It was tight at the top for the champion of champions title at Aberfeldy Show on Saturday as only three points split the top three winners.
As it turned out, it was two from the same family that were awarded the prizes with young brothers, six-year-old Jack and four-year-old Andrew Robertson, pipping their dad and grandfather to the post.
Taking the lead for the duo was their two-crop Blue Texel ewe named Shawtonhill Eye Candy, which was a Christmas present and one of five ewes now in the Logierait flock.
This Hackney Your Joking daughter also stood reserve champion at Perth the previous week.
Reserve champion of champions went to the brothers’ father, Craig, his father John and sister Margaret, from Newton of Logierait, whose 10-year-old cow with calf at foot won the cattle section.
Bred by Fred and Ian Murray, Northumberland, she is by Carmorn Copilot while the November-born heifer calf is by Glenrock Inferno.
Sandy Aitken’s three-year-old Clydesdale filly was also forward for the supreme. This Glebeview Sir Charles daughter was champion at Kirriemuir and second to the champion at the Royal Highland.
Representing the Highland ponies was the ridden winner, Elizabeth of Meggernie from Mrs Bev Malim, although the section was led by Willie Simpson’s two-year-old filly, Chapelhill Primrose, which could not go forward to the champion of champions as it is for those within the area only.
The final representative was Dave Murray’s four-crop Blackface ewe by a home-bred son of a £15,000 Crossflatt from his Lurgan flock.
Local shepherd, Billy Brady, was recognised for his long service at Tay and Torridon Estate near Amulree, having worked there for 45 years and was presented with his trophy and bottle of whiskey by the show’s lady Chieftain, Fiona Finlay.
The Highland Games and Gathering that followed in the afternoon proved as popular as ever and the carrying of the Menzies Stone is always a crowd favourite.
Only the soldiers that could carry the 115kg round stone were entitled to become one of the Clan Menzies Chief’s bodyguards, and the record was broken this year by Robert Garner from Crieff who broke the previous 209 feet record to carry it 249 feet and six inches.
That wasn’t the only record broken however as United Auctions’ David Brown was on fine form during the auction of wares from the horticultural tent and surely prices like £120 for a cabbage, £100 for three onions and £80 for a marrow have never been seen before.
A huge thank you to all who raised their hands during the auction which totalled just shy of £3,300.
RESULTS
Highland pony (Judge: Hamish Cameron). Champion – Willie Simpson with the two-year-old filly, Chapelhill Primrose, which was paraded by daughter, Alison. Her dam, Chapelhill Tess, is a previous Highland pony champion here while her sire is Marnonwells Gleann Eagas. Primrose picked up a red ticket at the Highland Pony Breed Show earlier in the year. Reserve – Pat Macdonald and Lisa Roberts with Mowhaugh Idris Elba, a seven-year-old gelding that has only been lightly shown and just starting his ridden career. His sire is Dunedin Marksman and his dam is Jessie of Coombebank. Stallion or colt – D Da Silva. Yeld mare, three-year-old – S Murray. Gelding, local champion – P MacDonald and L Roberts. Three-year-old – WKA and J Allan. Two-year-old, youngstock champion – WD Simpson.
Yearling, reserve youngstock – A Baird. Local youngstock champion – S Morrison. Novice ridden, ridden champion – Meggernie Estate.
Clydesdale (Judge: Jim Rochead). Champion – Sandy Aitken with Doura Allegra, a three-year-old filly that was champion at Kirriemuir and second to the champion at the Royal Highland, as well as many other placings and reserves in between. This Glebeview Sir Charles daughter is out of Islabay Lucy. Reserve – Colina McCulloch and Laura Crooks with Elvis Inspiration, a 14-year-old gelding that has won his class every time out this year. He is full of Muirton breeding being by Muirton Inspiration and out of Muirton Morag. Mare with foal, foal, yearling filly, points– S Melvin. Mare – S Aitken. Gelding, horse and harness, best decoration, best groomed – C McCulloch and L Crooks. One or two-year-old gelding – B Ferguson. Ridden – L Walker. Young handler – Ahva Elder.
Commercial cattle (Judge: David Barclay). Champion and reserve champion of champions – Jock, Craig and Margaret Robertson, Newton of Logierait, Ballinliug, with a 10-year-old cow with heifer calf at foot. Bred by Fred and Ian Murray, this cow is by Carmorn Copilot while her November-born calf is by Glenrock Inferno and will be offered for sale in the coming months. Reserve – Drew Kennedy, Tom of Cluny, Aberfeldy, with a March-born Limousin cross heifer rby the 7500gns Grahams Nathan and bred from a Blue cross cow. She will be retained in the herd. Cow, cow and calf, breeding heifer, senior Limousin heifer calf, reserve Limousin calf, yearling heifer, reserve calf – J Robertson and Co. Junior Limousin bullock, opposite sex to champion – M and J Kennedy, Lurgan Farm, Edradynate, Aberfeldy. Junior Limousin heifer calf, best Limousin calf, pair of calves, best calf – A Kennedy and Son. Senior AOB heifer calf – Marshall Farming, Borlick Farm, Aberfeldy. Native-sired, reserve AA – S and JE Andrew, Letter Farm, Dunkeld. Pure continental, yearling stot – AC Fotheringham, Ballinloan, Dunkeld. Best animal by AA bull – B Menzies, Balledmund, Ballinluig.
Blackface (Judge: Scott McAulay). Champion – D Murray, Lurgan Farm, Camserney, Aberfeldy, with a three-crop ewe on her first outing. By a home-bred son of a £15,000 Crossflatt that sold for £3100 to Ireland, her dam is by a £8000 Crossflatt. Reserve – Tay and Torridon Estate, North Amulree, Dunkeld, with a gimmer by a £4000 Connachan and out of a £8000 Elmscleugh-bred dam. She was champion at Braco and reserve at Alyth. Aged ram – A Ronald, Duntuim Farm, Aberfeldy. Two-shear ram – Cadogan Estates, Lynemore, Amulree, Dunkeld.Shearling ram, gimmer, best fleece, male group – Tay and Torridon Estate. Ram lamb, one-crop ewe, ewe lamb, male champion – T Muirhead, Ptarmigan House, Blair Atholl. Ewe in milk, female group, female champion, bred by exhibitor champion – D Murray. Shepherd’s sheep – D Billimore. Young handler – Eleanor Grieve.
Prime lambs (Judge: G Muirhead). Champion and reserve – D and J Thomson, West Park, Aberfeldy. Taking the championship for Roddy and Hugh was the lightweight trio at 39kg while in reserve was the 44kg heavyweight trio. These are all by a 1200gns Mortons tup and bred from Beltex cross Texel ewes. Three pure Blackface, three ex Blackface ewe not Leicester ram – P McDiarmid and Co, Shelarich, Lawers, Aberfeldy. Three Mule, best native three, three lightweight, three heavyweight – D and J Thomson. Three pure Cheviot – AC Fotheringham, Ballinloan, Dunkeld. Three Suffolk ram not Blackface ewe – J Burgess, Laighwood, Dunkeld.
Cross sheep (Judge: G Muirhead). Champion and champion of champion – Jack and Andrew Robertson, Newton of Logierait, Ballinluig, with a two-crop Blue Texel ewe named Shawtonhill Eye Candy, which was bought as a Christmas present for the six and four-year-old brothers. Reserve champion at Perth, this Hackney Your joking daughter is out of a Joe’s Alvin-sired Hackney ewe. Reserve – AC Fotheringham, Ballinloan, Dunkeld, with a home-bred one-crop ewe with her twin lambs at foot. The ewe is by a Callacrag tup while the lambs are by an Artnagullion Beltex ram. Ram – Derculich Farms, Strathtay. Ewe with twins, ewe, gimmer, ewe lamb, pure native ewe, female group – AC Fotheringham.
Mule ewe lamb, reserve female group – D and J Thomson, West Park, Aberfeldy. Pure non-native ewe – J and A Robertson. Senior young handler – 1, Alisha Dougan; 2, Eleanor Menzies; 3, Finlay Corbit. Junior young handler – 1, Jack Robertson; 2, Izzy Andrew; 3, Ruairi Andrew.
Wool – Blackface mattress, Blackface fine, Greyface/Mule/Lustre – W and WI Bruges, Laighwood, Dunkeld. Cheviot, naturally coloured, fine/medium – Messrs Kennedy, Borlick Farm, Aberfeldy.