Familiar faces dominated the line-ups at the Black Isle Show in Muir of Ord yesterday.
The show, now in its 178th year, was blessed with good weather ensuring a good day for competitors and exhibitors alike.
In the cattle lines a commercial heifer, which stood champion of champions at Sutherland a few weeks ago, was crowned supreme.
Judge Terry Coghill, of Birsay, Orkney, said she was an “awfully smart heifer with tremendous lines”.
He was referring to 17-month-old black Limousin cross heifer Pentland Lady, from Ian Sinclair, of Clyth Mains, Lybster, Caithness.
This prize-winning lot was bred in Orkney by Balfour Baillie and bought at the Thainstone Spectacular last year for £3,800.
Mr Baillie was judging the commercial classes but a referee was brought in to judge Pentland Lady and responsible for putting her through to the beef interbreed competition.
By Procters Cavalier and out of a Limousin cross Belgian Blue cow, Pentland Lady is no stranger to success and scooped the supreme champion of champions title at Sutherland as well as reserve overall show champion at Caithness.
Standing reserve supreme in the beef section was a record-breaking Simmental bull from Jimmy and Iain Green, of Corskie, Garmouth, Fochabers.
Their winning lot was the 45,000gn bull Bel Dhu Capercaillie, which was bought by the Greens in Stirling in February 2013 and holds the UK record for the highest priced Simmental.
He was bred by Billy and Anne Macpherson, of Blackford, Croy, Inverness, and is by Hockenhull Waterloo and out of Blackford Wagtail.
Other show success this season includes standing beef interbreed champion at Echt and breed champion at New Deer, Nairn and Turriff. His first sons will be sold at Stirling in October.
The cattle section also featured the first ever national show of Highland cattle – the Highland Gaetherin’ – where a bull from HM the Queen’s Balmoral fold was crowned supreme.
The four-year-old Ken Brown bred bull Prionnsa Dubh of Craigowmill, by Panther 2nd Vom Aignerhof and out of Lady Alma Dubh of Craigowmill, was named male and overall Champion.
Judge Ian Anderson described the bull as “an outstanding animal of his breed” and added: “I could not fault him.”
He was champion at Banchory in 2014.
Overall reserve was awarded to the female champion MacNaughton, of 72 Centre St, Fife, with two-year-old two-year-old heifer Skye of Rannoch, by Fergus of Isle of Bute and out of Skye 2nd of Rannoch.
In the sheep lines the interbreed title was awarded to the same Charollais ewe that stood sheep interbreed champion in Turriff on Monday.
This home-bred two-crop ewe was put forward by the Ingram family at Logie Durno Farm, Pitcaple, Inverurie.
Loanhead My Fair Lady is by Loanhead Midas Touch and out of Dalby Hyacinth.
Judge Angus Kennedy, of Biggar, then awarded his supreme reserve title to the North Country Cheviot champion. This home-bred three-crop ewe is from George Cormack & Sons, of Wester Dunnet, Thurso, Caithness.
She is by Sebay Legacy and out of a home-bred ewe by Shoestanes Fury.
In the contest for the supreme in-hand heavy horse, the three native judges reached a consensus to send David Walker and Beverley Brown home to Galcantray, Cawdor, with the overall plaudits.
Their Clydesdale leader Galcantray Angel had been brought to the supreme arena and awarded breed honours by Jim Greenhill, of Upper Tulloes, Forfar.
“She really won through on her presence,” said Mr Greenhill. “She gave a good show today and she also has great hair and feet with plenty of bone.”
The seven-year-old mare, which has only been lightly shown over the last couple of seasons, was a winner recently at Nairn Show. Although placed at the Royal Highland, Mr Greenhill also said he was disappointed that she was not higher up the yeld mare line-up in the main arena at Ingliston.
Reserve overall was Alan and Carolyn Munro’s Highland pony Whitefield Princess, which has already lifted the Sutherland and Partners perpetual trophy as the best exhibit from the Highland and Shetland lines.
Championed by judge Bruce Halliburton, of Muirton, Blairgowrie, Princess was credited as a “lovely example of the breed” with “particularly quality movement”.
She came to the Black Isle having stood champion at Sutherland for the last two successive seasons.
During the judging of the overall Shetland Pony, judges Irene Spence, of Baldyvin, Alford, and Holder Firth, of Stenness, Orkney, were unanimous in their selection of the standard leader Hawdale Dixie owned and shown by Donna Lochtie, from Tillicoultry.
Gifted to Donna as a 21st birthday present when she was a foal, this now nine-year-old mare has been very successful in the show ring.
“She’s a smart, traditional and natural mare,” said Mrs Spence, who had earlier in the year selected Dixie as reserve overall breed champion at the Royal Highland Show.
“She’s an outstanding pony,” agreed Mr Firth. “She’s just effortless in her movement and she’s very nicely put together.”