Abington Show: torrential rain doesn't affect entries

The show is renowned for attracting some of the best and highest numbers of Blackface sheep and this year was no exception with all classes well into double figures.

It was however a massive two-shear Texel ram from Keith and Andrew Campbell, Overburns, Biggar, was crowned champion of champions by the judge, Robert Struthers, Collielaw.

“He’s a tremendous, good big honest tup with a great top line and gigot,” said Mr Struthers, who had to select a supreme from the overall sheep winner, champion horse, and the suckled cow and calf lead.

Taking all the plaudits was Haymount Foremost, a tup owned in partnership with Bruce Renwick, Castlecairn and Bryden and Johanna Nicolson, Knockem. He was bought at Lanark as a lamb for 28,000gns from Jack and Tom Arnott and is sired by Rhaeadr Entrepreneur.

Bluefaced Leicester champion was Jimmy Bell's ewe lamb

Inter-breed sheep judge, Finlay Smith, Cloverhill, found his reserve winner in the champion from that bumper quality show of Blackface sheep – a home-bred two-crop ewe from Hugh Rorison, Clonrae, Thornhill, brought out by shepherd, Michael Robertson. Their show stopper already boasts several big wins having scooped the breed honours here and at Dumfries last year along with the championship at East Kilbride in 2022.

A new non-MV accredited any other breed section saw a good turnout of North Country Cheviots, Zwartbles and Texels, with the tri-colour presented to a hill-type Cheviot from McCaig Farms, Slamannan, shown by Stephen MacKinnon. His gimmer by a £14,000 Mowhaugh sire bought at Kinross, was first at Kinross Show.

Scotch Mule champion was a two-crop ewe from Midlock

Leading Awards

Blackface (Judge: D MacGregor, Dyke). Champion and reserve inter-breed sheep – H and M Rorison, Clonrae, Tyron, Thornhill, with last year’s breed leader, a two-crop ewe by a son of a £150,000 Auldhouseburn, brought out by shepherd Michael Robertson. She is out of a ewe by Joko and was champion at East Kilbride 2022 and at Dumfries 2023. Reserve – R and I Shaw, Acharonich, Lochgilphead with the second prize ewe to the champion, a one-crop Crossflatt-bred female bought at the in-lamb sale at Lanark for 5800gns. She is sired by Crossflatt McCoy Lookalike out of a ewe by Spectre and was champion at Cowal, Lorn and Mid Argyll. Aged ram – J Wight and Sons, Midlock, Crawford. Shearling – J Bennie and Son, Merkins, Gartocharn. Tup lamb – A McArthur, Nunnerie, Elvanfoot. Ewe – H and M Rorison. Gimmer – JW Kay, Gass, Straiton. Ewe lamb, group – JP Campbell and Sons, Glenrath.

Blackface shepherds (Judge: B Simpson, Baldarroch). Champion – S Wallace, Midlock, Crawford, with a gimmer by a £30,000 Crossflatt out of a ewe by Midlock Stag. Reserve – B Gilchrist, Crimp Cramp, with a ewe lamb by Midlock Emperor, out of a ewe by Midlock Stag. Ewe – A McMillan, Dalwyne, Barr. Gimmer – S Wallace. Ewe lamb, tup lamb, group – B Gilchrist.

Callan Young (9) won the young handlers competition

Cheviot (Judge: W Fleming, Falnash). Champion and reserve – B and M Cockburn, Stirkfield, Broughton, Biggar. Supreme was last year’s champion, a three-crop ewe by Crossdykes Predator, out of a home-bred ewe. She was third at Peebles. Reserve was a two-shear Glendinning-bred ram bought at Lockerbie last year and on his first outing. Aged ram, pair of of tup lambs, ewe, gimmer, group – B and M Cockburn. Shearling ram, tup lamb, ewe lamb – T Aitchison, Glenochar, Elvanfoot. Pair – Queensberry Farming, Chanlockfoot.

Cheviot shepherds – Champion – Ella Bruce (16) Stirkfield, with a three crop ewe by Crossdykes Phantom on her first outing. Reserve – J Cochrane, Castle Crawford, with a ewe lamb by a Glenochar sire. Ewe, gimmer – E Bruce. Ewe lamb, tup lamb – J Cochrane.

Champion Blackface and reserve inter-breed sheep from Hugh Rorison, Clonrae

Texel (Judge: I Minto, Townhead, Dolphinton). Champion, supreme sheep and overall champion of champions – A Campbell, Overburns, Lamington, Biggar, with Haymount Foremost, a two-shear ram shared with the Knockem and Castlecairn flocks, that was brought out by shepherd Raymond Baynes. He was bought at Lanark as a lamb for 28,000gns and is sired by Rhaeadr Entrepreneur. Reserve – K Johnstone, Boghouse, Crawfordjohn, with a home-bred two-crop ewe by Fordafourie Dynamite, out of a Proctors Warlord-sired dam. Reserve at Newmilns. Ewe, tup lamb – K Johnstone. Gimmer, ewe lamb, tup, group – A Campbell. Shearling ram – A Provan, Parkhall, Douglas.

Bluefaced Leicester (Judge: A Warnock, Dreva, Broughton). Champion – J Bell, Carluke, with a previously unshown ewe lamb by Holmeview Riverdance, bred from a G1 Smearsett-sired dam. Reserve – J Wight and Sons, Midlock, Crawford, with a gimmer by the £23,000 P2 Riddings and out of a G2 Marriforth-sired ewe. Placed at the Royal Highland. Shearling ram – J Warnock, Eastfield. Tup lamb, gimmer, group – J Wight and Sons. Ewe, ewe lamb – J Bell.

A big entry of crooks was topped by Ian McConchie (Image: web)

Breeding sheep (Judge: A Warnock, Dreva). Champion – J Wight and Sons, Midlock, with a two-crop Scotch Mule ewe by an M2 Asby Hall, out of a home-bred ewe. Former champion at the Royal Highland. Reserve – S and T Fallows, Cockright with two Scotch Mule ewe lambs, one by a Temain sire and the other by a Midlock ram. Two cross ewe lambs – K Johnstone, Boghouse. Two Scotch Mule ewe lambs – S and T Fallows. Scotch Mule gimmer, Scotch Mule ewe, Scotch Mule ewe lamb – J Wight and Sons.

Butchers sheep (Judge: J Hamilton, Gilmeadowland). Champion – I McGarva, Nether Abington, with a pen of three March-born Beltex cross lamb by a Horseclose ram. Reserve – Jenna (14) and Chloe (10) Johnstone, Boghouse, with a pen of three April-born Texel cross lambs. Three Blackface wedder lambs – M Coubrough, Hartside. Three Texel cross lambs – D Mitchell, Burnhouse. Three Beltex lambs – I McGarva. Three prime lambs – A Muirhead, Wolfcrooks. Beginners class – J and C Johnstone.

Non MV any other breed (Judge: N Woodmass). Champion – McCaig Farms, Slamannan, with a home-bred hill-type North Country Cheviot gimmer by a £14,000 Mowhaugh sire bought at Lairg, shown by Stephen MacKinnon. First at Kinross. Reserve – Ben (17) and John (15) Bennie, Merkins, Gartocharn, with a Teiglum-bred one-crop ewe by Knock Eastwood bred from a Proctors Chumba Wumba-sired dam. Champion at Gargunnock. Tup, tup lamb, gimmer, group – McCaig Farms. Ewe – B and J Bennie. Ewe lamb – C Dick, Hamildean, Peebles.

Suckler cow and calf (Judge: A Warnock). Champion – A Muirhead, Wolfcrooks with a second calved Limousin cross cow with March-born Limousin cross bull calf at foot by Foxhill Jasper. She was reserve here last year. Reserve – I McGarva, Nether Abington, with a similarly aged Limousin cross cow shown with her April-born bull calf at foot, a British Blue cross by Abington Niro. First outing.

Crooks – Champion – I McConchie with a fancy horned stick made from a Welsh Mountain horn. Plain hornhead, fancy hornhead, woodhead plain one piece, woodhead fancy one piece – I McConchie. Woodhead two-piece plain, woodhead two piece fancy, leg cleek, full crook, points – B Frizell. Walking stick – J Bryce. Novice – D Bowman. Thumb Stick – J Fraser.