Sisters from opposite sides of the Pentland Firth were celebrating after a yeld mare took top spot at Saturday’s Caithness Show.
Grace of Altnacailleach was picked out as the champion of champions in the climax to the livestock competition on the show field at Riverside and Westerseat in Wick.
The Highland pony is owned by Amanda Mclennan who runs the Kirkjuvagr stud in Orkney. She watched from the sidelines as her sister Ashleigh Campbell led the five-year-old into the ring.
Mrs Mclennan of Garth Farm, St Ola whooped with delight as judge David Gunn from Cawdor, pinned the supreme champion’s rosette on the yellow dun mare.
By Moss-side Iain Mor and out of Staffa 11 of Altnacailleach, this was her third show outing. She stood reserve breed champion at Latheron the previous week.
Ms Campbell, who has Castleview Stables in Wick, had earlier finished reserve Highland with her five-year-old grey gelding Erray Lime.
The reserve champion of champions was Kris Sutherland who made a storming first showing on his own account.
He has regularly shown cattle and sheep as stockman for Dunbeath Estates.
But on Saturday he put forward his own Limousin cross heifer he bought at Thainstone in May from Gordon Cameron, Fort William.
The aptly named She’s a Belter was his first purchase.
She led the commercial cattle lines before winning the inter-breed title.
The heifer is bound for the Sutherland Show on Saturday.
Reserve overall cattle was the continental leader from Gary Oag’s Limousin herd at Achiebeg Farm, Shebster. The 13-month-old Brims Tessa is by the AI bull Wilodge Cerberus and out of Brims Ola.
The Sutherland family had a double success in the sheep pens with members of their flocks at Sibminster and Stainland Farms.
They won the inter-breed with the cross champion, a home-bred March-born Texel cross ewe lamb.
Reserve overall sheep was their commercial leader, a three-crop Texel cross ewe with twin Texel wether lambs.
Standing reserve horse was the light horse leader, Cosmopolitan 2 from Skelton & Munro, Morven View, Spittal. It was ridden by James Munro.
Mercifully, an overnight downpour and steady early morning showers mist gave way to produce a bright, dry day.
Show president James Barnetson, of Lynegar, Watten, admitted the committee were seriously worried about the state of the show field when they met up at just after six.
“The forecast was for it to dry up by noon and fortunately it turned out to be correct,” he said.
“Everything turned out really well. Our entries were up, we had a really good crowd and we are definitely back into the swing of things after Covid.”
The show also featured a display celebrating 100 years of the Young Farmers movement in Caithness and the Northern Quality Produce marquee, which showcases local food, drink and crafts.
It also saw the return of tug-of-war. A once regular at shows and games in the far north, it has been seen very sparingly in recent years.
On Saturday, Forss took on a rest-of Caithness team in a competition in memory of farmer Alexander Mill who died suddenly, aged 45, at his farm at Achscrabster, near Westfield in April 2021.
Proceeds went to the Doddy 5 MND charity.
AWARDS
Cattle – Beef Shorthorn – Anica Polson, Westerloch Farm, Wick, with the three-year-old heifer Firefox, with calf at foot. Bought at Dingwall in 2021. Sole entry. Charolais – Gary Oag, Achiebeg Farm, Shebster, with 13-month-old white bull Shebster Tam, by the AI bull Blelack Digger, out of Shebster Leah. Sole entry. Simmental – Champion – Jonathan Gunn, Mavsey, Lybster, with his senior stock bull Corskie Jackpot, by Dirnanean Bradley. He bought the five-year-old bull in Stirling for 9500gns in February 2020. Reserve – Jonathon Gunn with the March 2021-born Mavsey Moonshine, the daughter of the champion. Out of Dirnanean Redstar, she stood reserve cattle at Latheron. Other continental – Champion – Gary Oag with the 13-month-old heifer Brims Tessa. By the AI bull Wilodge Cerberus, she is out of Brims Ola. She went on to stand overall reserve cattle. Reserve – Gary Oag with Brims Tequila, a 12-month-old heifer, by the same bull and out of Brims Lysette. The champion and the reserve teamed up to win the pairs cattle prize. Commercial – Kris Sutherland, stockman at Dunbeath Farms with Limousin cross heifer She’s a Belter. Purchased at Thainstone in May from Gordon Cameron, Fort William. She went on to stand reserve champion of champions. Reserve – Mark Munro, Kincardine Lodge, Ardgay, with his 10-month-old heifer Under Pressure. Sired by Caithness Norseman, she was out of a Blue cross cow, and stood calf champion at Latheron.
Sheep – Border Leicester – The Barnetson family, Lynegar, Watten, with Lynegar Jamie bought as a lamb at Thainstane from Jimmy Douglas, Clola. By Alticane Hitman, his full brother Clola Bear, was the top-priced BL at last year’s breed sale in Lanark when it went for £3,000. Reserve – Katie Buchanan, Ousdale Farmhouse, Ousdale, with a gimmer, on its first showing. Home-bred and by a Inkstack sire, she was first in the ewe lambs at last year’s show. Suffolk – Messrs B&L Swanson with a three-crop, home-bred ewe from their flock at East Murkle. After a Landale ram, she gave the farm its third breed win in a row. Reserve – The Swansons with a home-bred ram lamb. Born in February, she was by a Cairton ram. Half-bred – Messrs A Miller, Aimster with a March-born ewe lamb. Reserve – Messrs A Miller with a home-bred three-crop ewe. Prime lambs – Messrs J Campbell & Co, Todholes, Thurso with two Texel cross lambs. The late March-born, home-bred pair stood reserve in the overall groups. Reserve – Messrs Sutherland of Sibmister & Stainland Farms, Thurso, with two Beltex cross Texel ewe lambs. They were home-bred by a ram bred by Raymond Flaws, Orkney. North Country Cheviot (Park) – James Mackay, from Biggins Farm, Killimster, with his two-shear ram Longoe Commander, bought as a shearling at Quoybrae. Reserve – James Mackay with seven-year-old ewe by Smiddyquoy Ransom, out of a flock ewe. Cheviot hill sheep – Michael Kirk, Hollandmake, Barrock, with an April-born ewe lamb bred by a tup he had on hire from Martyn Cook, Dorrery, which stood male champion at the Lairg Show. Reserve – Andrew Campbell, Mill House, with a two-shear ram by a Badanloch sire. Blackface – Neve Sutherland, Bardnaheigh, Halkirk with a two-crop ewe bred from an Achdregnie ram and a home ewe. Reserve – N Sutherland with a gimmer sired by a ram from Scott Robertson, from Moray. Any other native – Messrs DA&K Douglas, Achnamoine Farm, Halkirk with a February-born crossing-type Bluefaced Leicester ewe lamb. Out of a home-bred ewe, she is by SP Dallpellar, which was bought at Stirling a year ago. Reserve – Mrs Heather MacDonald, Achentoul Farm Cottage, Forsinard, with a ewe. Commercial sheep – Messrs Sutherland with a three-crop Texel Cross ewe with twin home-bred Texel wether lambs. They stood overall sheep group champions. Reserve – William Barnetson & Sons with a two-crop Half-bred ewe with two Suffolk cross ewe lambs. The ewe was bought as a lamb from the Millers of Aimster. Cross sheep – Messrs Sutherland with a home-bred March-born Texel cross ewe lamb. Reserve – The Barnetsons, Lynegar, with a three-quarter Texel cross gimmer by a Brackenridge sire. She was part of a group of three from the flock which stood commercial sheep leader and reserve champion of champions at last year’s show. Texel sheep (MV-acc) – Angus Gunn, Thurso with a February-born ewe lamb by Mellor Vale Firecracker. Her dam, bought as an in-lamb gimmer in Lanark, stood Texel MV champion at last year’s show. Reserve – Angus Gunn with a gimmer by Bradley’s Eubank. Texel (non-MV) – Bisset & Blackwood, Dunbar Terrace, Thurso with a home-bred ram lamb. Reserve – C&W Budge, Hoy and Braal with a gimmer. Any other continental – James Swanson, Framside, Calder with a February-born Beltex ewe lamb, by a Welsh ram. Reserve – Kevin Mackay, Smithy House, East Mey with a Blue Texel ram lamb. After the stock ram and a home-bred ewe.
Native horses – Clydesdale – Gersa Clydesdales with Gersa Lady Emma. The yearling finished third in her foal class at last year’s World Clydesdale Show in Aberdeen for Michael and Jacqueline Munro. By Colessie Monarch, she is out of Gersa Lady Lauren. The foal stood reserve horse champion at last year’s Caithness Show. Reserve – Gersa Lady Lauren after Arrodoul Balvenie and out of West Glen Apple Blossom. Reserve breed champion at last year’s show. Shetland pony – Fearne McCarthy from Mey with Stow Eliza Jane. The 14-year-old chestnut yeld mare by Stow Vulcan, was given to her as a present on her 17th birthday last year by Black Isle breeders J&S Swan. Reserve – Michelle Offen, Lerin, Durness with the miniature Shetland leader Gardie Molly. Highland pony – Amanda Mclennan, Garth Farm, St Ola, Orkney with Grace of Altnacailleach. The five-year-old geld mare was sired by Moss-side Iain Mor and out of Dam Staffa 11 of Altnacailleach. On her third show outing, she won the horse title before going on to be picked out as the champion of champions. Reserve – Ashleigh Campbell, Castle View Stables, Wick with the grey, five-year-old gelding Erray Lime.
Goats – Claire Cowe, Ramparts, Watten with Milly, an 11-year-old tri-coloured pygmy goat she bought from a Welsh breeder. Reserve – Robbianne Harrold, Amberley, Sibster with five-year-old home-bred British Saanen, Snowflake.
Pigs – Mathew Tucker Jnr, Smith Terrace, Wick with Harvey. Reserve – Sophie Tucker, Smith Terrace, Wick with Squealer.
