The sun shone down on the sheep lines at Ayr Show and especially for Ben Radley, Loaningfoot as he stood inter-breed sheep champion, as well as reserve show champion with his home-bred Charollais gimmer.
Standing as supreme was Loaningfoot Abracadabra from Ben's 25-ewe flock based at Dumfries. On her first outing, she is a daughter of the 16,000gns Foxhill Va Va Voom, which was bought Worcester in 2020, and bred from a Foulrice ewe. She is destined to be shown at this year's Royal Highland Show.
Commenting on his choice of champion, inter-breed judge John Christie, Stirling said: "There were a lot of good sheep forward that were worthy of the championship title and it was a difficult decision to make.
"However, the Charollais caught my eye right form the get go, showing real character and she is an extremely well-balanced gimmer – a worthy recipient of the championship title."
Standing reserve to the Charollais was the Texel gimmer from J and G Paterson, Glenside, Maybole. Another on her first outing and heading to the Highland Show, in June, she is sired by the 40,000gns Mellor Vale Déjà Vu and out of a home-bred ewe.
LEADING awards
Border Leicester (Judge: S Lathangie, Pyeston Farm, Glenrothes, Fife). Champion and reserve – D Whyte, Whitelee Gate, Newton Mearns. Supreme was a home-bred three-crop ewe sired by Clola Double Deal. Bred from a ewe by Fordafourie Festival, she will be shown at this year's Royal Highland Show. Reserve was the ewe hogg which stood first in her class as a ewe lamb at the Royal Highland Show last year, as well as champion at last weekend's Neilston Show. She is sired by Clola Bear, which was bought out of Lanark three years ago for £3000, and the dam goes back to Fordafourie Festival. All classes – D Whyte.
Suffolk (Judge: S Lathangie). Champion and reserve – H Goldie, Harpercroft, Kilmarnock. Supreme was a home-bred gimmer on her first outing. Sired by Forkins Samson, she is out of a 4000gns Redbrae ewe purchased in-lamb at the 2021 Dark Diamond sale at Carlisle. She is headed to Fife Show and the Royal Highland, next month. Reserve was the ewe lamb and half sister to the champion. Bred from the same Redbrae ewe, she is a daughter of Donroe Last Chance. Tup – W and M Haining. Tup lamb, ewe hogg, ewe lamb – H Goldie. Ewe, group of three – P and D Reid, Calf Park, Mouswald.
Zwartbles (Judge: N Henderson, Whitehouse Farm Cottage, Touch, Stirling). Champion – A Baird, Greystone Cottage, Dunblane, with the two-crop ewe, Greystone Hella. Having stood reserve champion here last year, she is by the 2200gns Pistyll Fire, and out of Greystone Eclipse. She is destined to be shown at the Royal Highland Show. Reserve – C Rae, Wallacetown, Brownrigg Loaning with the gimmer Caerlaverock Kerry. Having been bought privately last year and on her first outing,- she is sired by Coquet Nook Golden Balls and out of Caerlaverock Hallie. Aged ram, shearling ram, group of three – AJ Thorburn, North Road, Eastriggs, Annan. Ram lamb, ewe, ewe lamb – A Baird. Gimmer – C Rae.
Charollais (Judge: S Wood, Broadwater Farm, Skene, Aberdeenshire). Champion, inter-breed sheep and reserve show champion – B Radley, Loaningfoot, Dumfries, with the home-bred gimmer, Loaningfoot Abracadabra, from his 25-ewe flock based at Dumfries. On her first outing, she is a daughter of the 16,000gns Foxhill Va Va Voom, which was bought Worcester in 2020, and bred from a Foulrice ewe. She is destined to be shown at this year's Royal Highland Show. Reserve – H Jackson, Rigghead Farm, Collin with the home-bred shearling ram, Dafolog Allstar. He is a son of Ffrwd Vunipola and out of a Buckland-bred ewe. Tup, tup lamb, ewe – H Jackson. Gimmer, ewe lamb, group of three – B Radley.
Hampshire Down (Judge: D Taylor, Berwickshire). Champion – E Dalgliesh, Moffat, with home-bred gimmer. Sired by Triple L Tim, which was bought privately and out of a MacMont-bred ewe, she will go on to be shown locally. Reserve – G Todd, Old Spittal Croft, Portpatrick, Stranraer, with the shearling ram, Chapel Hill Conquest. A son of Treworthal Jethro and by a Stourfield-bred ewe, he previously stood second in his class at last year's Great Yorkshire Show and will be heading back to the ring again this year. Ram, group of three – G Todd. Ram lamb – L Brown, Newfield Farm, Caerlaverock. Gimmer, ewe lamb – E Dalgliesh.
Texel (Judge: A Clark, North Garngour Farm, Lesmahagow). Champion – J and G Paterson, Glenside, Maybole, Ayrshire, with a gimmer on her first outing by Mellor Vale Déjà Vu out of a home-bred ewe. Reserve – Marty and Aurla Grant, High Croach, Cairnryan, Stranraer, with a 2022 February-born ET gimmer, by Fachell Dodge Dave, bred from a Sportsmans A-Star-sired ewe. She is a full sister to the 15,000gns Aurla's Flint and 7000gns Aurla's Elegance. Tup – J Wilson. Tup lamb, gimmer, ewe lamb, group of three – J and G Paterson. Ewe – IC Gilmour and Son, Humeston, Maybole.
Blue Texel (Judge: G Forsyth, Corra Farm, Castle Douglas). Champion – J and D Hodge, Dykes, Auchinleck with the ewe, Grahams Essexgirl. On her second outing and having been purchased at the Festive Firework's sale in 2020, at Carlisle, she is a daughter of Joe's Alvin and out of a Millside-bred ewe. She also bred this year's Catrine Show continental champion, Hodge's Gold Dust. Reserve – AD Brisbane, Castle Kennedy, Stranraer, with the February-born ET tup lamb Auchmantle Hulk. He is a son of the Royal Highland and Royal Welsh shows champion gimmer 'Future Star' and is sired by the 5500gns Pistyll Elite. Tup hogg, tup lamb, ewe lamb, group of three – AD Brisbane. Ewe, gimmer – J and D Hodge.
AOB continental (Judge: S Wood). Champion – A Jackson, Maulscastle, Cummertrees, with the Rouge gimmer, Sunrise You Peach. Sired by Bennachie Winning Shot and out of Sunrise Unicorn, she stood reserve female champion at the Great Yorkshire Show, last year, as well as reserve overall at the Royal Welsh Show. Reserve – G Robb, Chalmerston Farm , Mauchline with the Dutch Spotted ewe lamb, Stair Star Gale. On her first outing and heading to the Royal Highland Show, next month, she is by Stair Star Ferdi and out of Lochlad Elsie. Ram – F Barbour. Tup lamb, ewe lamb, group of three – G Robb. Ewe, gimmer – A Jackson.
Beltex (Judge: G Ireland, The Mull, Huntly, Aberdeenshire). Champion – J and L Cousar, Howcommon, Craigie, with the home-bred gimmer, Howcommon Hazel. A daughter of Clary Flyboy purchased for 9000gns at Carlisle in 2020, she is out of a home-bred ewe and is heading to both the Royal Highland and Great Yorkshire shows. Reserve – D and K Padkin, Muirhouse, Auchenheath with the February-born ewe lamb, Muirhouse Jaffa Cake. A daughter of Matts Hero bought at Carlisle last year and out of a home-bred gimmer, she will be shown locally. Aged tup, ewe, group of three – JJ Barclay, Mid Brockloch Farm, Maybole. Tup hogg – A Dunlop, Corstane, Broughton. Tup lamb, ewe lamb – D and K Padkin. Gimmer – J and L Cousar.
Bluefaced Leicester crossing type (Judge: J McDougall, Shields Farm, Milton of Campsie, Glasgow). Champion – S Bryson, 1 Grassmillees Way, Mauchline, with a home-bred gimmer on her first outing. Sired by a Cairndale ram and out of a ewe by a Newbigging Walls tup, she is destined to be shown locally. Reserve – A and A Kirkpatrick, Barr Farm, Sanquhar, with a home-bred ewe lamb by Firth 2. She will be heading to New Cumnock Show. Tup – DM Bryson. Tup lamb, ewe lamb – A and A Kirkpatrick. Ewe, gimmer, group of three – S Bryson.
Bluefaced Leicester traditional type (Judge: J McDougall). Champion and reserve – K Smith, Low Arkland, Kelton. Supreme was a shearling tup hogg which is sired by a Mendick-bred ram bought for 1100gns at Carlisle. Bred out of a home-bred ewe, he is heading to the Royal Highland Show. Reserve was a gimmer by a Robsland tup and out of a Lousdale ewe. All classes – K Smith.
Ryeland (Judge: T Redmayne, Southwaite, Carlisle). Champion and reserve – A Hunter Blair, Nether Cleugh, Dalry. Supreme was the three-shear ram, Pembroke Apollo, which is a son of Highwood Xerxes, a tup purchased in partnership with the Burns family at Glenside Maybole, at Worcester for 1400gns, and out of a home-bred ewe. Reserve was a gimmer sired by the champion, Apollo. Out of an Arbeth-bred ewe, she stood second as a ewe lamb at the Royal Highland Show, last year, and reserve champion at Wigtown. Tup, gimmer, group of three – A Hunter Blair. Tup lamb – D Stainton, Barnbrae Stables, Barnbrae Road, Chryston. Ewe, ewe lamb – A and D Mitchell, Wellhill Steadings, New Cumnock.
AOB native (Judge: T Redmayne). Champion – E and G Faulds, Minuntion and Pinclanty Farm, with an unregistered Hampshire Down gimmer. Out of a Lepcroft-bred ewe, she will be shown locally. Reserve – B Welsh, Roundshaw, Auchinleck, Cumnock with a December-born Dorset tup lamb, Roundshaw Franko, which is a son of Downkillybegs El Paso, and out of a home-bred gimmer. He stood reserve champion at Catrine Show, last week. Tup – L James. Tup lamb, ewe, ewe lamb, group of three – B Welsh. Gimmer – E and G Faulds.
Blackface (Judge: A McClymont, Kirkstead, Yarrow). Champion and reserve – Firm of Shawhead, Crawford John Mill Farm, Biggar. Supreme was a ewe hogg on its first outing. She is sired by a home-bred ram which is a son of a Cromlix tup. Reserve was an Achdregnie-bred ram which was purchased last year at Fort William. All classes – Firm of Shawhead.
Commercial (Judge: G Ireland). Champion and reserve – J Guild, Ashmark, New Cumnock. Supreme was a cross-bred ewe with twin lambs at foot. Reserve was an unclipped Texel cross ewe hogg. All classes – J Guild.
Young stockpersons sheep competition (Judge: G Allan, Ochiltree, Ayrshire). 1, Bruce Guild; 2, Archie Barclay; 3, Islay Thorburn.
YFC sheep breeds competition – 1, Finlay Barclay; 2, Lachlan Rae; 3, Cameron Barclay.
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