A well-known figure on the Scottish show circuit fulfilled a long-held ambition as he scooped the biggest prize available on his home turf.
Balfour Baillie of Sebay View in Tankerness took the supreme cattle championship at the Orkney County Show with a Limousin cross heifer that is likely to attract plenty of interest when she goes down to the Thainstone Spectacular later this month.
Mr Baillie runs his own suckler herd on the family farm and despite dad Jim having taken the supreme cattle championship on several occasions, this is the first time Mr Baillie has won in his own right.
Doing the business was a 15-month-old by Craigatoke Jameson and out of a British Blue cross cow. Inter-breed judge Albert Taylor from Kirriemuir described the animal as “exceptional”.
Despite a forecast that must have made sleep hard for the organisers in the lead up to the show, the day remained dry and although conditions in some parts of the Bignold Park weren’t ideal they were far better than many had predicted.
There was to be further success for Baillies but from a different stable, as the reserve interbreed cattle title headed the way of Balfour’s great-uncle Ronnie and his family from Biggings in Toab. Their animal was the Charolais winner – a 15-month-old bull named Baillieston Orcadian by the 25,000gn Maerdy Hasse.
The success came just a week after they’d been awarded the supreme championship at the East Mainland show with a different bull.
With most of the top prizes heading east, in the sheep lines it was Robbie Scott of Dawn Cottage in Holm who was eventually given the supreme champion’s rosette. His winning Texel gimmer is by the prolific Top Hill Wall Street who has sired lambs to 60,000gn. Her dam was the reserve champion at Lanark in 2015, where she went on to sell for 6,500gn.
Reserve supreme was from Sheena Coghill’s 50-strong flock of pedigree Charollais – Hekra Tamara is a full sister to a gimmer that won at the Dounby Show two days earlier. This one is by Hollylodge Storm and out of a ewe bought at the Charollais 40th anniversary sale.
The winner of the horse and pony section was the light-legged champion Lisronagh shown by Alannah Norquoy, Ingyquoy, South Ronaldsay. Show president Laura Cromarty had a day to remember, taking top honours in the Shetland Ponies with six-year old home-bred stallion Bayview Ideal, before taking the reserve supreme title.
RESULTS
CATTLE
BEEF-SHORTHORN – J.M. Lennie and Co., Nearhouse, Tankerness with the two year-old bull Nearhouse Lyall by Pentland Emperor and out of Nearhouse Joanna. Sire was interbreed champion at Orkney County Show in 2016.
Reserve – Laga Farms Ltd., Evie with the two year-old in-calf heifer Hurtiso Lorna by Gregor’s Fernando and out of Hurtiso Deborah.
ABERDEEN-ANGUS –James S Baillie and Co., Sebay Farm, Tankerness with the fourteen-month-old home-bred heifer Sebay Jilt U397 by Weeton Diamond and out of Cardona Jilt K721. Reserve – Messrs Davidson, Skaill Farm, Sandwick with the sixteen month-old bull Skaill Deric U876 by Rawburn Jackson Eric P967 and out of Skaill Diana M7171.
CHAROLAIS – W.R. Baillie and Co., Biggings, Toab with the fifteen-month-old home-bred bull Baillieston Orcadian by Maerdy Hasse and out of Baillieston Geri. Was out at the East Mainland Show the week previous but was beaten on that occasion by another bull from Biggings which went on to claim the Supreme Championship.
Reserve – GT and S Coghill, Muce Farm, Birsay with the seven-year-old home-bred cow Hekra Holly by Seawell Dagger and out of Hekra Alicia. Past Charolais champion at the show.
LIMOUSIN – A and L Cromarty, Hools, South Ronaldsay with the seven-month-old home-bred calf Hools Paulo by Lodge Hamlet and out of Hools Malena.
Reserve – R and J Johnston, Hewan, Shapinsay with the nine-month-old home-bred calf Hewan Oscar by Garnedd Max and out of Hewan Indy.
OTHER PURE-BRED CONTINENTAL – A and A Foubister, Netherton, Holm with the three-year-old home-bred British Blue cow Graemshall Krystal by Boothlow Dynamo and out of Graemshall Grace. Section winner at this show last year.
Reserve – A and A Foubister with the seven-year-old home-bred British Blue cow Graemeshall Hope by Wacko Van Het Beekhof and out of Graemshall Duchess.
CROSS-BRED COLOURED –T and J Leslie, Quoymorhouse, Shapinsay with a Limousin-cross heifer calf by Lodge Hamlet.
Reserve – Balfour Bailllie, Sebay View, Tankerness with a Limousin-cross steer-calf by Craigatoke Jameson.
BLACK/BLUE POLLED CROSS-BRED – Balfour Baillie, Sebay View, Tankerness with a fifteen-month-old home-bred heifer by Craigatoke Jameson and out of a British Blue-cross cow. Reserve – R and J Johnston, Hewan, Shapinsay with a ten month-old home-bred Limousin cross heifer calf by Ashmara Commander.
SHEEP
BORDER LEICESTER – James D Wilson, Tofts, St Ola with a home-bred gimmer by a Muirmouth tup and out of a ewe bought from J Kirkpatrick.
Reserve – James D Wilson with the two-shear ram that was the sire of the champion.
SUFFOLK – David Summers, Easthouse, Toab with a home-bred gimmer by Irongray Ivan and out of a Muirton Magnus sired ewe. Champion at this year’s Orkney East Mainland Show and second in class as a ewe lamb at Orkney County last year.
Reserve – John Robert Burgess with a Cadgerford-bred two-shear ram.
TEXEL – R.E. and R.F. Scott, Dawn Cottage, Holm with a gimmer by Top Hill Wall Street and out of a Plasucha Va Va Room sired ewe. Dam was Reserve champion at Lanark in 2015 and was bought for 6,500gn. This one was Supreme Sheep Champion at the East Mainland Show last week. Reserve – James Cowe, Little Howes, Holm with a one-crop ewe by Knock Yardsman and out of Cralloch Victor sired ewe. Bought from the Bracekenridge flock last year as a gimmer.
BELTEX – Raymond Flaws, Nisthouse, Evie with the home-bred gimmer Woodwick Duchess by Langlands Bruiser and out of an Airyolland Avicii sired ewe.
Reserve – Vera and Charles Copland with the home-bred gimmer Orkney Dancing Queen by Airyolland Wee Jimmy and out of a Forglen Nearco daughter Orkney Twinkle Toes who was fourth prize gimmer at the Royal Highland Show in 2014.
NORTH COUNTRY CHEVIOT – J and J Smith, Upper Cornquoy, Holm with a home-bred ewe lamb by Upper Cornquoy Wannabe and out of a home-bred ewe. Second prize in class at the East Mainland Show. Reserve – Elsie Wishart, Newbigging, Harray.
CROSS-BRED – Sheena Coghill, Muce Farm, Birsay with a ewe.
Reserve – Tommy Linklater, Stonelea, Stenness with a gimmer sired by a Beltex cross Texel tup. Champion commercial at Dounby this year.
CHAROLLAIS – Sheena Coghill, Muce Farm, Birsay with the ET-bred gimmer Hekra Tamara by Hollylodge Storm and out of Loanhead Rhianna. A full ET sister to the gimmer that won at this year’s Dounby Show.
Reserve – J and H Taylor and S Campbell, Tayberry, South Ronaldsay with a ram lamb.
ANY OTHER PURE-BRED – Lexie Dearness, Heatherlea, Toab with Dolores, a Dutch Spotted gimmer imported from the Netherlands. Reserve – Robbie Stevenson, Backakelday, Holm with a Hill Cheviot ram lamb.
NATIVE HORSES AND PONIES
HIGHLAND PONIES – I.T. And M Rorie , Easdale, Newark, Deerness with the fifteen-year-old mare Fourmerk Harriet by Tuskerbister Jarl Haakon. Bought from Joan Alexander, Stirling at a year-old. Champion Highland Pony last year as well.
Reserve – I.T. And M Rorie with the twelve year-old home-bred Tuskerbister Ola by Upper Drambuie Stalker and out of Bonnie Lass of Finnlarig. Previously Chamipion at Orkney County and Dounby Shows.
PURE-BRED HEAVY HORSE – Toots Cromarty, Hilltoft, Burray with the seven year-old Clydesdale gelding Ingliston Crusader by Ingliston Perfection and out of Ingliston Tina. Overall Horse and Pony Champion at the South Ronaldsay and Burray Show last Wednesday and Reserve Champion Ridden at Blair last year.
Reserve – Ivy Cromarty, Heathervale, Burray with the three year-old home-bred Clydesdale filly Hrossland Just Poppy by Arradoul Balvenie and out of Daigloch Lady Winhill. Second in her class as a foal has also been shown on the Scottish mainland.
SHETLAND PONIES – Laura Cromarty, Bayview, Toab with the six year-old home-bred stallion Bayview Ideal by a Millhouse stallion and out of Bayview Manhattan.
Reserve – Millquoy Shetland Pony Stud, Millquoy, Stenness with the home-bred held mare Millquoy Daybreak.
