DESPITE being punctuated by some major showers, the Great Yorkshire show was nothing short of a great success – with Scottish exhibitors showing up as winners throughout the catalogue on the first day of the event.
From the native breeds, last year's star exhibitors from the Beef Shorthorn breed were again filling the stalls – with one of the biggest shows on display and a show of pairs which filled the ring.
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Topping this strong show was a five-year-old white Shorthorn shown by Miss Emma Trueman. Her Roundhill Millie is a home-bred daughter of Meonhill Charlie Chaplin and was shown with a roan bull calf at foot by Cairnsmore Neymar. She won a few local shows last year, but this was her first major success.
It was a bit of dream come true for dog groomer Miss Natalie, Hynd, when her yearling bull, Westbroad Scotia took the male championship and reserve overall title. Brought out with help from Alan Jackson, she bought him along with some females from Duncan Welsh to start her wee herd. This son of Shawhill Leroy, out of Westbroad Rusty 15 has already had some success, winning the championship at Ayr and reserve junior and male champion at the Royal Highland.
Two of the stars from the Royal Highland held on to the top positions in Harrogate in the Aberdeen-Angus section. Holding the top spot again was Mike and Melanie Alford's big-winning two-year-old heifer, Blelack Princess Carina. Inter-breed champion at Ayr, this Kilmaluag Eriskay-sired entry was bought at the Blelack dispersal in 2021, for 30,000gns alongside her dam which made 32,000gns.
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A small, but quality line-up of Galloways saw the Graham brothers, James and John, with their 'mentor'. Dennis Gall, occupy the top two positions. Winning was their rising two-year-old heifer, Princess Marlyn of 3G, their daughter of Strathurr Yogi which was bred out of one of their foundation females, the 4000gns Kalinka of Romesbeoch – she was going one better than her reserve overall placing at the Highland and last winter also won her class at Livescot.
Chasing her for the title was Kirkstead Quirk, a rising three-year-old heifer that had been bought privately from Alan McClymont. She's by the former Great Yorkshire and Royal Highland inter-breed winner in 2009, Blackcraig Kodiak and was champion at Drymen earlier this year.
The Beltie title went to David Bertie from Scotland's south-west. This was with Mochrum Cora 3, a two-year-old daughter of Mochrum Stuart out of Mochrum Carrie which had won her class at the breed's National show last year at Wigtown.
She was ahead of the top junior bull shown by Jason and Sarah Wareham. This yearling is by Shelsleys Eros and out of Tottingworth Princess, a show start for the herd.
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Mrs Heather Corrigal took the Highland breed title with Kathleen 14 of Earn, which was shown by Graeme Easton. Though this was the three-year-old heifer's first championship, she comes from a proven dam line which includes a former Royal Highland winner, while her sire, Magnus of Earn, was also bred out of a former RHS champion.
Chasing her for the title was the best of the males, the black yearling bull, Callum Dubh of Cailaich, from Mull-based breeders, Bob and Shirley Strachan. Brought out for the show by the Hunter team from Lanarkshire, this son of Callum Dubh of Thaggnam will be targetted at being sold at the breed sale in Oban, next February.
The national Longhorn show was a sight to behold, with some controversial polled animals causing a bit of a stir, however it was the more conventional horned types that caught judge, Danny Wyllie's eyes. Top spot was taken by Mrs PA Stanley's Blackbrook Bluebell, a six-year-old cow by Blackbrook Odin, which was placed ahead of Mr and Mrs BC Stanley's Melbourne Park Griselda, a five-year-old from the same class as the champion. She is by Wellhead Petrus.
Big crowds watched the commercial beef judging, which was punctuated by heavy showers. John Mellin's That's My Girl got the nod for the title from judge, Phil Sellars. This November, 2021-born heifer carries Limousin genetics on both sides and was placed ahead of Neil Slack's Tinkerbell, a February, 2022-born heifer by a Limousin sire out of a British Blue cross dam.
First day highlights from the sheep lines
Fresh from his success at the Royal Highland, Dumfries-shire based Ben Radley once again took the championship in a strong Charollais section with his outstanding gimmer, Abracadabra, which stood reserve inter-breed at Edinburgh. By Foxhill Va Va Voom and out of a Foulrice she previously took the inter-breed championship at Ayr.
Johnathon Wells' Thackwood flock took the reserve spot with their December-born ram lamb Thackwood Bangkock, on his first outing. He is an ET son of Boyo Vancouver out of a Topnotch Ffrwd home-bred ewe. He will be retained as the junior stock ram.
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The top group of three also went to Dumfries-shire, with David and Helen Sloan's Rigghead flock taking the honours.
A strong section of Blue Texels saw Alan Short and Samantha Allen's Derg flock, from Northern Ireland, repeat their Balmoral and Highland successes with their gimmer Derg Glitter. Glitter is by Sunnybank Exchange and out of the 28,000gns Hackney Cashmaker.
Reserve spot went to new breeders, G and E Jones and Co, from Anglesey – who are also well-known in the commercial cattle circuit – with their ram lamb, Trisant Hulk, on his first outing. Hulk is by Drumard Ed out of Trisant Goody Goody. He is destined for next week’s Royal Welsh.
Lipley Beltex, from Shropshire, had another successful day with their gimmer, Lipley Hey Good Lookin’, a full sister their ram lamb which took the honours at the Highland. She is by Ardstewart Fred Flintstone out of a Bailey Brook CR7 ewe, Woodies Eye Candy
The same breeding also took reserve male champion, first prize ewe lamb and the first and second gimmer tickets. The family also took the champion and reserve tickets in the Jacob section and reserve overall at the National Longhorn Show on the same day.
It was great to see a great representation of young breeders in the championship of the Border Leicesters. Of the seven sheep forward, five were produced by under 21s.
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Torri Stanley, from Melbourne, in Derbyshire, took the champion and reserve tickets in the section. The winner was a one-crop ewe bought as a lamb from Tom Nelson, at Kilphin. She is by Knockglass Johnny Be Good and won the championship at the Great Yorkshire last year, and was also the dam of the first prize ewe lamb. Torri’s reserve was a gimmer bought as a ewe lamb at Carlisle from Duncan Whyte.
Not to be outdone, Robbie Aiken, normally seen helping with his mum, dad and sister, Katie, with Proctors Texels, took the top two places in the male section with his ram lamb and shearling ram from his Springview flock.
Long time breeder, Lainie Daff, from Renfrewshire, took a well deserved championship in the Bleu du Maine ring with a ewe lamb by Greenside Wardlaw out of Greenside Songbird. Reserve in the section was Neil Millar, from Kirkpatrick Fleming with his reserve female, the gimmer, Joyfield Wildcard, by Joyfield VIP out of Aviemore Ruby.
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