Sassy Lady had the looks and the style to stand supreme champion of champions at the Caithness County Show on Saturday.
The calf from Dunbeath Farms’ 120-strong cross herd was the pick of the cattle before claiming the overall title at the show at the Riverside and Westerseat Grounds in Wick.
Early morning showers gave way to dry and warm conditions which drew a bumper crowd.
The March-born Limousin cross heifer calf, by the AI bull Lodgehammer Hamlet, was shown by 24-year-old stockman Kris Sutherland.
Out of a Belgian Blue cross Limousin, he was the reserve supreme at Latheron Show earlier in the month.
Former Caithness farmer and show stalwart Iain Morris, who judged the champion of champions, said the calf edged out the North Country Cheviot sheep leader, a gimmer from the Biggins flock, near Wick.
“It has a lot of potential,” he said of the calf.
“There will be a lot of expectations for it. It was the right time for it today and it really caught your eye.”
Mr Morris, who now lives in Newburgh in Fife, won three supreme show titles in 2010, 2013 and 2018 with members of the Charlolais herd he ran at Olrig Mains, Castletown.
The North Country Cheviot gimmer, shown by James Mackay, was sired by Biggins Top Notch and is out of Hilltop Sensation.
Overall sheep judge Robbie Scott said it was a stand-out representative of the breed.
He said: “As soon as I saw it, I realised it had something a bit special. It’s got good skin, a tremendous head and is really difficult to fault.”
Mr Scott runs a hobby flock of 20 Texels at Holm, having returned to his native Orkney after running a farm business in Aberdeenshire for 40 years.
He said: “Caithness is renowned for sheep production and it’s so good, in the face of so much adversity, with Brexit, veganism and all the rest, to see such a tremendous show of quality sheep here.”
The reserve overall sheep stall was occupied by a trio from William Barnetson’s flock at Lynegar, near Watten: a four-crop Texel cross Half-Bred ewe with a pair of Suffolk lambs at foot.
The reserve champion cattle was a bull calf from Jonathan Gunn’s Simmental herd at Mavsey, Lybster.
Caithness Jenson, by Mavsey Hans Jenson, is out of Slievenagh Gorgeous, who was bought in Northern Ireland two years ago.
The overall horse champion was Independent Boy, by Copilot, bred and owned by Geraldine Harrold, of Baronswell, Wick.
Reserve was the Highland pony champion, the yearling Macdhui of Achnacarry, from Natalie Macdonald, Bridge Street, Halkirk.
RESULTS
CATTLE
ABERDEEN-ANGUS – Jonathan Gunn, of Mavsey, Lybster, with Tomley Ester T435. The two-year-old in-calf heifer,
by Warrenho Emperor, was bought at Stirling in February for 2,500 gn.
Reserve – D&M Tait, Inkstack Farm, Barrock, with 15-month-old Inkstack Emblem U813. By Inkstack Prometheus, he is out of a home-bred cow.
SHORTHORN – L&T Robertson, Inkstack Farm, Barrock, with Pentland Kentucky, a three-and-a-half-year-old bull, by Rothesay Eildon and out of the home-bred Pentland Tessa T262. Reserve – D&C Coghill Knockdee Farm, Halkirk, with 21-month-old heifer Smallburn Lily, after Coldrochie Frank Rank and out of Smallburn Fiona.
HIGHLAND – G Hooker, Upper Puldagon, Stirkoke, with heifer Anna.
ANY OTHER PURE NATIVE – DA&K Douglas, of Achnamoine Farm, Watten, with two-and-half-year-old Belted Galloway Achnamoine Oreo, by Saltway Rebel, out of Crowsdale Cherub.
Reserve – DA&K Douglas, with 15-year-old dam of champion, which stood champion at last year’s show.
SIMMENTAL – Jonathan Gunn with Caithness Jenson, a 13-month-old bull calf. By Mavsey Hans Jenson, he is out of Slievenagh Gorgeous, who was bought in Northern Ireland two years ago. Reserve – Jonathan Gunn, with Mavsey Jura. Born in March 2018, he was sired by stock bull Omorga Five Star, and out of Mavsey Fruity.
COMMERCIAL CATTLE – Kris Sutherland, Dunbeath Farms, with March-born Limousin cross heifer calf Sassy Lady, after the AI bull Lodgehammer Hamlet and out of a Belgian Blue cross Limousin. She stood commercial and cattle champion and overall reserve supreme champion at this year’s Latheron Show.
SHEEP
BORDER LEICESTER – A Miller & Sons, of Aimster, Thurso, with a home-bred tup lamb. Reserve – A Miller & Sons with home-bred ewe.
SUFFOLK – Bruce Swanson, East Murkle, with shearling Landale Crusader, who was bought as a lamb at Carlisle from Hazel Martindale, Landale. Reserve – W Barnetson & Sons, Lynegar, Watten, with three-shear tup Lakeview Sandy, by Radar Rolex, bought in Stirling for 1,600 gn.
HALF-BRED – Messrs Sutherland, Sibmister & Stainland Farms, by Thurso, with one-crop ewe bred by Sutherlands of Overton. Reserve – D Coghill & Sons, Skinnet, Halkirk, with Buckies-bred gimmer bought as a lamb at Quoybrae.
PRIME LAMBS – Messrs Sutherland, with April-born Texel crosses.
Both by the Cross champion, they are after a £4,500 shearling bought at Kelso.
NORTH COUNTRY CHEVIOT – J&W Mackay, Biggins, near Wick, with a gimmer which was sired by Biggins Top Notch and out of Hilltop Sensation. Reserve – A Simpson, Cairnside, Watten, with March-born tup lamb by Wemyss Topper and out of a ewe by Bardnaclavan Rooney.
NORTH COUNTRY CHEVIOT GROUPS – A Simpson with three March-born tup lambs sired by Biggins Warrior.
CHEVIOT HILL SHEEP – WM Sutherland, Brackside, Reay, with two-shear home-bred tup by a Badanloch sire Real McCoy , which was bought at Lairg for £4,600. Reserve – Mure Grant, Taldale, Forss, with a four-crop ewe by Armadale sire and out of a home-bred ewe.
BLACKFACE – Terry Elder, Auldwell Croft, with April-born home-bred ewe lamb whose sire is by a £6,000 Dalwyne tup. Reserve – Neve Sutherland, Bardnaheigh, Halkirk, with a one-crop ewe by Chamberwells tup and a home-bred ewe.
ANY OTHER NATIVE SHEEP – Murdo MacDonald, Achentoul, with South Cheviot gimmer. Reserve – Coby Budge, Achalone, Halkirk, with a three-crop Kerryhill ewe, which was bought as a gimmer in Carlisle.
COMMERCIAL SHEEP – W Barnetson & Sons, Lynegar, Watten, with four-crop Texel cross Half-Bred ewe with a pair of Suffolk lambs by a home-bred sire. Reserve – Messrs Sutherland, with three-crop Texel cross Cheviot mule with Texel wether lambs at foot, after a home-bred tup.
CROSS SHEEP – Messrs Sutherland, with March-born seven/eighths Texel ewe lamb after a home-bred tup dam was reserve breed champion last
year. Reserve – William Barnetson & Sons with one-crop Texel cross Half-Bred ewe, by home-bred Texel sire. Stood Cross champion as a gimmer.
TEXEL SHEEP (MV) – DM Campbell & Sons, Bardnaclavan Farm, Janetstown, by Thurso – with shearling from a home-bred ewe and after Brackenridge Asterix, which was bought for £5,500 at Lanark two years ago. Reserve – Messrs Sutherland, with gimmer by Garngower You Cracker, which was bought for £4,500 at the Kelso Ram Sales.
TEXEL (NON-MV) – Ewan Simpson, Cairnside, Watten, with shearling tup after Mainview Aviva and home-bred ewe. Reserve – E Simpson, with a ewe which was bought in Lanark as a gimmer in 2016.
ANY OTHER CONTINENTAL – A&A Gunn, Shiean, Hill of Forss, with a Beltex tup lamb, out of a ewe bought at Thainstone three years ago. Reserve – A&A Gunn, with the ewe.
NATIVE HORSES
CLYDESDALE – J Munro, Holly View, Janetstown, with yearling Gersa Lady Lauren, out of West Glen Apple Blossom and by Arroudal Balvenie. Reserve – B Bisset, Park Cottage, Brough, with yearling Ha Durran Harry.
HIGHLAND PONY – Natalie MacDonald, of Bridge Street, Halkirk, with Macdhui of Achnacarry. Yearling, bred by Jean Connell, of Achnacarry Highland Ponies of Fife, bought in January. Reserve – J Macleod, Upper Dounreay, with the five-year-old mare Briar Rose of Park View. Was reserve breed champion last year.
SHETLAND PONY – Evelyn and Susan Dunnet, of Lynfield, Lyth, with the four-year-old mare Octavia of Auckhorn, by Eynhallow Majestic and out of Opal of Auckhorn. Reserve – W&K Campbell, Midcalder Farm, Thurso, with two-year-old filly Midcalder Dora, by Millhouse Director.