A well-known family of commercial cattle breeders took the top honours at the Orkney County Show on Saturday.
The Baillies – Jim and sons Balfour and Hamish, of Sebay Farm in Tankerness – warmed up in style for the Thainstone Spectacular this Friday, as they took home the inter-breed title from the Bignold Park in Kirkwall.
Their winner was Sebay Superhero, a homebred nine-month old Limousin cross steer calf, by Spittalton Barty and out of a British Blue cross cow.
Balfour Baillie said the calf had come on in the space of a week since his only previous outing at Orkney’s East Mainland Show the Saturday before: “He settled better, he didn’t do that at the East and just showed himself very well today.
“He took a spot of growth just before the East Mainland Show and he’s just filled out a bit again in that week.”
Superhero is part of a nine-strong team from Sebay that are going on the ferry south tonight to Aberdeen before being sold at The Spectacular at Thainstone on Friday.
The Reserve supreme was the cross-bred coloured champion which came from the Johnstons at Hewan in Shapinsay.
Gina is a seven month-old Limousin cross heifer calf, by Hewan Monty and out of a British Blue cross dam.
Scott Watson, who has been coming up to Orkney to buy cattle, from Carnoustie for over 45 years was the inter-breed judge. He said: “The champion just had a bit more, a bit more width than the reserve champion. The reserve champion had very nice lines but I just decided to choose the black stot – I always like black if I can get it.
“The continentals and the native breeds were good but just not in the same class in my opinion.”
The event rounded off the Orkney Show season which, in a rare occurrence, has been graced by relatively good weather from start to finish.
The sheep section continues to grow with a new location on the show park and five rings being judged at the same time.
The inter-breed champion was a ewe lamb, exhibited by Charles Copland and Jo Higgs of the Bimbister Partnership, Lenahowe, Quoyloo.
It was the first time that Charles had scooped the top prize with his preferred breed of the Beltex, having previously done so with a Charollais and a Texel.
Doing the business for them was Orkney Isles Jameela who had previously stood 3rd in her class at the Highland Show. The ET lamb has Hackney breeding on both sides. Her sire is the 3,500gns Hackney Gerwyn and she is out of Hackney Elaina, purchased for 1,000gns and flushed last year.
Reserve in the inter-breed was the Texel champion, shown by Robbie Scott of Dawn Cottage in Holm, who previously bred Suffolks at Ashvale, Cornhill, Banffshire, before returning to Orkney and moving in to the continental breeds.
The ewe lamb is by Mellow Vale Endevaour and out of a Grangour Drambuie sired gimmer.
Both the champions and the reserve in the horse and pony section have a proven track record.
The supreme was also the overall winner at this year’s Caithness County Show, as well as picking up a number of other top prizes in shows across the north of Scotland.
Grace of Altnacailleach, is a five-year-old Highland mare, shown by Amanda McLennan of Garth Farm, St Ola.
The Clydesdale took the reserve overall.
Hrossland Poppy stood champion of champions at the Hope Show earlier in the week for Toots Cromarty, Hilltoft, Burray.
She is a seven year-old by Arradoul Balvenie, out of Dairy Lough Lady Whinhall, and was the last foal bred by Toot’s late mother, Ivy.
RESULTS
CATTLE
Beef Shorthorn (Euan Forbes, Tomlunquhart, Nairn). Champion – Lagas Farm Ltd, Laga, Evie, with the nineteen month old heifer Lagas Spice Girl, by Royella Rockstart, out of Lagas Narnia. Reserve – B and S Slater, Newbigging, Dounby, with the two year old bull Knowehead Rolo, by Knowehead Machine, out of Knowhead Hazel Cassa. Stood Reserve Supreme Champion at the Dounby Show two days earlier.
Aberdeen-Angus (Judge: Euan Forbes, Tomlunquhart, Nairn). Champion – Phyllis Hepburn, Messigate, Tankerness, with 27 month-old in-calf heifer Burnside Jewel Erica X984, by Burnside Equalizer U836, out of Burnside Jewel Erica U834. Reserve – WR Baillie and Co., Biggings, Toab, with the 27 month-old bull Baillieston Logan X252, by Linton Gilbertines Dubliner R970, out of Baillieston Lucy Gwen T626.
Charolais (Judge: Gary Oag, Achiebeg Farm, Shebster, Caithness). Champion – Messrs Spence, Norton, Dounby with the two and a half year old in-calf Charlolais heifer Dounby Ruth, by Westcarse Houdini, out of Dounby Nancy. Supreme Champion at Dounby Show 2022 and 2023. Reserve – WR Baillie and Co., Biggings, Toab, with the ten-month old bull calf Baillieston Thunder, by the 10,000gns Thrunton Paramount, out of Baillieston Lydia.
Limousin (Judge: Gary Oag, Achiebeg Farm, Shebster, Caithness). Champion and reserve – JW Taylor Jnr, Tayberry, St Margaret’s Hope, with the 26 month-old heifer Grahams Sasha, by Lenagh Nitro, out of Grahams Mia. The reserve was Wedderburn Sally, by the 16,000gns Goldies Novelty, out of Wedderburn Johanna. Purchased for 5,500gns at the Red Ladies Derby, Carlisle last December.
Other Pure Bred Continental (Judge: Gary Oag, Achiebeg Farm, Shebster, Caithness)
Champion and reserve – Ryan Morgan, Swannay Farm, Swannay, with the two year-old Simmental in-calf heifer Ranfurly Stella 13th, by Ranfurly Jackall, out of Raceview Fancy Winty. Bought at the Next Generation Sale, Carlisle December 2022 for 5,000gns. Reserve was also a Simmental, an eight month-old bull calf by Kilbride Karl, out of Annick Belle’s Jingle.
Cross-bred black/blue (Judge: Jim Muir, Honeyneuk Farm, Maud, Aberdeenshire). Champion – JS Baillie and Co., Sebay Farm, Tankerness with the nine month-old Limousin cross steer calf Sebay Superhero, by Spittalton Barty, out of a British Blue cross cow. Reserve – Frazer Leslie, Odinstone, Shapinsay with Esme, an eighteen month old Limousin cross heifer, by Hewan Oscar, out of a British Blue cross cow. Was Supreme Champion at the Shapinsay Show earlier in the week.
Cross-bred coloured (Judge: Jim Muir, Honeyneuk Farm, Maud, Aberdeenshire). Champion – R and J Johnston, Hewan, Shapinsay, with the seven month-old Limousin cross calf heifer calf Gina, by Hewan Monty, out of a British Blue cross cow. Reserve – Fraser Moar, Crook, Rendall, with the seven month-old Limousin cross steer calf Jimmy O’ Crook, by Tweeddale Lennox, out of a Limousin cross cow.
SHEEP
Border Leicester (Judge: Melfyn Williams, Y Graig Brynsiencyn, Ynys Mon). Champion and reserve – James D Wilson, Tofts, St Ola with a gimmer. Reserve was a ram lamb.
Dutch Spotted (Judge: Gordon Troup, Shaggart Farm, Sauchen, Aberdeenshire). Champion – Ivan Scott, Nordheim, 33 Grainpark, Kirkwall, with the February born ewe lamb Grainpark Gina, by the imported Dutchman, out of Glencoy Dusty. Reserve – JM and LJ Girvan, Mossclair, Tankerness, with the February born tup lamb Mossclair Galahad, by Back Tor Funny Guy, out of the import Anouk.
Blue Texels and Badgerfaced Texels (Judge: Gordon Troup, Shaggart Farm, Sauchen, Aberdeenshire). Champion – RE and RF Scott, Dawn Cottage, Holm with a Blue Texel gimmer, by Carly’s Blues Captain, out of an import Turbo Blue. Reserve – Frazer Leslie, Odinstone, Shapinsay, with the march-born Blue Texel ewe lamb Odinstone Hotpants, by Saltire Blue Devoted, out of Betws Blues Dixie.
Half-bred Sheep (Judge: Melfyn Williams, Y Graig Brynsiencyn, Ynys Mon). Champion – James D Wilson, Tofts, St Ola with a ewe lamb.
Suffolk (Judge: William Fleming, Hallhill Farm Cottage, Lanarkshire). Champion – Harvey Reid, Howe, Stromness with a ewe lamb, by Pennan Pieman, out of a Ronaldsay ewe. Dam was purchased in lamb at Orkney Mart last November. Reserve – Davie Summers, Easthouse, Toab with a shearling tup.
Texel (Judge: Jeff Aiken, Moss House Farm, Wennington, Lancashire). Champion – RE and RF Scott, Dawn Cottage, Holm, with a ewe lamb, by the 3,800gns Mellow Vale Endevaour and out of a Grangour Drambuie sired dam. Reserve – LS Flett and Co., Nistaben, Harray with a ewe.
Cross-bred (Judge: William Fleming, Hallhill Farm Cottage, Lanarkshire). Champion and reserve – Sheena Coghill, Muce, Birsay, with a Beltex cross Charollais gimmer. Reserve was a Texel cross Charollais ewe.
North Country Cheviot (Judge: Melfyn Williams, Y Graig Brynsiencyn, Ynys Mon). Champion – JS Baillie and Co., Sebay Farm, Tankerness, with a homebred gimmer, by Upper Boultach Belter, bought in Quoybrae. Champion of champions at this year’s East Mainland Show. Reserve – J and J Smith, Upper Cornquoy, Holm with a ewe.
Charollais (Judge: Andrew Davies, Hillhead Of Cannahars, Whitecairns, Aberdeenshire). Champion – Sheena Coghill, Muce, Birsay with a homebred gimmer by Thackwood Viking, out of a homebred dam. Reserve – Ross Wood, North Moa, Rendall, with a ewe.
Beltex (Judge: Jeff Aiken, Moss House Farm, Wennington, Lancashire). Champion – Bimbister Partnership, Lenahowe, Quoyloo, Sandwick with the ewe lamb Orkney Isles Jameela, by the 3,500gns Hackney Gerwyn, out of Hackney Elaina. Stood 3rd in class at the Highland. Reserve – TA Linklater Livestock, Stonelea, Stenness with a four-shear tup bred by Andrew Baillie, Callacrag.
Any other pure-breed (Judge: Andrew Davies, Hillhead Of Cannahars, Whitecairns, Aberdeenshire). Champion – Ava Laughton, Garth Farm, St Ola, with a three-crop Bluefaced Leicster ewe, by Craig Yr Orsedd L1 bought at the Christmas Classic in 2019. Reserve — John Laughton, Garth Farm, St Ola, with a three-shear Hill Cheviot bred at the Castle of Mey, by a Philiphaugh ram, bought at Dingwall for £1000 last year.
Highland Ponies (Judge: Julia Furness, 15 The Orchard, Lauder, Berwickshire). Champion – Amanda McLennan, Garth Farm St Ola, with the five year-old Grace of Altnacailleach, by Moss-side Iain Mor, out of Staffa 11 of Altnacailleach. Was Champion of champions at the Caithness County Show. Shetland Ponies (Judge: Edwina Headley, Fell View, Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria)
Champion – Millquoy Shetland Pony Stud, Heddle Cottage, Finstown, with the twelve-year old brood mare Millquoy Jade, by Canterburgh Sir William, out of Millquoy Jenny. Previously Supreme Champion here and at Dounby. Reserve – Amanda McLennan, Garth Farm, St Ola, with the stallion Robins Brae Starlight.
Pure-bred Heavy Horse (Judge: Julia Furness, 15 The Orchard, Lauder, Berwickshire). Champion – IG Cromarty, Hilltoft, Burray with the seven year old yield mare Hrossland Just Poppy, by Arradoul Balvenie, out of Dairy Lough Whinhall.
