A sun-baked Brechin Castle showground welcomed a strong crowd to this year’s Angus Show.
Increased livestock and trade stands made it one of their best shows ever according to Angus Agricultural Committee show chair Agnes Aitken from Hillberry, Stonehaven.
Taking home the rosette for the overall beef championship was Ian Neish Jnr, from B3i Farms, Craigeassie, with a six-year Beef Shorthorn bull.
The top award when selected on a points basis by the cattle breed judges was Podhole Lincoln, which first won the any other native breed section before going on to win the inter-breed supreme.
Increased livestock and trade stands
The bull is by Knocken Jig Hercules, out of the cow Gypsy Podhole Delores, and bought by Marshall G Bailey at Stirling in 2019 as a two-year old for £7,500 when it won the senior championship.
He is now destined for the Royal Highland Show.
Reserve beef champion was Wilson Peters commercial Limousin cross heifer Sassperalla, from Cuilt Farmhouse, Monzie, Crieff.
The home-bred 20-month-old black Limousin cross heifer has already scooped several tickets this year and last which includes a red ticket at Stars of the Future and third at LiveScot.
‘One of the best shows ever’ says show chair
This year the heifer from Crieff won the beef championship at Fife Show and reserve beef champion at Ayr.
She by Carmorn Lionbar, out of a British Blue cross Limousin cow and is heading to the Royal Highland Show later this month.
Mark Robertson, Fodderletter Farm, who was judging the Limousins and commercial cattle said the quality was really good in the commercial cattle, the championship heifer was outstanding and the winning Limousin heifer was a great example of the breed.
Over in the sheep lines, Finn Christie of the Maidenstone flock, Inverurie, won the inter-breed sheep championship with a Suffolk gimmer.
She is by the £5,500 Howgillfoot Sniper, out of a dam sired by Crewelands Kingpin, with the gimmer heading to compete at the Highland Show.
Meadows of Ballied took home the reserve sheep champion with a Beltex cross ewe and two cross lambs.
Suffolk gimmer claims supreme championship
Bred by the young Ben MacDonald, the five-year-old ewe was put to a Beltex cross tup with the twin lambs being born in February.
A strong entry of horses saw a Highland pony from Wendy Taylor, Strathkinness take the overall horse championship, with the home-bred mare, Royal Amber of Sunnyneuk, by Lochlands Military Piper, out of Rheanna of Sunnyneuk.
Reserve overall horse was Jim and Louise Greenhill with the three-year-old filly Tulloes Emily, bred out of home-bred mare, Tulloes Lady Jane, and sired by the Cawdor Cup-winning stallion, Arradoul Balvenie.
The three-year-old filly won the World Clydesdale Show supreme champion last year in Aberdeen.
Aberdeen-Angus (Judge: N Wattie, Mains of Tonley). Champion – A Rennie, Forfar, with Mosston Muir E Type, a 17-month-old bull by Balmachie Ranald, which has bred sons to 6,000gns and out of Mosston Muir Eva . Reserve – A Rennie with Mosston Muir Edwina, a heifer by Drumcrow Reeko, a top Irish AI bull owned by Bullbank.
Any other native (Judge: N Wattie). Champion, supreme beef and reserve – B3i Farms, Craigeassie with the six-year-old Podhole Lincoln. The bull was sired by Knocken Jig Hercules and is out of the cow Gypsy Podhole Delores. Reserve was B3i Farms with Craigeassie Sophia a yearling heifer father by Angus Show beef champion Podhole Lincoln, out of Craigeassie Trinket, which has bred cattle to £6,300.
Simmental (Judge: R Young, Todpark Farm). Champion – G and M Smith, Drumsleed Laurencekirk with Drumsleed Mango on her first outing. The two-year-old heifer is by Corrick Judge, which was bought at Stirling was £2,800, out of Drumsleed Indigo which has bred bulls sold to Genus AI. Reserve – G and A Christie, Rockytop herd, Glass, Huntly with Rockytop Nelson. The 12-month-old bull is by Glenturk Kingpin, out of Rockytop Pippa Heidi.
Charolais (Judge: R Young). Champion – AJ Taylor, with the two-year-old heifer, Rutherston Sienna. By the 9,500gns Balmyne Oscar, out of Rutherson Martha. Reserve – Major David Walker, Balthayock Farm, Perth with Balthayock Shona, a three-year-old heifer by the £15,000 Elrick Paragon.
Limousin (Judge: M Robertson, Fodderletter Farm). Champion – Aileen Ritchie, Tamala, Whitecairns, with the two-year-old heifer Lowflan Suzie, by Gunnerfleet Eros out of Lowflan Daise. Bought from Ian Wilson and Carol Wood at Carlisle for 5,000gns in December last year. Reserve – A Nelson and D Scott, Oddies with an April 2022-born bull, Oddies Tornado. By Gunnerfleet Nato, out of Breconside Nouie.
Highland (Judge: E MacKay, Balfron Station). Champion – Balrownie Farms, Menmuir, with the two-year-old heifer, Catriona Akeko of Balrownie. She was shown by Dylan Carnegie and is by the 23,000gns Eoin Mhor 17th of Mottistone, out of Catriona Akedo Mottistone. Reserve – Earn Fold, Forfar with the three-year-old heifer Kathleen 14th of Earn, by Magnus of Earn.
Commercial (Judge: M Robertson). Champion and reserve overall beef and reserve – W Peters, Crieff, with the 20-month Limousin cross heifer Sassperalla. She by Carmorn Lionbar, out of a British Blue cross Limousin cow. Reserve was the Limousin steer Tyson, sired by Huntershall Nutcracker, out of a British Blue cross cow by Brian Harper Greenwells. He was reserve commercial champion at Fife and West Fife.
North-type Blackface (Judge: A MacKinnon, Lunanbank Farm). Champion – M Simpson, Balbeggie, with a ewe lamb by a £8,000 Hillhead of Morinsh tup, out of a home-bred ewe from Auchnacloich. Reserve – P Myles, Edzell, with a shearling tup lamb bought from Charlie Gallacher, NI.
South-type Blackface (Judge: R McArdle, Auldallan). Champion – M Simpson, Balbeggie, with a ewe sired by a £7,500 Auchloy tup, out of a £1,100 Dullator ewe. Reserve – W and A Walker, Cramie with a gimmer sired by £34,000 Crossflat tup, out of a ewe by an Auldhouseburn ewe which is bred from a son of the £160,000 Dalchirla.
Beltex (Judge: J Ballantyne, East Cauldcoats). Champion – F Christie, Inverurie, with a tup lamb by the 5,000gns Vickys Gladiator, out of the 6,000gns Hackney Coco bought at Carlisle last January. Reserve – F and G Burke, Mid Derry with a two-crop ewe by Clary Desperado.
Cross sheep (Judge: E Runciman Rickard, Huntington Farm). Champion and reserve overall sheep and reserve – Ben MacDonald, Blairgowrie. Supreme was a five-year-old Beltex cross ewe with the twin Beltex cross lambs born in February. Reserve was three similarly bred dressed lambs which were born mid-February.
Suffolk (Judge: G Watt, Forfar). Champion and Interbreed Champion– F Christie with a Suffolk gimmer. The best sheep at the show was sired by the £5,500 Howgillfoot Sniper, out of a dam sired by Crewelands Kingpin with the gimmer heading to compete at the Highland Show. Reserve – Sanga Barron, Findowrie Brechin with a January born ewe lamb sired by Forkins Samson, out of a Redbrae ewe.
Texel (Judge: D Bradley-Farmer, Cairnton). Champion – Kim Stretch, Cuilt Farmhouse, Crieff, with a two-crop ewe. She was purchased at the Thainstone Christmas Classic and is by Cressage Enforcer. Reserve – F Dandie, Hatton of Carse with a February-born ewe lamb out of a Logie Durno ewe, by a 14,000gns Feddal Road Easypeasy.
Any other native breed (Judge: M Black, Colessie Farm). Champion – Allan Grant Achalone, with a two-crop Cheviot ewe by Philiphaugh Xerox, out of a Balnacree sired home-bred ewe. Reserve – F McKeague, Baldoukie with a gimmer on her first show.
Any other breed (Judge: M Black, Colessie Farm). Champion – C Simpson, Mains of Creuchie, with a Blue Texel gimmer sired by Beili Blues Elvis, out of Harestone Buttercup. The gimmer was the champion continental at the Ayr Show. Reserve – B Scott and S Morrison, Oddies, Fettercairn, with a two-crop Blue Texel ewe. The ewe is out of a Millside ewe and by a home-bred tup.
Heavy horses (Judge: G Young, Kinbate Croft). Champion and reserve horse – J Greenhill with the three-year-old filly Tulloes Emily, out of home-bred mare, Tulloes Lady Jane, and by Arradoul Balvenie. The three-year-old filly won the World Clydesdale Show supreme champion last year in Aberdeen. Reserve – K Gowan, Newton Glen, with two-year-old mare, Doura Acceora.
Standard Shetland pony (Judge: E Warren, Mirkwood). Champion – D Lochtie, Glenfarg, with a mare Mawcarse Lady Dianne, with a foal at foot called Glenyburn Daria. By Stove Vulcan, out of Hawkdale Dixie, and overall champion at the Black Isle in 2021. Reserve – Amy McConville, with the seven year old yeld mare Midcalder Midnight, by Kerloch Vera, out of Millhouse Director.
Highland ponies (Judge: R B Chalmers, Millhorn farm). Champion and overall horse – W Taylor, Strathkinness, with the six-year-old home-bred mare Royal Amber of Sunnyneuk, by Lochlands Military Piper, out of Rheanna of Sunnyneuk. The pony was champion at Kinross and West Fife. Reserve – Flynn Noble, Kinneff, with the 13-year-old Moulzie Blossom, by Beechwood Maol Rubha, out of Bell Heather of Sma Glen.