The line-up of judges for next year’s Royal Highland Show has been announced by event organiser the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland (RHASS).
The event, which takes place on June 21-24, 2018, is set to attract more than 6,000 entries of cattle, sheep, horses and goats.
They will be assessed by a team of judges including 41 from Scotland, 47 from England, 11 from Wales, nine from Northern Ireland and one from Ireland.
In the cattle section, Orkney farmer Liam Muir of Upper Onston Farm, Steness, will judge the beef native interbreed team competition.
The individual and group beef interbreed contests will be decided by Aberdeen-Angus breeder Tom Arnott from Kelso, and the young handlers section will be judged by Laura Green from the Corskie Farm, Garmouth, Fochabers.
She is one of the youngest ever judges to be asked to take part in the event.
Other cattle judges include Neil Barclay from Harestone Farm, Crathes, Banchory for the beef interbreed pairs, and Dochie Ormiston from the Queen’s Balmoral Estate for the Highlanders.
Bob Adam of Newhouse of Glams, Forfar, will judge Limousins, while commercial cattle will be assessed by Andrew Anderson of Smallburn Farms, Lossiemouth.
In the sheep section, the overall interbreed championship will be judged by James Sinclair from Crookston in Midlothian, while the pairs and young handlers will be judged by James MacGregor of Dyke Farm, Milton of Campsie, Glasgow.
Other sheep judges include Orkney breeder Keith Hourston of Skelbister judging the Border Leicester entries, and Jock Sutherland of Keoldale Farm, Kyle of Durness, Lairg, deciding the North Country Cheviot Hill section.
Meanwhile, in-hand Clydesdale males will be judged by George Skinner of Strahorn Farm, Pitcaple, while ridden Clydesdales will be assessed by Morag Durno, Auchorachan, Glenlivet.
Other equine judges include Charles McQuattie of Strathmore, Kingsmuir, for the in-hand female Highland Ponies, and Ronnie Black of Newton of Collessie, by Ladybank, Fife, for the prestigious Sanderson Trophy.
The show will feature 35 horse sections, including 40 HOYS championship qualification classes.
Royal Highland Show manager David Jackson said: “Yet again the Royal Highland Show has attracted the biggest names in the livestock industry, illustrating the standing this event holds in the sector.
“We have an incredible line-up [of judges] and I look forward to welcoming them to what promises to be the biggest show in our history.”
