The crossing type Bluefaced Leicester won the overall sheep award between the 29 sheep breeds at the Royal Highland Show – achieving a lifelong dream for 27-year-old Jamie Pirie, of Blarnavaid, Drymen.
Best in show was a one-crop ewe, from his 20-ewe flock, which he runs on the family’s mixed beef and sheep farm.
She’s sired by a home-bred ram that Jamie sold for £12,000, but kept a share of for his own use. Earlier in the month, she stood champion and reserve inter-breed at Gargunnock Show.
Jamie, who also manages the sheep operation at Ardgate Farm, Gartocharn, said: “This is something I’ve dreamed of since I was a wee boy and I’ll talk about it for the rest of my days.”
The inter-breed contest was judged by show stalwart Jimmy Warnock, of Sandilands, Lanark.
He’s a past chairman of the society and was also chief sheep steward for many years.
Jimmy said he was looking for the sheep that ‘talked’ to him and said ‘pick me’, paying particular attention to legs and locomotion.
He felt he found that in his champion, commenting: “She’s a real star, with class, quality and confirmation – the whole lot. I’ve never seen so many top quality sheep out in an inter-breed in my life,” he added.
The Charollais winner from the Ingrams of Logie Durno, Pitcaple, was picked out as reserve overall, with Jimmy describing the family’s one-crop ewe as having a ‘great body and good on her legs’, while the Campbells’ Texel champion finished third, boasting ‘tremendous breed character.’
Also making it into the short leet was the Blackface winner, a gimmer from the Ramsay family of Milnmark, Dalry, with the best opposite sex going to the South Country Cheviot, a two-shear ram from Norman and David Douglas, Catslackburn, Yarrow.
In the sheep pairs competition, held on the Sunday and judged by Clark Lamont from Castle Douglas, champion went to the traditional Bluefaced Leicesters from the McClymont family of Kirkstead, Yarrow, and Sophie Harding, Shrewbridge.
Reserve went to the Blackfaces, both consigned by the Ramsay family from Milnmark, Dalry.
