Breeders from the north and north-east are among the line-up of judges confirmed for next year’s Royal Highland Show.
The event, which takes place on June 22-25, requires a substantial team of judges to assess nearly 7,000 entries of cattle, sheep, horses, goats and poultry.
Event organisers, the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland (RHASS), have so far selected 44 judges from Scotland, 48 from England, nine from Wales, six from Northern Ireland, two from the Republic of Ireland and one judge from Canada.
In the beef rings the top job of judging the interbreed team and overall interbreed championships has been given to Archie MacGregor from Allanfauld, Kilsyth, Glasgow.
The event will also play host to the World Angus Forum and well-known north-east breeder Harrie Emslie of Emslies Livestock in Mintlaw, near Peterhead, has been asked to judge the females. The males will be judged by another well-known Limousin and commercial cattle breeder – Michael Alford of Foxhill Farm, Devon.
Local names in the beef judging team include Willie MacLean of Inverglen, Barcaldine, Oban, judging the Highland cattle, and Donald Morrison of Carin Nulla, Burnside, Kinlochbervie, judging commercial cattle.
In the sheep section, the overall interbreed title will be judged by William Sanderson of Blackshiels, Pathhead, Midlothian, while interbreed pairs will be judged by John Dykes of South Slipperfield, West Linton.
One local judge is among the team tasked with assessing sheep – Raymond Aitken of Beech Cottage, Newton of Fetternear, Inverurie, will judge the Ryeland section.
In the horses section, the coveted Sanderson Trophy will this year be presented to the overall heavy horse champion. This will be judged by Cameron Ormiston from the Queen’s Balmoral Estate at Ballater.
Rosemary Young of Inveran Lodge, Nairn, will judge the working hunter ponies section, while George Skinner of Strathorn Farm, Pitcaple, Inverurie, will assess the harness, grooming and decoration section.
The Canadian judge attending next year’s show is Wes Gordeyko of Willow Way Clydesdales in Alberta. He is a two times recipient of best in show at the Calgary Stampede’s heavy horse show and will be tasked with assessing the heavy horse turnouts.
The north-east region will be promoted to visitors at next year’s Royal Highland Show thanks to an initiative organised by this year’s show presidential team.
The Aberdeen region is at the helm – Lord Aberdeen of Haddo Estate is president and his four vice-presidents are Jim Brown, of Holmfield, Fettercairn; Neil Godsman, of Auchlee Farms, Longside, Peterhead; Sir Moir Lockhead, of Glassel Farms, Torphins, and Alastair Macphie, Glenbervie Estate and Farm.
The team raised £30,000 at a fundraising golf tournament and dinner last month to pay for the initiative, which sets out to promote the region’s food, drink and tourism industries at the show.
The funding will be used to help fund collective stands at both the food and drink hall and main showground to allow food producers and tourism companies to promote their businesses.