Dalmally Show usually enjoys a good dry day, but baking temperatures of 24 degrees-plus will have made last weekend’s event one of the hottest in its 102-year history.
As always, most of the judging was conducted in United Auctions’ market at Dalmally but even then, many of the sheep and the flock masters felt overwhelmed by the stuffy conditions.
Dalmally show overall black-faced sheep championship
Sadly, cattle entries were down on the year, but there was some strong competition in the sheep lines which fittingly culminated in the champion winner from the biggest section being crowned inter-breed sheep.
Traditionally, however, this only came about when umpire Peter Kennedy, Glendaroul, had to be brought in when the judges failed to come to an agreement on a supreme.
Check out more of these photos in our Photo Sales section here
“The Blackie is a tremendous, big, strong ewe and she showed herself off better than the continental champion and reserve overall,” said Mr Kennedy who was most impressed by the size and strength of the Blackfaces in the final line up.
Taking centre stage was one of the top show winners in the west, a Crossflatt-bred suckled gimmer from Robert and Ian Shaw, Acharonich, Ardbeg. Sired by Crossflatt McCoy, she was bought at Lanark as an in-lamb gimmer in February from John Murray, after taking the pre-sale championship. Since then, the ewe has lifted the breed honours at Cowal, Lorn and Mid Argyll, and the reserve at Abington.
The Blackface was competing against the continental champion, a Blue Texel from last year’s supreme sheep winners, Jack (6) and Andrew (5) Robertson, which had already won over the native, Cheviot and prime lamb champions.
Their gimmer from Newton of Logierait, Pitlochry – Stephick Harlequin – a gimmer bred by Stephanie Dick and bought privately in the spring of 2023, is a full sister to her National and Highland Show champion, Stephick Her Majesty.
Check out more of these photos in our Photo Sales section here
Second reserve among the sheep was a four-crop hill-type North Country Cheviot ewe from Iain McKay, Torloisk, Mull. She is sired by a St John’s Kirk-bred tup, out of a home-bred ewe, and stood champion at Lorn Show last month.
For the second year in succession, Ewan MacGillivray and son Ewen’s Crerar Trudy from Barcaldine Home Farm, Benderloch, won the inter-breed cattle honours. Their 29-month-old in-calf pedigree Limousin heifer was bought in utero of the Wilodge Cerberus-sired Breconside Jane at the herd dispersal at Carlisle. Her sire is Gunnerfleet Nato.
For the supreme, she was up against a smaller than usual show of Highland cattle which saw the tri-colour presented to the three-year-old heifer Dosan Og 95 of Achnacloich, from Tom Nelso, shown by stockman Jonathan MacKenzie.
Sunshine and lovely scenery at Dalmally Show
Leading Awards
Highland cattle (Judge: A Mckay, Bridge of Earn). Champion – T Nelson, Achnacloich Estate, with Dosan Og 95 of Achnacloich, a three-year-old heifer shown by stockman, Jonathan MacKenzie. Sired by Exception of Ballymore and out of Dosan Og 92 of Achnacloich, she was shown in calf to Douglas of Glengoyne. Champion at Mid Argyll 2024 and reserve at Appin 2023. Reserve and confined champion – A and I MacGillivray, Highland Cattle Services, Dalmally, with Oighrig Dhubh 2 of Torrie, a yearling heifer sired by Jock of Glengarnock out of Oighrig Ruadh 3 of Torrie that was bought at the dispersal of Hillary Barker’s fold as a calf at foot. Champion at Dalry and junior champion at the Royal Highland. Reserve confined – D McLaughlin, Castles, with a March-born heifer calf by a Hope sire bought privately out of a Glengorm-bred cow bought privately in 2018. First outing. Cow – Glenkinglass Estate. Heifer calf, yearling heifer – Castles Estate. Three-year-old heifer – T Nelson. Two-year-old heifer – J and C Strickland, Claddich. Yearling heifer – Highland Cattle Services. Group of three – Glenmasson Estate. Young handlers – 1, Eve Liddel; 2, Isla Mackay.
Commercial beef cattle (Judge: D Morrison, ex-United Auctions). Champion, pedigree and inter-breed cattle champion – E MacGillivray and Son, Barcaldine Home Farm, Benderloch, Oban, with Creran Trudy, a 29-month-old in-calf pedigree Limousin heifer that lifted the supreme cattle championship here last year. Trudy was bought in utero of the Wilodge Cerberus-sired Breconside Jane at the herd dispersal and is sired by Gunnerfleet Nato. Reserve inter-breed at the Stars of the Future, she was champion at Appin, last month. Reserve and commercial champion – D MacDonald, Tyree, Benderloch, with a November-born black British Blue cross bullock by the former stock sire, Ruaig Islander, out of a Limousin cross cow. First at Oban and bound for calf sales at Dalmally next month. Confined champion – J Hall (15), Tombuie, with a February-born Limousin cross bullock sired by Creran Skyman out of a Limousin cross dam. First outing and bound for calf sales here in October. Reserve confined – B Walker, Carloonan, Inveraray, with a 10-year-old Aberdeen Angus cross cow on her first outing and paraded with April-born Angus cross calf at foot. Confined cow, native calf born after Feb 1, 2023 – B Walker. Cow, heifer under two years – R and D Wright, Woodend. Calf born September 1, 2022-Feb 1, 2023, bullock, calf champion – D MacDonald. Confined calf born Sept 1 2022-Feb 1 2023 – J Hall. Heifer two years and over – E MacGillivray. Pair – M Hall, Tombuie. Young handlers – 1, Iona Park.
Check out more of these photos in our Photo Sales section here
Blackface (Judge: R Kay, Gass, Straiton). Champion and supreme sheep – R and I Shaw, Acharonich, Ardfern, with a Crossflatt-bred suckled gimmer that was bought at Lanark as an in-lamb gimmer in February from John Murray. Sired by McCoy and out of a ewe by Spectre, she boasts championship wins at Cowal, Lorn and Mid Argyll and a reserve from Abington. Reserve – D and J Jackson, Pole, Lochgilphead with Miss Google, a three-crop ewe by Guiser, an Auldhouseburn ram bought privately, out of a ewe by a £5000 Crossflatt. Reserve at Cowal and Drymen Show 2024, she is a former champion at Dalmally and Cowal. Young farmers ewe, young farmers ewe lamb – D McCorkindale, Achnaba. Ewe, gimmer, female group – J Jackson. Young farmers tup lamb – N Mitchell, Letham, Glenfarg. Aged ram – E Bowman, Mid Cragabus, Islay. Two-shear, ram lamb, male champion, points – Messrs McArthur, Arnicle, Glenbarr. Shearling ram – R Hamilton, Littleport, St Fillans. Ewe lamb – D Murray, Lurgan, Aberfeldy. Suckled gimmer – R and I Shaw.
Blackface confined (Judge: R Kay). Champion and reserve – J and J Macpherson and Sons, Balliemeanoch, Dalmally. Supreme was a previously unshown three-crop ewe by a £2000 Midlock out of a dam by an £11,000 Elmscleugh. Reserve was a gimmer daughter of the champion sired by a £2600 Glenbeg. All classes – J and J Macpherson and Sons.
Native sheep (Judge: C MacKinnon). Champion and reserve – N Milton, Benderloch, Oban with Bluefaced Leicesters. Champion was a ram lamb by a £8000 J2 Lunesdale ram bought at Hawes, out of last year’s show gimmer. First at Lorn and Appin, second at Mid Argyll and bound for Stirling multi-breed sale later this month. Reserve was a Macqueston-bred gimmer bought at Carlisle in January as a ewe hogg from Alex and Anders Brown. She is by an R30 Hewgill ram and was reserve inter-breed at Lorn and champion at Appin. Ram – D McLaren. Ram lamb, gimmer – N Milton. Ewe – E Wragg.
Cheviot (Judge: S Cameron). Champion and honourary reserve inter-breed sheep – I McKay, Torloisk, Mull, with a four-crop hill-type North Country Cheviot ewe by a St John’s Kirk son of Castle Grant Jackpot, out of a home-bred ewe. Champion at Lorn. Reserve – D Smith, Blairgowrie, with a South Country Cheviot female. Ram, ram lamb, ewe – I McKay. Gimmer, ewe lamb – D Smith.
Check out more of these photos in our Photo Sales section here
Continental sheep (Judge: Colin MacKinnon). Champion and reserve inter-breed sheep – Jack (7) and Andrew (5) Robertson, Newton of Logierait, Pitlochry, with the Blue Texel gimmer, Stephick Harlequin which a is a full ET sister to Stephanie Dick’s National and Highland Show champion, Stephick Her Majesty. Bred from Stephick Fairytail and sired by Cairnrock Ferrari, she was bought privately last year from Stephanie and was reserve at Perth 2023. Reserve – D McCorqudale, Achnaba, with a Texel ewe lamb by Collielaw sire, out of a home-bred ewe by a Knap ram. Ram – D McLaren. Ram lamb, gimmer – J and A Robertson. Ewe – Olivia Bowman, Mid Cragabus, Islay. Ewe lamb – D McCorkindale, Achnaba.
Prime lambs – Champion – Jack and Andrew Robertson, Newton of Logierait, Pitlochry, with a pair of April-born Beltex cross ewe lambs by a home-bred Blue Texel ram. First outing and to be retained for breeding.
Young handlers – 1, Angus Smith; 2, Emily Wragg; 3, Jack Robertson; 4, Andrew Robertson; 5, Jayden Hall.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here