All sorts of records were broken at the Aberfeldy Show and Highland Games when the event welcomed record crowds and record temperatures to Wade’s Park.

This was the first year the show has been held since the land was bought by the Society back in 2020 and the organisers were delighted with the turnout of stock and members of the public, with the entry of 18 Clydesdales and 34 Highland ponies surpassing many other shows this year.

Taking the champion of champions title, as awarded on a points basis by all the judges, was an April-born heifer calf which had stood calf champion at Perth Show the previous week for the Robertson family at Newton of Logierait.

“She’s a great wee heifer with lovely lines, a great top, a good set of plates and is good on her legs – she’s a right flashy heifer,” commented the commercial cattle judge, James Nisbet.

Reserve to her was the Blackie champion from Thomas Muirhead, Orchilmore, which was a gimmer by a £6000 Auldhouseburn.

It’s not just the strong cattle, sheep and heavy horse sections that draw in the crowds as the Highland Games, officially opened when the Kintore Pipe Band marched from Aberfeldy Square to Wade’s Park followed by members of the Clan Menzies, provide a great spectacle from all angles of the main ring for the thousands of visitors.

A particular attraction is the carrying of the Menzies Stone, a smooth round stone weighing 115kg that is a test of manhood and only those who could lift and carry the stone were entitled to become one of the chief’s bodyguards. Carrying the stone the furthest at 164’ 1” this year was Czech heavyweight athlete, Vlad Tulacek, with local lad, Alexander Marshall, in second.

Another highlight is the charity auction of goods from the horticulture tent which was conducted by David Brown, from United Auctions, where a record was surely set when William Jackson, of Derculich Estate, paid £110 to claim back his own prize-winning pair of cauliflowers.

LEADING awards:

Highland Pony (Judge: Miss A Mitchell). In-hand champion, ridden champion and supreme Highland Pony champion – S Murray, Lurgan, Aberfeldy, with Lurgan Fern Mhor, a home-bred seven-year-old mare by Turin Hill Kylemore and out of Lurgan Lilias Morven. She’s had a good season, third both in-hand and working hunter at the Breed Show but did better at Perth where she was reserve ridden, in-hand champion and reserve heavy horse. Reserve in-hand and reserve supreme Highland Pony – Meggernie Estate, Glenlyon, with the 10-year-old Catriona of Meggernie and her filly foal, Blossom of Meggernie. Sired by Noah of Meggernie and out of a previous Aberfeldy champion, Rhiona of Croila, Cate has had a good ridden career being junior champion at Highland class winner at HOYS. Reserve ridden – J Moffat Osband, Dunkeld, with her seven-year-old gelding, Glencallan Goldsmith, which was bought just last year, His pedigree features Trowan Miracle on to Glancallan Gold Leaf. Stallion or colt – D da Silva. Yeld mare, two-year-old, youngstock champion novice ridden 14hh and over – S Murray. Gelding – M Pirie. Three-year-old – J McCormack Fraser. Yearling – G Henderson. Mare with foal, foal – Meggernie Estate. Novice ridden under 14hh – K Allen.

Clydesdale (Judge: R Hamilton). Champion – J Greenhill, Tulloes, Forfar, with the yearling filly, Tulloes Jennifer, which was reserve foal at the Winter Fair. Sired by Doura Jeronimo, she is out of Tulloes Lady Claire. Reserve – S Aitken, Newton Cottage, Memus, with his two-year-old filly, Doura Allegra, a Glebeview Sir Charles daughter out of Islay Bay Lucy. She has picked up three reserve titles already this year at Fettercairn, Kirriemuir and Angus. Mare with foal, foal, yearling or two-year-old gelding – B Ferguson. Mare – L Findlay. Gelding – C McCulloch. Yearling filly – J Greenhill. Two-year-old filly – S Aitken. Best decorated horse and harness, best decoration, best groomed horse – Messrs McCulloch and Crooks. Young handler – A Elder.

Commercial cattle (Judge: J Nisbet). Champion, champion of champions and reserve – J Robertson and Co, Newton of Logierait, Ballinluig, with their April-born heifer calf that was also calf champion at Perth, sired by the Warehams Micky bull that has been a top breeder in the herd, her dam is a Limousin cross by Sarkley Valiant. John, Margaret and Craig claimed the reserve ticket with their reserve calf champion, this time an August-born Glenrock Inferno daughter bred from a home-bred Strathbogie Kansas cow. Cow, cow and calf, autumn-born stot calf, autumn-born heifer calf, spring-born male calf, yearling stot, yearling heifer, Limousin calf champion, reserve Limousin calf, AOB calf champion, calf champion, reserve calf, opposite sex to champion – J Roberston and Co. Breeding heifer – Messrs Kennedy, Borlick, Aberfeldy. Spring-born heifer calf – M and J Kennedy, Lurgan, Edradynate, Aberfeldy. AOB-sired spring-born male calf, pair of calves, reserve AOB calf – Marshall Farming Partnership, Borlick, Aberfeldy.

Blackface (Judge: J MacPherson). Champion and reserve champion of champions – T Muirhead, Orchilmore Livestock, Blair Atholl, with his home-bred gimmer by a £6000 Auldhouseburn out of a ewe that is twin to a £15,000 Orichlmore tup. Reserve – A Frame, Dullator, Amulree, with a three-crop ewe that has good form at Aberfeldy – second as a ewe lamb and first as a gimmer which was at the last Aberfeldy Show in 2019. She is by a home-bred son of a £7000 Troloss while her dam is by a home-bred son of a £2000 Elmscleugh. Aged ram – Dunalastair Estate, Rannoch. Two-shear ram, female group – A Ronald, Duntuim, Aberfeldy. Shearling Ram, ewe lamb – Cadogan Estates, Amulree. Ram Lamb, gimmer, male champion, female champion, best lamb, best bred by exhibitor – T Muirhead. Aged ewe – A Frame. One-crop ewe – Glenlyon Estate, Fortingall. Shepherd’s Sheep – Drew Billimore. Best Fleece, male group – Tay and Torridon Estate, Amulree.

Prime lamb and cross sheep (Judge: G Whyte). Champion – M and J Kennedy, Lurgan, Edradynate, Aberfeldy, with their fat lamb champions shown by daughters Katrina and Yvonne, a trio by an Ochtermuthill Beltex ram bought from Jimmy Taylor. Bred from Millenium Bleu mothers, their weighed in at 37kg and won the light section. Reserve – AC Fotheringham, Ballinloan, Dunkeld, with a ewe with twin lambs at foot. The ewe is a Texel cross Cheviot while the lambs are by a Texel cross Beltex ram. Three Blackface lambs – Tay and Torridon Estate. Three Mule lambs, pen of three lambs by Suffolk sire, heavyweight pen of three cross lambs, gimmer, Mule ewe lamb, reserve prime lamb – D and J Thomson, West Park, Aberfeldy. Three Cheviot lambs, best native lambs – W and WI Bruges, Laighwood, Dunkeld. Pen of three cross lambs from hill ewe – Urlar Estate, Aberfeldy. Lightweight pen of three cross lambs, prime lamb champion – M and J Kennedy. Ram, ewe with twins, female group – AC Fotheringham. Ewe – S and JE Andrew, Letter, Dunkeld. Ewe – J Robertson and Co. Pure native female – D Meldrum, Kemore. Blackface young handler – Eleanor Grieve. Cross sheep young handler – Charlotte Scott.