Royal Highland Show – Sheep Champions
That’s the Royal Highland over for another year, and once again we’ve had the pleasure of photographing some of the best stock in the UK. Pictured above are the Gray family – Russell, Margaret and son Matthew, with their Charollais which won the inter-breed sheep championship.
Below are all the official sheep breed champion photographs.
To purchase any images or to view the full selection of photographs taken over the four days, see our Photo Sales section.
Overall sheep champion, the Charollais, Oakchurch Ozil, a shearling ram by Banwy Ninja, from the Gray family, Langside Farm, Kirkfieldbank, Lanark.
Reserve inter-breed champion, the Blackface winner, a home-bred two-crop ewe by the £90,000 Dalchirla sire and out of a ewe by Midlock Big Al, from Allan Wight and son, Allan, Midlock, Crawford.
Best inter-breed pair – the Charollais duo, both from the Grays at Langside – their shearling ram Oakchurch Ozil, and home-bred one-crop ewe, by Banwy Moonshine.
Best Beltex was Broxty Wispa, a home-bred gimmer from Jack and Tom Buckle, Buckles Farm, Barras, Kirkby Stephen. She is by the 16,000gns Ardstewart Super Mario and out of Broxty Riverdance.
The Berrichon champion, a two-crop home-bred ewe from Mrs Frances Barbour, Newark, Sanquhar, Dumfries, by a home-bred sire.
Best Bleu du Maine was the gimmer, Perdi Mona Lisa, a Tighnahinch Jumping Jack daughter from Percy Tait, Broughton Manor, Mill Lane, Broughton Hackett.
Winning the Bluefaced Leicester section was a home-bred three-crop ewe by the C2 Hewgill tup, out of a ewe by B4 Tanhouse, from the Wight family, Midlock, Crawford.
Border Leicester leader was this home-bred shearling ram by Drennans 007 Solo, out of a ewe by Eildon Regalis, from Jim Brown, Eildon Cottage, Mindrum Mill, Northumberland.
The Cheviots were won by James Common and Son, Crossdykes Farm, Lockerbie, with a home-bred gimmer by Hislop Storm and out of a home-bred dam.
Commercial champion was this home-bred Suffolk cross gimmer, by a Thrunton sire and out of a three-quarter Beltex ewe, from Jim and Wallace Kennedy, Lyonpark, Maybole.
Champion Hampshire Down came from EB and SA Jones, Maes-Glas, Wolfcastle, Pembrokeshire – a home-bred one-crop ewe, by a home-bred sire and dam.
Best in the Hebridean section was Bearslair Lilly, a one-crop ewe by Grimish Cathal, out of Strathmore Dalgarven, from Jack and Morna Cuthbert, Ardoch House, Fossoway, Kinross.
Jacob champion was Blackbrook Fireballs, a two-shear tup bought privately last year, by Overdale Ben The Bully, from Barbara Webster, Higham Farm, Newburgh, Fife.
The Lleyns were won by JA and R Geldard and Sons, Whitbarrow View, Middle Foulshaw, Kendal, with a home-bred shearling ram from the family’s Wraycastle flock.
Pat Maddock, Bennel Cottage, Dalbeattie, won the Ryeland section with a gimmer which was bought privately as a ewe lamb from Susan Bryden. She is by Mansel Solitair and out of a Broomwell ewe by Broomwell Johnny Depp.
The Hill North Country Cheviot champion came from JM Elliot, Woodside, Yetholm, Kelso – a home-bred gimmer, Woodside Lilias, by Attonburn LSD, and out of a ewe by Woodside Looker
North Country Cheviot park type champion was a home-bred gimmer by Duran Peebles, out of a home-bred ewe by Crookston Fine Start, from the Thomsons at Hownam Grange, Morebattle, Kelso.
The British Rouge championship went to Percy Tait, Broughton Manor, Mill Lane, Broughton Hackett, with Knighton Priscilla, a home-bred gimmer by a Sue Wilkinson-bred ram and out of the show ewe that won the Great Yorkshire three times.
North of England Mule champion, a one-crop ewe from Ron and Fran Wilson, Carrholme, Armathwaite, Carlisle, which also won her section last year as a gimmer. She was bought from the Ridleys’ Woodhall flock and is by a Busby sire.
Scotch Mule champion was a home-bred ewe lamb from Gavin Kerr, Sauchrie Mains, Maybole, Ayrshire, by a home-bred son of D4 Midlock, out of a home-bred ewe.
Winning the Shetland section were John, Carolyn, Rebecca and Rowena Steven, Rosebank Farm, Currie, Midlothian, with a Grey Katmoget two-year-old tup, Rosebank Neptune, by Field View Teddy and out of Cragfast Arcturus.
Barclay Mair, Kinnermit, Turriff, won the Suffolks, with a one-crop ewe by the 8000gns Rhaeadr Roger Ramjet, out of a ewe by Strathisla Speed.
Stanley and Pat Brogden, Helbeck Farm, Brough, Kirkby Stephen, won the Swaledales, with a home-bred gimmer, sired by a Paul Hallam-bred tup and out of a ewe by Brackenburgh General.
Texel topper was this one-crop ewe by Scholars Twenty Twelve, out of a Haddo Ringleader daughter, from Procters Farm, Woodhouse Lane, Slaidburn, Clitheroe.
Best in the Zwartbles was AJ Thorburn, Holmlea, Lowthertown Eastriggs, Annan, with Stonebyres Winstane, a four-crop ewe bought as a lamb from Carlisle, out of an imported ewe.
Winning the sheep young handler trophy was Robbie Aiken
To purchase any images or to view the full selection of photographs taken over the four days, see our Photo Sales section.