The Orkney County Show confirmed its long-held reputation for quality stock with an outstanding show of beef cattle – the best to be seen anywhere in the country – at Saturday’s show in the Bignold Park, Kirkwall.
After three successive years when rain has marred the show, the sun broke through a cloudy sky to provide ideal show weather, with only the occasional light shower alternating with the frequent glimpses of sunshine.
And it was the Aberdeen-Angus champion which carried off the coveted interbreed championship for the Davidson family – Stuart and son Colin and grandson John – who paraded both the breed champion and reserve.
Their winner was a much-fancied three-year-old home-bred cow, Skaill Estella, by the 7,000gn Blelack Blackrod, which was champion at the show last year and interbreed champion at the West Mainland Show on Thursday.
It was also a successful day for the Baillie family of Sebay, Tankerness, who stood reserve for the interbreed championship with their champion in the black or blue cross cattle section with a November-born Limousin cross steer calf by Pyke Triumph, which was cross cattle champion at the East Mainland Show last week and is entered for the Thainstone Spectacular show and sale.
Stepping up from the reserve sheep championship at the West Mainland, Alan Smith, Upper Cornquoy, Holm, headed up a large and impressive entry of North Country Cheviot sheep and went on to take the interbreed championship with his three-crop home-bred ewe by Durran Norseman.
Competition was also keen in the Texel classes where a two-crop Milnbank-bred ewe by the 40,000gn Glenside Razzle Dazzle, took top honours for LS Flett and Co, Nistaben, Harray, and went on to stand reserve sheep interbreed champion.
The horse and pony interbreed was led by the heavy horse champion, a Clydesdale yeld mare, Downhill Snowflake, from Ian Smith, Holburn, Holm Branch Road, Kirkwall, with the reserve going to the light-legged champion, Gemini from Jill Rendall, Wideford Villa, St Ola.
RESULTS
CATTLE
Beef Shorthorn – J. M. Lennie and Co, Nearhouse, Tankerness, with six-year-old bull, Pentland Emperor, by Chapelton Wildfire and out of Pentland Laura. Bought two years ago from Inkstack. Interbreed champion last year and breed champion and reserve best bull of all breeds at East Mainland Show this year. Reserve – Graham Taylor, Aikers, South Ronaldsay, with nine-year-old cow, Lowther Strawberry Surprise, by Blelack Minstrel and out of Lowther Strawberry. Reserve champion at autumn bull sale at Stirling when bought as an in-calf heifer for 5,800gn.
Aberdeen-Angus – Stuart, Colin and John Davidson, Skaill, Sandwick, with three-year-old cow, Skaill Estella, by 7,000gn Blelack Blackrod and out of Skaill Estella. Interbreed champion at West Mainland Show and breed champion at both shows last year. Reserve – Stuart, Colin and John Davidson with 16-month-old bull, Skaill Donald, by Rawburn Jackson Eric and out of Skaill Diana. Champion bull over all breeds at West Mainland.
Charolais – W. R. Baillie and Co, Biggings, Toab, with 14-month-old heifer, Baillieston Mary, by Maerdy Hasse and out of Baillieston Irene. Reserve female at East Mainland. Reserve – W. R. Baillie and Co with two-year-old heifer, Baillieston Laura, by Alwent Goldbar and out of Baillieston Gem. Champion at East Mainland. First as yearling last year.
Limousin – Liam Muir, Upper Onston, Stenness, with 18-month-old heifer, Corrigall Myra, by Goldies Ipad and out of Hartlaw Erocia. Best pure continental at West Mainland. Reserve – Arthur Cromarty, Hools, St Margaret’s Hope, with four-month-old bull calf, Hools Norn, by Templewood Icarus and out of Hools Hannah. Best bull at St Margaret’s Hope Show.
Other pure-bred Continental – A. and A. Foubister, Netherton, Holm, with British Blue cow in-calf, Graemshall Hope, by Wacko Van Het Beekhof and out of Graemshall Duchess. Reserve – W. R. Baillie and Co with Salers bull, Cleuchhead Archer, by Poldean Vince and out of Cleuchhead Gentle 8th.
Cross-bred coloured – Allan Spence, Norton, Dounby, with nine-month-old, home-bred Limousin cross steer calf by Chytodden Conan and out of British Blue cross. Reserve calf at West Mainland. Reserve – Garson Farms, Sandwick, with 18-month-old home-bred Limousin cross heifer by Huntershall Gladiator and out of British Blue cross cow. Coloured and overall cross champion at West Mainland.
Black/blue polled cross-bred – James S. Baillie and Co, Sebay, Tankerness, with November-born Limousin cross steer calf by Pyke Triumph and out of Limousin cross cow bought from Wedderburn, Huntly. Champion cross at East Mainland. Destined for Thainstone Spectacular. Reserve – Liam Muir with Limousin cross heifer by Goldies Ipad, out of British Blue.
Young handlers – Balfour Hay, Eversti, Birsay; res, Gary Isbister, Old Hall, Stromness.
SHEEP
Border Leicester – Jim Wilson, Tofts, St Ola, with home-bred gimmer by home-bred sire. Reserve – Jim Wilson with two-crop Milburn-bred ewe. The pair were similarly placed at the East Mainland show.
Suffolk – J. Scott and Sons, Claybraes, South Ronaldsay, with five-crop home-bred ewe by Deveronside Drambuie. Reserve champion last year. Reserve – David Summers, Easthouse, Toab, with ram lamb by Crewelanes Charisma. Reserve at East Mainland. Sire bought at Stirling last year and lamb to be sold at Thainstone next month.
Texel – L. S. Flett and Co, Nistaben, Harray, with two-crop Milnbank-bred ewe by 40,000gn Glenside Razzle Dazzle. Bought privately from Robbie Wilson in 2015. Second last year and first this year at West Mainland. Reserve – James Cowe, Little Howes, Holm, and Elaine Eunson, Halley, Deerness, with Stainton-bred shearling ram.
Cross-bred – Sheena Coghill, Muce, Birsay, with home-bred gimmer, Hakra Roxie, by Logie Hybrid ram and out of Texel cross Charollais ewe. Reserve – Sheena Coghill with home-bred one-crop ewe by Charollais sire, Logie Durno Majectic King, and out of home-bred cross ewe.
Cheviot – J. and J. Smith, Upper Cornquoy, Holm, with three-crop ewe by Durran Norseman. Reserve champion at East Mainland. Reserve – James S. Baillie and Co with two-shear ram.
Charollais – Sheena Coghill with two-crop home-bred ewe, Hakra Olivia, by West Mainland show champion, Harka Kingpin and out of home-bred ewe. Second at West Mainland to Harka’s champion ewe. Reserve – Sheena Coghill with triplet ewe lamb, Hakra Shakira, by Logie Durno Outlook and out of Hakra Opium. Dam was champion at West Mainland.
Beltex – A. and V. Copland, Overhouse, Harray, with ewe lamb. Reserve – A. and V. Copland with ram lamb.
Zwartbles – Heather Hourston, Skelbister, Orphir, with February-born ram lamb, Didcot Egilsay, by Cernyw Dynameith and out of home-bred ewe. Reserve – Heather Hourston with ewe lamb by same sire which was first prize ram at the show. Both on first outing.
Any other pure-bred – Casey family, Gaitnip, St Ola, with Blue Texel gimmer.
Pair of lambs – James S. Baillie.
NATIVE HORSES AND PONIES
Highland – I. T. and M. Rorie, Easdale, Newark, Deerness, with Tuskerbister Ola. Reserve – Kathleen Grant, Skallahjem, Orphir, with Orkneyrings Freya.
Shetland – James Slater, Millquoy, Stennes, with mare and foal, Millquoy Danielle. Reserve – J. and L. Cromarty, Bayview Stud, Roadside Toab, with yeld pony, Bayview Tess.
Clydesdale and Shires – J. D. and D. M. Smith, Holburn, Holm Branch Road, Kirkwall, with yeld mare, Downhill Snowflake; Reserve – J. W. Taylor and Sons, Aikers, South, Ronaldsay, with filly, Aikers Lady Charlotte.
