow. Reserve: Balfour Baillie, Sebay View, Tankerness, with a 16-month-old Limousin X heifer, by Ronick Laddie and out of a cow bought in.

Border Leicester — J. D Wilson, Tofts, St Ola, with a bought aged ram. Reserve: J. D Wilson, Tofts, St Ola, with a ewe lamb, by the champion and out of a homebred ewe lamb.

Half-Bred — J. D Wilson, Tofts, St Ola, with a two-crop half-bred Cheviot-Leicester cross, by Kinmuir and out of a Cheviot ewe.

Suffollk — David Summers, Easthouse, Toab, with a one-crop homebred ewe, by Roundacre Rolex and out of an Irongray Ivan ewe. Reserve: R. E. & R. F. Scott, Dawn Cottage, Holm, with a ram lamb.

Texel — Heather Hourston, Skelbister, Orphir, with a ram lambe. Reserve: James Cowe, Little Howes, Holm, with a ewe.

Cross-Bred — Sheena Coghill, Muce Farm, Birsay, with a gimmer by a Texel cross Charollais and out of a homebred gimmer.

Cheviot — J. S. Baillie & Co, Sebay Farm, Tankerness, with a gimmer by Gerston Woohoo and out of a homebred ewe. Reserve: J. S. Baillie & Co, Sebay Farm, Tankerness, with a ewe lamb by Longo Blackbuster and out of a homebred ewe.

Charollais — Sheena Coghill, Muce Farm, Birsay, with a gimmer by Aubryn Rhodrie and out of a homebred Charollais gimmer which Dounby Show champion in 2019.

Beltex — Sheena Coghill, Muce Farm, Birsay, with a two-shear ram, Woodwick Frankie, by Ardstewart Decoy and out of an Orkney-bred ewe. Reserve: Charles Copland & Jo Higgs Bimbister Partnership, Lenahowe, Quoyloo, with a homebred gimmer.

Any Other Breed — James Cowe, Little Howes, Holm. Reserve: J. M. & J. L. Girvan, Mossclair, Tankerness.

Goats — Irene Buchan, of Dealt Cottage, Stenness, with a four-year-old female goat, a three quarter Saanen and one quarter Anglo-Nubian in milk, by Summerland Harrison. Reserve: Barbara Moore, Greenvale Murray, Burray, with a red-boar nanny goat.

Clydesdales — Toots Cromarty, Hilltoft, South Ronaldsay, with six-year-old Hrossland Just Poppy, by Arradul Balvenie and out of Dairy Loch Lady Winhill. Reserve: Toots Cromarty, Hilltoft, South Ronaldsay, with six-year-old Fairhaven Ace of Diamonds, by Collisie Stepping Stone.

Shetlands — Hools Shetland Pony Stud, The Brough,
Toab, with nine-year-old brood mare Hools Janet, alongside her foal, May-born Hools Je t’aime. Hools Janet is by Wells Masterclass and out of Merkisayre Poppy from

Shetland. A previous junior champion at the Royal Highland Show. Reserve: Hools Shetland Pony Stud, The Brough, Toab, with three-year-old filly Hools Miss Jura, by Email of St Ninian and out of Merkisayre Poppy.