A COMMERCIAL cow and calf from the Kennedy family, Seggarsdean, took the overall champion of champions title at a sunny, albeit windy Haddington Show.
The five-year-old Limousin cross cow, shown with her three-month-old calf by Windsole Ottis at foot, was chosen by Selkirk-based stockman Tom Tennant, Gilmanscleuch. Previously unshown, this home-bred second calver was part of the Kennedys’ 11-head-strong team in a section that boasted more than 40 entries.
The event, staged at East Fortune, is noted for its sheep breeds and this year was no exception, with the inter-breed champion in the section also claiming the reserve champion of champions. This was a North Country Cheviot from Roderick and Lewis Runciman, Allanshaws, Galashiels, selected by judge Allan Wight, Midlock. Their home-bred gimmer on her first outing, is sired by Glebe Farm Class Act – a tup that bred the Highland Show champion for the father and son duo.
Mr Wight found his reserve sheep inter-breed in the champion Bluefaced Leicester, a gimmer from Bill Hedley, Corsbie Farm Cottage, Earlston. The home-bred female is a daughter of Baz, a home-bred son of an £8000 Blarnavaid, and was champion at Kelso and Duns last year.
Supreme horse was the Clydesdale champion, Fordelhill Limelight, a four-year-old by Glebeview Sir Charles, out of Fordelhill Heather. She was shown with her seven-week-old filly foal Fordelhill Lainey and boasts numerous championships over the years including the Great Yorkshire, Kinross, Banchory and Braco.
Leading Awards
Commercial cattle (Judge: T Cockburn, Kingside, West Linton). Champion and reserve – A Kennedy and Sons, Seggarsdean, Haddington, with a five-year-old Limousin cross cow and calf and a 20-month-old Limousin cross bullock, respectively. Bullock/heifer shown by a person under 30, pair, butchers’ animal, suckled bullock calf under 1 year, best East Lothian exhibit – A Kennedy and Sons. Continental heifer, prime heifer – J Craggs, Glower-oer-him Farm, Sedgefield. Native bullock – Susan Massie, Shepherds Cottage, Stenton. Cross cow with native calf, cross cow and calf over six months, suckled heifer calf under a year – M Ross, Wester Middleton, Gorebridge.
Suffolk (Judge: A Smellie, Birch Cottage, Peebles). Champion – G Brown, Springfield, Penicuik, with a gimmer sired by Oxmuir Outlaw F48, bought privately in a half share with his breeder. Reserve as a ewe lamb at Peebles Show last year. Reserve – Caroline Nelson, Trows Cottage, Kelso, with the second-placed gimmer by Harpercroft Black Diamond and out of a home-bred ewe. Shearling ram, ram lamb, ewe lamb – G Brown. Ewe – Caroline Nelson.
Texel (Judge: D Fleming, Coulter, Biggar). Champion – W Dunlop, Elmscleuch, Dunbar, with a gimmer by the £52,000 Midlock Express and out of a home-bred ewe. Reserve – W and J Waite, Lamberton Holding, Berwick on Tweed with a tup lamb by the £42,000 Auldhouseburn Ghost. Shearling ram, ewe – W Dunlop. Ewe lamb – W and J Waite.
Bluefaced Leicester (Judge: A Warnock, Kingsmeadow Gardens, Peebles). Champion and reserve – B Hedley, Corsbie Farm Cottage, Earlston. Champion was a home-bred gimmer by Baz, a son of an £8000 Blarnavaid. She was champion at Kelso and Duns last year. Reserve was a Hamildean-bred shearling ram bought at Carlisle last year and on his first outing. Ewe, ewe lamb – T Dick and Sons, Hamildean, Peebles. Ram lamb – S Ainslie, Linkshead Farm, Cocksburnpath.
North Country Cheviot (Judge: B Cockburn, Broughton, Biggar) Champion – J Runciman and Sons, Allanshaws, Galashiels with a home-bred gimmer by Glebe Farm Class Act. First outing. Reserve – A Pate, Nettlingflat Farmhouse, Heriot with a ewe lamb by a Philiphaugh tup on her first outing. Aged ram, shearling ram, ewe – J Runciman and sons. Ram lamb – GD Pate and Son.
Blackface (Judge: D Fleming, Coulter, Biggar). Champion – A Emmerson, Outerstonhill, Gorebridge, with a two-crop ewe by a £700 Midlock on her first outing. Her dam goes back to £24,000 Connachan. Reserve – C McColm, Lauderhill, Lauder, with a ewe lamb out of a Glenrath-bred ewe by a £160,000 Dyke. The dam was bought at Lanark year. Aged ram, ewe – A Emmerson. Shearling ram, gimmer – G Pate. Ram lamb, ewe lamb, group – C McColm.
Scotch Mule (Judge: A Warnock). Champion and reserve – T Dick and Son, Hamildean, Peebles. Champion was a ewe lamb on her first outing, sired by a £5000 Steel ram bought at Carlisle in partnership with Derek Hall. Reserve was the second prize ewe lamb to the champion, by a home-bred son of the K16 Carry House K16. Ewe – Wester Middleton Sheep Partnership. Gimmer, pen of three ewe lambs – T Dick and Sons.
Commercial (Judge: B Cockburn). Champion and reserve – A Anderson, Headshaw Farm, Oxton. Supreme was a Texel cross ewe with a pair off Suffolk cross lambs at foot with the reserve being a pen of three Beltex cross lambs out of Suffolk cross ewes. Three prime lambs by any other sire – W Pate and partners.
Jacob (Judge: M Munro, Kinloch Farm, Fife). Champion and reserve – Messrs Connor and Dalrymple, Pardovan Holdings, Philipstoun with a ewe and a gimmer respectively. Supreme was a one-crop ewe by Dun-mor Islay that was reserve at the Highland Show and champion here last year. Reserve was a gimmer by Dun-mor Harvey, that was first in her class at Fife and second at the Highland. Ram lamb – J Elliot, Kirkhope Steading, Selkirk. Ewe lamb – Connor and Dalrymple.
Shetland (Judge: P Cowan, Bishop Auckland). Champion – Kate Sharp, Cedar Lodge, Humbie with two-shear white ram, Ewingston Zeus. He is sired by Ewingston Jack Frost, the 2022 Highland show champion. Champion at West Fife and second to the champion at the Highland Show. Reserve – PD and A Playfair, Stitchill Eastfield, Kelso with the coloured champion, a moorit ewe out of Kaimknowe Rose. Shearling ram, ewe lamb – K Sharp. Gimmer, ram lamb, coloured ewe lamb, group of three – G Ingram, Annavale, Biggar. Aged ram, ewe – PD and A Playfair. Coloured gimmer, ram lamb – M Everett, Boggs Farmhouse, Pencaitland.
Any other breed (MV accredited) (Judge: A Smellie). Champion – D Fleming, Spott Home Farm, Dunbar with a Blue Texel gimmer by a Glan-y-mor ram and out of a Hunters-bred ewe. Reserve – Debbie MacKinnon, Walterstead, Ladykirk with an aged ram. Shearling ram – R Brand, East Fortune Farmhouse, East Fortune. Ewe, ram lamb, ewe lamb – D Fleming.
Any other breed (non-MV accredited) (Judge: A Smellie). Champion – W Pate, Marvingston, Gifford with a two-crop Suffolk ewe by a Skelfhill sire on her first outing. Reserve – C Pate, Stobshiel Mains, Humbie with a Texel shearling, bought at Kelso and sired by an Eilean ram. Shearling ram – C Pate. Gimmer – A Pate, Nettlingflat Farmhouse, Heriot. Ram lamb – W Goldie Collielaw, Oxton. Ewe lamb – G Fleming.
Young handlers – Aged 10 years and under – 1, Isla Dick; 2, James Wason; 3, Innes MacKinnon. Aged 11-16yrs – 1, James Goldie; 2, Isla Wason; 3, Lucy Wason.
Heavy horse (Judge: R Hamilton, Dillars, Lesmahagow). Champion – S Greenhill, Leuchars Lodge, Leuchars with Fordelhill Limelight, shown with her seven-week-old filly foal, Fordelhill Lainey at foot. Reserve – Annette and Ailsa Noble, Peggyslea, with Tulloes Monte Carlo, a three-year-old gelding, by Doura Magic Touch. Monte was reserve gelding at the Royal Highland show. Senior – A Greenan.
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