Flags fluttered, white coats were back in the showring and crowds piled through the turnstiles as Cupar finally welcomed Fife Show back to celebrate its bicentenary.
The show’s enforced two-year absence and this year’s long traffic queues were soon forgotten as the sun shone on Fife Agricultural Society’s parade to mark 200 years of farming in the Kingdom, and some of the country’s best livestock were judged in front of eager crowds.
The best of the show’s silverware was presented to the overall show champion, a two-year-old Charolais heifer, from Brailes Livestock – Rachel Wylie and Richard Hassell who live in the Cotswolds. Their heifer, Burradon Raquel by Clenagh Lyle, was brought out by the Rettie team at Methven who house Brailes’ 20-strong herd of pedigree Charolais and Aberdeen-Angus cattle.
Also in the final show line-up was the supreme sheep champion, a Texel gimmer by the 65,000gns sire, Hexel Django, shown by Keith, Allan and Roy Campbell of Drimsynie, Lochgoilhead, and Wilson Peters’ commercial beef champion, Ava Butt, which won last year’s Royal Highland Showcase as an eight-month-old calf and took the reserve beef interbreed rosette.
The interbreed dairy champion was the Ayrshire cow, Cuthill Towers Addiction Peony, from the Lawrie family at Cuthill Towers, Kinross, and representing the best of the in-hand horses was the Mountain and Moorland champion from Lorna Shaw, Hatton Farm, Lundin Links, Leven. This stallion, Islyn Mavrick is by Thistledown Iceman.
In reserve sheep interbreed place was the Suffolk champion from Stewart Lathangie, a home-bred gimmer from the Pyeston flock at Glenrothes by Pyeston Fury and out of a ewe by Cavanagrove Catalyst.
Reserve beef interbreed was the 16-month-old British Blue bull, Kinnesswood Rizzle-Kicks from Craig Drysdale, Kinnesswood Farm, Kinross.
The champions
Shorthorn – Michael and Sally Nairn, Balnabroich, Strathardle with two-year-old heifer, Balnabroich Pandora by Fearn Lord, and reserve with yearling heifer, Balnabroich Roxanne by Millerston Man-of-War.
Aberdeen-Angus – Keith Rennie, Fiddlehall Farm, Falkland with rising five-year-old cow, Fiddlehall Proud Iola by Mosstonmuir Excalibur. Reserve – Brailes Livestock, c/o Craigend, Methven with three-year-old cow, Weeton Blackbird by Rawburn Boss Hogg.
Belted Galloway – L&R Brown, Rose Cottage, Radernie, Cupar with two-year-old heifer, Brodale Dreama Helena by Glen Gomez. Reserve – B Lawson & Sons, North Cassingray, Largoward, Leven with 17-month-old heifer, Mourneview Ginny by Dunay Nicholas.
Highland – D&M MacNaughton, Center Street, Kelty with two-year-old heifer, Bryer Rose of Rannoch by Seamus Dubh of Craigowmill, and reserve with bull, Marloch Dubh of Rannoch by Marshall of Balmoral.
Any other native breed – W. P a & K Wason, Redwells Farm, Kinglassie, Lochgelly with six-year-old cow, Saltire 1 Cathy by Baldinnie 1 Viscount. Reserve – A Mylius & Partners, St Fort Farm, Newport-on Tay with bull, St Fort Archer.
Charolais – Brailes Livestock c/0 Craigend, Methven with two-year-old heifer, Burradon Raquel by Clenagh Lyle. Reserve – Dexter Russell, Lesliepark, Denny with 18-month-old heifer, Airthmains Rosie by Thrunton Lachlan.
Simmental – Gordon Clark, Broombrae, Auchtermuchty with 14-month-old bull, Broombrae Major by Roma Jaguar.
British Blue – Craig Drysdale, Kinnesswood Farm, Kinnesswood, Kinross with 16-month-old bull, Kinnesswood Rizzle-Kicks by Sandyvale Jagerbomb.
Limousin – J Thomson, Hilton of Beath, Kelty with with 13-month-old heifer, Beath Shelby by Carrickmore Maximus. Reserve – William Lawson, Rahalloch, Windsole, Auchterarder with 17-month-old bull, Windsole Red by Windsole Oscar.
Commercial – Wilson Peters, Cuilt Farmhouse, Monzie, Crieff with 20-month-old British Blue cross Limousin heifer, Ava Butt, bred at Newton of Logierait, Pitlochry, and reserve with 13-month-old Limousin cross British Blue bullock, Playful Peem bred at Kinnesswood, Kinross.
Holstein – J&I Wilson, Carskerdo, Cupar with four-year-old cow, Riverdane Chief Rowena by Stantons Chief.
Any other dairy breed – A&S Lawrie, Cuthill Towers Kinross, with third calver, Cuthill Towers Addiction Peony by Addiction P.
Clydesdale – J Greenhill, Upper tulloes, Letham, Forfar with two-year-old filly, Tulloes Emily by Arradoul Balvennie. Reserve – Anderson/Brewster, Drummygar Mains, Carmyllie, Arbroath with Freedom Believe In Love by Freedom Majestic Believer.
Highland – Judith Hogg Cowden Cottage, Comrie with gelding, Lachlan of Croila Croft by Ulleum of Croila. Reserve – WKA & JA Allan, Millfield, Freuchie, Cupar with mare, Martel of Millfield by Glenmuir Lochaber.
Standard Shetland – Eynhallow Stud, Westown, Carse of Gowrie with three-year-old Eynhallow Corrie by Eynhallow Dutch Prince. Reserve – K&F Punton, Almondell Shetlands, Kirknewton with mare, Almondell Harmony by Somahouse Gt.
Miniature Shetland – Lynda Cochrane, Kilwinning with Ardanbeag Hamish by Ardanbeag Lomond. Reserve – Robert Pitcairn, Kirkintilloch with Oxgang Endeavour by Eiger Nijinsky.
Border Leicester – Euan Mill with Shawsmill Farm, Cardenden with a gimmer by Intock Boris and out of a Alticane-bred ewe and reserve with a home-bred two-crop ewe by Drennans Dazzler.
Suffolk – Stewart Lathangie, Pyeston Farm, Star, Glenrothes with a gimmer by Pyeston Fury and out of ewe by Cavanagrove Catalys, and reserve with a tup lamb by Limestone Markstone.
Texel – K,A&R Campbell, Drimsynie, Lochgoilhead with a gimmer by Hexel Django out of a ewe by Knap Alligator . Reserve – Messrs Stewart, Kininmonth, with a shearling ram, Kingspark Ezark by Garngour Craftsman.
Any other sheep breed – RH Black, Newton of Collessie, Ladybank with a home-bred four-crop Beltex ewe . Reserve – Messrs Stewart of Kininmonth with a home-bred gimmer by Hackney Extrem.
Bluefaced Leicester – Dr Alistair Crozier, North Cotton, Kingennie, Broughty Ferry with a ewe lamb by a home-bred ram and out of a Rossiebank ewe and reserve with a three-shear ram .
Cheviot – George Milne, Kinaldy Farm, St Andrews with with a three-crop ewe by a Gilston ram and out of a home-bred ewe ewe with lamb at foot. Reserve – Logie Farm Partnership with a home-bred gimmer by Allanshaws Armani, out of an Olrig ewe.
Crosses – James Orr, Nether Pitlochie Farm, Gateside, Cupar with a pen of three Texel cross gimmers by a Tercrosset sire. Reserve – Kim Stretch, Cuilt Farmhouse, Monzie, Crieff with a Texel cross ewe out of a Cheviot Mule dam, with Beltex cross lamb at foot.
Fat lambs – George Whyte, Lintibert Farm, Muthill, Crieff with a pair of late February-born Beltex cross ewe lambs by an Easter Ochtermuthill sir . Reserve – KA & J Robertson, Willow Cottage, Cupar with a pair by a Continental sire.
Shetland – K Sharp and A Hill, Ewingston, Humbie, with the white champion, Ewingston Jack Frost. Reserve – Euan and Calum Stables, Taigh SA Choille, Maisley, Keith, with Drum Barbara, coloured gimmer by Drum Liath, out of a Drum ewe.
Jacob – Messrs Connor & Dalrymple, Dun-Mor, Auldhill Road, Bridgend, Linlithgow with a gimmer by Eringale Hickory . Reserve – Robert Locker, Greenlaw Mill Farm, Berwickshire with a three-crop Cavers-bred ewe .