Clydesdale breeders and enthusiasts from far and wide gathered on Saturday for the City of Aberdeen Clydesdale Horse Show at Duthie Park.
Taking the supreme championship was Redcastle Pretty Amazing Grace from Sandy Aitken, Newton Cottage, Memus, Angus.
This 10-year-old yeld mare stood champion of champions at Aberdeen last year, adding to a long list of victories including her Cawdor Cup win at the Highland in 2014. This year, her only other outing was to Kirriemuir where again she stood champion.
Bred by John Anderson, Amazing Grace is by Millisle Solway Bay and out of Redcastle Miranda. She was shown by Sandy’s 15-year-old granddaughter, Keira Gowans, who won both the young handlers and young judges’ contests.
Judge of the female classes, Kevin Wilson of Blackford, said of his champion: “She has tremendous action, uses her joints and, for a 10-year-old mare, she was looking well”.
Taking the reserve supreme honours was Collessie Consort, which was placed male champion earlier by judge, Peter Ronaldson of Orkney.
Exhibited by Ron and Pete Black of Newton of Collessie, Cupar, Consort is a two-year-old home-bred stallion by Arradoul Balvenie and out of Collessie Robyn. He stood reserve male champion at the National Stallion Show and the Royal Highland.
Reserve female was Charlotte Young’s Clerkington Cassandra, from Hall, Ayr. This three-year-old mare is by Doura Kingmaker. She was female champion at the National Stallion Show and has lifted a host of wins this summer.
Jim Gibb’s Collessie Braveheart took the reserve male award. By Arradoul Balvenie, Braveheart is a yearling colt bred by the Blacks at Collessie.
In the decorated harness classes both the champion and reserve awards head to Orkney.
Top prize went to Toots Cromarty of Burray, assisted by Vicki Cursiter. They had painstakingly made their wool harness over the winter and started out with a set of swingers left to Toots by her late brother in-law. The reserve rosette went to Ian and Diane Smith of Kirkwall.