Holmhead April Blossom leads the way

In a strong champion of champions line up, judge Donald Smith, Lowes, found his supreme in the champion Clydesdale, Holmhead April Blossom from William Gemmell, Holmhead of Boreland, Kircowan. This two-year-old successful show filly is by Dillars Tod Maverick and bred from Holmhead Molly B.

“She is just a perfect example of the breed,” said Mr Smith.

“You have to give credit to the Gemmells for having her looking so well. It was close between the Blackie ewe lamb, but to me the Clydesdale was perfect, you couldn’t look past her.”

His reserve was a previously unshown Blackface ewe lamb from the Blackface crossing section, from the Jardines of Upper Harland, Balmaclellan.

Leading Awards

Galloway (Judge: Helen Ryman, North Kildarroch). Champion – J and A Finlay, Blackcraig, Corsock, with Blackcraig Blondgen, a three-year-old heifer by Nucamp of Balgray that was champion at the Royal Highland and Dumfries and first at the Great Yorkshire. Reserve – P Hunter-Blair, Nether Cleugh, Dalry with Foxglove Eyebright. By Nucamp of Balgray, this heifer is out of a home-bred cow. Reserve junior at the Royal Highland Show and reserve breed champion at the Stewartry. Cow, heifer (2021), bull calf – J and A Finlay. Heifer (2022) – P Hunter-Blair. Heifer calf – Messrs Wallce, Hannaston.

Belted Galloway (Judge: Ms H Ryman). Champion – J Taylor, Brae of Gadgirth with Tobergill Zesta, a rising three-year-old by Turin Jumbo, out of Tobergill Questa, shown in calf to Cullenden Bruno. Reserve – J Jack, Dornells Estate with the home-bred two-year-old bull, Kilimanjaro. Bull, Heifer (2022), group – J Jack. Heifer (2021) – J Taylor. Bull calf, heifer calf – The late Sir JCL Keswick, Muil, Shawhead.

Jodie Caig's prime cattle winner

Beef breeding (Judge: T Clark, Wellhead). Champion – K Foster, Harvieston with a home-bred cow and calf. Reserve – J and A McCulloch, Glentoo with a bull. Cow and calf – K Foster. Bull – J and A McCulloch.

Prime cattle (Judge: T Clark). Champion and reserve – J Caig, Tarbreoch. Champion was a 16-month-old British Blue cross bullock. Bought as a calf at foot at Wallets Marts, Castle Douglas, it was second at Stewartry. Reserve was a 16-month Hamlet-sired Limousin cross heifer bought as a calf at foot. Beef animal – J and A McCulloch, Glentoo. Bullock (led), bullock (penned) – J Caig. Heifer calf (penned) – Glenkiln Farms. Beef calf – Shennanton.

Beef young handlers (Judge: T Clark). 1, A McMillan; 2, C Ross; 3, C and C McCulloch; 4, A McNeil.

Blackface (Judge: R Carruthers, Merkland). Champion – W Ramsay and Sons, Minmark with a ewe by a home-bred son of £42,000 Drannandow. Reserve – R and K Hannah, High Balyett with a ewe lamb by a £10,000 Culdoach, out of a mother by £2200 Dyke. First show. Shearling, tup lamb – W Lockhart and Co, Culdoach. Ewe – W Ramsay and Sons. Gimmer, ewe lamb, ewe lamb group, group – R and K Hannah.

The Blackface winner from the Ramsays

Crossing Blackface (Judge: A Booth, Hesley Hall). Champion and reserve champion of champions – R Jardine, Upper Harland, Balmaclellan with ewe lamb, but a Kirkmabreck sire. Reserve – AM Brown, Drumhumphry, Corsock, with a gimmer by a Cuil sire. Ewe – R McKie, Finniness. Gimmer – AM Brown. Ewe lamb – R Jardine.

Mules (Judge: A Booth). Champion and reserve – M Ross, Birchwood, Dumfries. Champion was a Hamildean-bred ewe on her first outing. Reserve from the same home was an Allanfauld-bred gimmer that stood third at the Highland and reserve at Wigtown. Pen of three – R Jardine, Upper Harland. Gimmer, ewe – M Ross. Ewe lamb – R McKie, Finniness.

Traditional Bluefaced Leicester (Judge: J Shennan, Knockgerran). Champion and reserve – Mrs K Smith, Low Arkland, Castle Douglas. Supreme was a three-crop ewe by a Lowes Fell sire. Reserve was a gimmer of the same breeding that stood first at the Stewartry. Tup – R and I Watson, High Borgue, Borgue. Shearling, ewe, gimmer, ewe lamb, tup lamb, group – Mrs K Smith.

Crossing-type Bluefaced Leicester (Judge: W Barrowman, Mid Knockglass). Champion – W Lockhart and Co, Culdoach with a ewe lamb by the R1 Barnshangan out of a Drannandow-bred ewe. Reserve at Carsphairn. Reserve – Messrs Wallace, Hannaston with a shearling ram by a Farden sire, out of a home-bred ewe by a Macqueston sire. He will be for sale at Castle Douglas next month. Shearling, group – Messrs Hannaston. Ewe, tup lamb – RJ McTurk, Barlaes. Gimmer – R Jardine, Upper Harland. Ewe lamb – W Lockhart.

Any other native breed sheep (Judge: A Gold, Roseneath). Champion – A Hunter-Blair, Carsfad Ryelands with a home-bred Ryeland gimmer, by Penbrook Apollo and out of a Spahander mother that was bred by the Burns family. Destined for the breed sale at Carlisle at the end of the month. Reserve – Gelston Castle Farms with a Suffolk cross gimmer that stood second to the champion. Female – Carsfad Ryelands. Male – A Marshall, Eastlands, Crocketford.

Any other continental breed sheep (Judge: A Gold). Champion – G Smith, Barmurrie, with the Zwartbles gimmer, Balmurrie Lolo, sired by Barmurrie Cool Kid and out of Balmurrie Bora Bora. Reserve at Biggar. Reserve – Gelston Castle Farms with a Beltex tup. Tup – Gelston Castle Farms. Ewe, gimmer – G Smith. Tup lamb – The Clatty Boys. Low Creoch, Gatehouse of Fleet. Ewe lamb, group – M and N Smith, Low Arkland, Kelton.

Sheep young handlers (Judge: R Carruthers). 1, E Phillips; 2, E Brown.

Goats (Judge: Mrs E Morton, Cleughhead). Champion – I McCreath, Polquhanity with a milker. Reserve – R Hannah and S Agrell, Meadowhead with a goatling. Milk – I McCreath. Goatling – R Hannah and S Agrell. Kid, any goat not in other classes – C Gordon, Apple Cottage.

Goat young handlers (Judge: Mrs E Morton). 1, N McCreath; 2, N Little; 3, L McQueen.

Clydesdales (Judge: H Smith, Sheddock). Champion and overall champion of champions – W Gemmell, Holmhead of Boreland, Kirkcowan, with the two-year-old filly, Holmhead April Blossom. A daughter of Dillars Tod Maverick and bred from Holmhead Molly B. Champion at Stewartry and Stranraer. Reserve – E Blount with a three-year-old. Two-year-old – W Gemmell. Three-year-old – E Blount.