A Blue Texel gimmer came up trumps for Mark Munro at the record-breaking Sutherland Show at Dornoch Links at the weekend.
Mr Munro has regularly featured among the breed and inter-breed honours at shows throughout the Highlands in recent years with his cattle from Invercharron Farm, Ardgay.
He maintained the Midas touch on Saturday on his first foray into the sheep
lines.
His gimmer, Invercharron Golden Girl, topped the any other non-native breed section before being picked out as the sheep and then supreme champion.
By Mey Bue Endurance and out of Baileyfields Delphine, she is one of the 35-strong pedigree flock at Invercharron.
She quickly caught the eye of overall sheep judge Debbie McGowan, who with husband Neil runs 40 Simmentals and 160 Luings on their holding at Incheoch, near Kirriemuir.
“She had a bit of extra spark,” she said. “She is very good on her legs and very stylish – an excellent representative of her breed.”
The gimmer was led throughout the day by 18-year-old Emma Ross, a regular Blackface exhibitor, from Croachy, near Inverness.
The Blue Texel is bound for the premier breed sale at Carlisle next month.
Mr Munro has twice previously stood champion of champion at Dornoch with members of his commercial cattle.
The overall reserve on Saturday was the Highland pony leader, Grace of Altnacailleach, from the Kirkjuvagr stud, near Kirkwall.
The success for breeder Amanda Mclennan came hard on the heels of the yellow dun yeld mare standing supreme champion at the Caithness Show in Wick the previous week.
Sired by Moss-side Iain Mor and out of Dam Staffa 11 of Altnacailleach, the five-year-old was partnered by Mrs Mclennan’s sister Ashleigh Campbell, from Wick.
Also in the final line-up was the cattle champion, from the Fraser family, of Easter Clune Farm, Lethen, Nairn.
Their October 2021-born home-bred Limousin cross heifer called Sparkle is by Spittalton Overdrive.
The overall reserve cattle pen was filled by a heifer from the Highland herd of Tordarroch Estates, Farr, Inverness.
Bernice the Twenty First of Tordarroch is by Macrae Charles of Maol and out of Lady Bernice of Tordarroch.
The two-year-old’s dam was first in her class at the Royal Highland in 2018.
Alan McGowan was in charge of judging the overall cattle.
He said: “It was not an easy choice. The commercial is a big, well-grown heifer with a terrific top on her. She stood out for me.
“The Highland has a lot of character and style and was very correct but I’d say the commercial is very much in her prime.
I’d love to see the Highland maturing into a cow – she definitely has great potential.”
Hugh Mackenzie celebrated his 40th Sutherland Show by claiming the hill
sheep title for Badanloch Estate, near Kinbrace with his two shear ram, by Badanloch Xtra Special.
Reserve overall horse was the Shetland leader from Mr & Mrs Swan with the eight-year-old mare Stow Lady Violet, after Stow Prefect and out of Stow Viola. As a three-year-old, stood junior breed champion at the Royal Highland.
“It is looking like it is going to be a record turn-out at around 5,000” said show president Ewan Cameron, from Fearn.
“This show has built on the momentum we generated in last year’s one, which was the first after the pandemic.”
CATTLE
PURE NATIVE BREED – the three-year-old cow, Balavil House Miss Bangle, a member of the 50-strong Aberdeen Angus herd run by Balavil Estate Services, Balavil, Kingussie.
By Balavil House Banksie, she was accompanied by a calf at foot, Balavil
House Mr Brinkley, by Balavil House Loyal Era.
Reserve – Firm of TJ&G Mclean, Mr and Mrs E Macgregor, Raddery, Fortrose with the 17-month-old Aberdeen Angus, Liberty 279, by Deveron Ecstatic, who was the inter-breed champion at Stirling in 2019. Out of Deveron Lady S530, it was her first outing.
PEDIGREE CATTLE – Gary Oag, Achiebeg Farm, Shebster with the 13-month-old Limousin heifer Brims Tessa, by the AI bull Wilodge Cerberus, she is out of Brims Ola.
She stood reserve cattle champion at the Caithness Show.
Reserve – Gary Oag with 13-month-old white bull Shebster Tam. By the AI bull Blelack Digger and out of Shebster Leah, she was the Charolais champion at the Caithness Show.
HIGHLAND CATTLE – Tordarroch Estates, Farr, Inverness, with Bernice the Twenty First of Tordarroch. By Macrae Charles of Maol and out of Lady Bernice of Tordarroch, the two-year-old’s dam was first in her class at the Royal Highland in 2018. The heifer stood overall cattle reserve on Saturday.
Reserve – Leys Castle, Inverness with the nine-year-old Dosan the Twenty Eighth of Leys. By Jock of Lyntoun, she is out of Dosan Seventeenth of Leys. As a heifer, she stood breed champion at Dornoch, Nairn, Fettercairn and Grantown.
COMMERCIAL CATTLE – the Fraser family, of Easter Clune Farm, Lethen with their 20-month-old Limousin cross heifer, Sparkle. By Spittalton Overdrive, she went to be picked out as the cattle champion.
Saturday’s reserve commercial from Michael Robertson, Fodderletter Farms, Tomintoul, stood second to the champion in their class.
The 15-month-old Miss Marple is after a British Blue sire and out of a pure Limousin cow
CROFTERS’ CATTLE – Both the champion and reserve tickets went to calves from the Grants, of Seaview Cottage, Gairloch.
The honours went to Ian Grant with a October-born heifer calf, Pepsi, out of Ronick Hawk and by the stock bull Pluto.
Standing reserve was Esther Grant with another heifer calf, out of the home-bred Majesty and by the same sire.
SHEEP
NCC LOWGROUND – L Holmes and S Balfour, Craigiebank, Keith with a two-crop ewe, by Allanshaws Xray and out of Nuncote Knook.
Reserve – J Henderson, Murrayfield, Castletown with a March-born ewe lamb from a home-bred ewe and a Skirza ram.
NCC SHEEP HILL FARMERS – Hugh Mackenzie, Badanloch Estate, Kinbrace with a home-bred, two-shear ram by Badanloch Xtra Special, which was sold at Lairg two years ago for £16,000.
Reserve – Badanloch with a home-bred gimmer by Stouphill A 19392, which was sold for a then-record £24,000 at Lairg two years ago.
NCC SHEEP HILL CROFTERS – Alisdair Robertson, Clashbrec, Lairg with a one-crop ewe, after a ram that was sold to Andrew Campbell, Mill House, Thurso. Stood second as a gimmer at last year’s show.
BELTEX – John Scott & Partners, Fearn Farm, Tain with a one-crop
ewe, by Culsh Exclusive, bought at Carlisle last year.
Reserve – J Munro & Son, Invercharron Farm, Ardgay with March-born
ram lamb, Jolly Roger, by Shotton Hill Fabian and out of a home-bred
ewe.
TEXEL – Westermoy Texels, Wester Moy, Muir of Ord with a gimmer,
by Sportsmans Daredevil and out of a Teigburn ewe.
Reserve – Mike Renwick, 103 Deas Avenue, Dingwall with
February-born ram lamb out of Harestone Eldorado and a home-bred
ewe.
SUFFOLK – Katie Gunn, Shop Farm, Scotscalder with a four-crop ewe
by Castleisle Spotlight and out of a Castleisle ewe. Stood breed champion
at Latheron.
Reserve – Katie Gunn with a four-shear ram by Strathisla Schumaker out
of a Sullom ewe. Reserve breed champion at Dornoch last year.
SHETLAND – Kate Sharp, Cedar Lodge, Ewingston, East Lothian with the
home-bred shearling Ewingston Milo, by Monkcaster Kaylib and out of a
Greenvale ewe.
Reserve breed champion at the Royal Highland, she won the ram
lamb class and was reserve male champion at last year’s Great
Yorkshire Show.
Reserve – Ian & Leslie Carnegie, Dowmin. Huntly with the
three-shear ram Bruckles Eric out of a Bruckley ewe and by Wagley Magnus.
First time shown.
ZWARTBLES – K&W Anderson, Cairnhill, Farr, Inverness with a one-crop
ewe, who stood second in her class at the Royal Highland. By Bridgeland
Fingal and out of Eildon Hill Beat the Clock.
Reserve – Mandy Etheridge, Wester Raddery, Fortrose with Raddery
Hope, a two-crop ewe by Carrah Gee and out of Hedgefield Dakota.
CROSS SHEEP – Messrs Sutherland, Sibmister and Stainland Farms,
Thurso with a three-crop Texel cross ewe with twin Texel wether lambs.
Stood commercial and reserve overall sheep champion at Caithness
Show.
Reserve – L Holmes and S Balfour, Craigiebank, Keith with a gimmer.
ANY OTHER NON-NATIVE BREED – J Munro & Sons, Invercharron Farm, Alness with the supreme champion, Invercharron Golden Girl.
The blue Texel gimmer is by Mey Blue Endurance and out of Baileyfields Delphine. First time shown.
Reserve – Macey Henderson, Tigh na Leitir, Dulnain Bridge with a
ewe lamb.
YOUNG HANDLERS – MV/CAE accredited – nine years and over –
Sophie Nicol, Forres. 10-16 – Macey Henderson
Non-MV/CAE accredited – nine years and over – Sophie Anderson,
Plewlands Farm, Duffus. 10-16 – Katie Gunn.
NATIVE HORSES
CLYDESDALES – Sharon & Duncan Hepburn, Mid Coul Farm, Inverness
with the two-year-old filly Tulloes Jennifer, by Doura Geronimo. She was
bought earlier this year from The Greenhills, Letham.
Reserve – Gersa Clydesdales with the yearling Gersa Lady Emma. By
Colessie Monarch and out of Gersa Lady Lauren, she stood third foal at last year’s World Clydesdale Show in Aberdeen.
Michael and Jacqueline Munro won the breed title with her at the previous week’s Caithness Show.
HIGHLAND PONIES – The five-year-old mare Grace of Altnacailleach took top spot for Orkney breeder Amanda Mclennan.
The in hand champion, by Moss-side Iain Mor and out of Dam Staffa 11 of Altnacailleach, went on to finish reserve overall.
One of Mrs McLennan’s Highlands at her Kirkjuvagr stud, near Kirkwall, it was
led by her sister Ashleigh Campbell, who runs a stable on the outskirts of Wick.
Reserve – Heather Mackenzie with the yearling Moss-side Farmers Lad.
SHETLAND PONIES – Mr & Mrs Swan with the eight-year-old mare Stow Lady Violet, after Stow Prefect and out of Stow Viola. As a three-year-old, stood junior breed champion at the Royal Highland.
Reserve – D&R MacLeod, Lochfleet Shetlands, with 13-year-old miniature Shetland mare Hjatland Hirta, by Vallendale Geordie and out of Fensella of Houlland.
Stood reserve breed champion at the Royal Highland last year.