Crowds flocked to the Nairn Show to witness a five-year-old Shorthorn bull take home the coveted champion of champion awards on Saturday.
Despite a brief heavy shower of rain blowing through the show field, the weather remained fine ensuring a good day for both exhibitors and visitors.
The supreme champion of champions award, as judged by retired vet Arthur Masson, was awarded to the beef interbreed champion.
He described his winner as an “outstanding animal with great power about him”.
The title went to five-year-old Shorthorn bull – Dakota of Upsall – from John Scott and Partners at Fearn Far, Fearn, Tain.
According to show organisers, this is the first time a Shorthorn has taken the title since 1921.
Upsall was bought by the Scott family at Stirling for 10,000gn, and is a Broughton Park Thunder son out of an Upsall cow.
The Nairn win follows taking reserve interbreed champion at Caithness and native breed champion at Sutherland.
Beef interbreed judge Neil Barclay of HRN Tractors said: “He is a big powerful bull with the size I’m sure we are needing to breed replacements for the suckler herd.”
Standing reserve in the beef interbreed championship was the Simmental breed champion from Jimmy and Iain Green at Corskie, Garmouth, Fochabers.
Their 45,000gn bull Bel Dhu Capercaillie was bought in Stirling in February 2013 and holds the UK record for the highest priced Simmental.
Bred by Billy and Anne Macpherson, of Blackford, Croy, Inverness, this one is by Hockenhull Waterloo and out of Blackford Wagtail.
His Nairn win follows taking the beef interbreed silverware at Echt and the breed champion rosettes at New Deer.
The beef group of three title went to a trio of Aberdeen-Angus beasts from Glenrinnes Farms, while the reserve title went to a commercial team from Blair Duffton and Rebecca Stuart, Huntly.
In the sheep rings, the interbreed title went to the Texel breed champion.
This home-bred gimmer from Alan Chisholm of Wester Moy Texels at Muir of Ord, is by Teiglum Tornado.
Lastly in the horse classes the supreme title went to the Clydesdale breed champion from Eric and Miranda Johnstone of 50 Highfield Circle, Muir of Ord.
They secured the title with their home-bred four-year-old brood mare Ord Envy, shown with a filly foal at foot.
She is by Dillars Scotty Boy and out of Ord Touch of Class. She took supreme champion of champions at Sutherland last year as well as supreme horse at Black Isle and Grantown.