There was barely a dry eye around the sheep rings at the inter-breed sheep judging when a South Country Cheviot from the late Gavin Douglas landed the overall honours.
Renowned Blackface breeder Ian Hunter from Dalchirla near Crieff had the tough task of picking out his winner from no fewer than 24 breed champions which were judged on the Thursday and Friday of the event.
The three-crop ewe from Upper Hindhope at Jedburgh, was picked out for the show by Gavin himself who died suddenly earlier this year.
Brought out by his family and shepherding team Callum and Ema Caskie, the home-bred ewe named Kale Camilla is by Stirkfield Willy Wastle – a stock tup which was still being used in the 1,600 ewe flock as a 10-shear.
Mr Hunter, who is at the top of the tree in the Blackface world, said his overall winner was a ”very well put together ewe” with great breed character.
Ben Radley from Dumfries, who was the inter-breed sheep winner last year, settled for the reserve spot this time round with his home-bred Charollais gimmer named Loaningfoot Abracadabra.
Being noted as an ”outstanding” example of the breed by the judge, this one is by Foxhill Vavavoom, out of a Foulrice ewe.
She stood inter-breed sheep champion at Ayr Show this year.
Meanwhile, the sheep pairs competition, judged by Keith Brooke from Newton Stewart, saw the traditional Bluefaced Leicesters from Sir Strang-Steel, Philiphaugh, and Hazel Brown, Leadburnlea, rule supreme.
This was Philiphaugh’s two-shear ram by an Ashes sire and a three-crop ewe from Hazel bought as a lamb at foot from the Bilsdean flock.
The Charollais duo from Ben Radley, Dumfries, and the Ingram family, of Logie Durno, Pitcaple, land the reserve honours.
This included Ben’s reserve inter-breed sheep champion, a home-bred gimmer called Loaningfoot Abracadabra, and the Ingram family of Logie Durno, Pitcaple, with the sire of the champion, the three-shear Foxhill Vavavoom.
