25 June 2024

Royal Highland Show ’24 – SHEEP

Best of the 29 sheep breeds at the Royal Highland, judged by Jimmy Warnock, Sandilands, Lanark, was the crossing type Bluefaced Leicester, a one-crop ewe from Jamie Pirie, of Blarnavaid, Drymen. She’s sired by a home-bred ram that Jamie sold for £12,000, but kept a share of for his own use.

Mr Warnock said he was looking for the sheep that ‘talked’ to him and said ‘pick me’, paying particular attention to legs and locomotion. He felt he found that in his champion, commenting:

“She’s a real star, with class, quality and conformation – the whole lot. I’ve never seen so many top quality sheep out in an inter-breed in my life,” he added.

The Charollais winner from the Ingrams of Logie Durno, Pitcaple, was picked out as reserve overall, while the Campbells’ Texel champion finished third. Also making it into the short leet was the Blackface winner, a gimmer from the Ramsay family of Milnmark, Dalry, with the best opposite sex going to the South Country Cheviot, a two-shear ram from Norman and David Douglas, Catslackburn, Yarrow.

In the inter-breed pairs contest, the Blackface duo came out top. Both came from the Ramsays of Milnmark, with their champion gimmer teaming up with their male champion, a three-shear ram, bought at Lanark from Midlock for £32,000 and shared with Danny Hair, Drumbreddan. Reserve pair were the traditional Bluefaced Leicesters, a ram from Alan McClymont, Kirkstead, Yarrow, and a ewe from Sophie Harding, Shrewbridge.

Below are pictures of the breed champions – to view the full selection of images taken over the four days, head to our Photo Sales.

Supreme sheep – the crossing Bluefaced Leicester from Jamie Pirie, Blarnavaid, Drymen. A home-bred one-crop ewe by a £12,000 Blarnavaid tup which he kept a share in, out of a ewe bought at an online sale from Dawyck for £5800

The Charollais champion from the Ingrams, Logie Durno, Inverurie, finished reserve overall. She’s a home-bred, one-crop ewe, by Boyo Vancouver, out of a home-bred dam

The Texel champion was third in the inter-breed contest – Keith, Allan and Roy Campbell’s two-crop ewe by Hexel Django, out of a ewe by Teiglum Charmer. She was reserve at the Great Yorkshire and champion at the Royal Welsh as a gimmer

The Blackface also made it into the short leet – a home-bred gimmer from W Ramsay and Sons, Milnmark, Dalry, winning their eighth breed championship at the Highland. She is sired by £30,000 Elmscleugh and out of a ewe by £11,000 Milnmark

The South Country Cheviot was best opposite sex to the champion – WN Douglas, Catslackburn, Yarrow, with Tweedshaws Rocket, a two-shear ram bought at Lockerbie last year for £12,000, sired by Castle Hercules

North Country Cheviot champion, J Runciman and Sons, Allanshaws, Selkirk, with a home-bred gimmer on her first outing, by the privately bought Glebe Farm Class Act, out of a home-bred ewe

Ryeland champion – Annabel Burton, Ryeside, with a home-bred gimmer by Ryeside Zapper, out of a home-bred ewe by a Broomwell sire

Suffolk champion – Myfr Evans, Rhaeadr, with a home-bred gimmer by Dunfell Dynamite, out of a ewe bought from Lakeview. Her full sisters sold last year for 28,000gns and 8000gns

Blue Texel champion – Stephanie Dick, Stirling, with a home-bred gimmer, Stephick Her Majesty, sired by Cairnrock Ferrari and out of Stephick Fairytail

Best Border Leicester – Duncan Whyte, Whiteleegate, Newton Mearns, winning his first breed championship at the Highland, with a home-bred gimmer on its first outing, by Gortnagross Rocket, out of a ewe by Clola Double Deal

Lleyn champion – David and Becka Henderson, Bardspark, Stonehaven, with a home-bred shearling ram by a Fort sire, out of a home-bred ewe that was reserve female here last year

Commercial sheep champion – Andrew Baillie, Carstairs Mains, Carnwath, with a Texel cross Beltex ewe and her Beltex-sired pair of ewe lambs at foot, by Callacrag Hotshot

Jacob champion – Gordon Connor and Scott Dalrymple, Dun-Mor, with the aged ram Luruha Randan, bought at Skipton as a lamb from Ewen Macmillan. He is out of a Dun-Mor ewe and was also breed champion last year

Dutch Spotted champion – Ali and Hannah Jackson, Maulscastle, with Tip Top Encore, a two-crop ewe by Tip Top Charlie. She was inter-breed champion at Cumberland Show

Bleu du Maine champion – Kerrie McDermid, Cargen Glen, Dumfries, with a Dunelm-bred one-crop ewe bought privately, on its first show outing

British Berrichon – Frances Barbour, Newark, with Glynoch Wagner, a three-shear ram that was champion at the Great Yorkshire last year. He was bought as a lamb at Carlisle

North Country Cheviot Hill champion – George Irving, Mount Benger, Yarrow, showing Northies for the first time and winning with a home-bred gimmer by Benger Dambuster, out of a Colony-bred ewe, bought from the late Tom Kerr

Swaledale champion – Wayne Hutchinson, The Coach House, Hawes, with the three-crop ewe that was champion here two years ago. She is by a £9000 Spital sire

Zwartbles champion – Ally Baird, Greystone, Dunblane, with Greystone Laurel, a home-bred gimmer by Greystone Hero and out of Greystone Finesse

Hampshire Down champion – Adrian and Richard Rundle, Treworthal, Newquay, with a home-bred ram lamb by Treworthal Maximus, out of a home-bred ewe. He is destined for sale later in the year

Hebridean champion – Struan Cuthbert, Ardoch, Kinross, with Newbridge Greta, a three-crop ewe by Newbridge Eric, out of Newbridge Daisy. She was bought from Harry Cowper as a one-crop ewe

North of England Mule champion – James Robinson, Intack, Carnforth, with a gimmer bred by Neil Marsden. Sired by Highberries Highlander, she won Alston Show as a ewe lamb

Valais Blacknose champion – Jamie Wood, Prendwick, with Prendwick Killian, a home-bred shearling on its first show outing, by Island Montana

British Rouge – Ian Teasdale, High Farm, North Yorskhire, with a one-crop ewe by last year’s champion, Fairyglen Picasso, out of Knighton Who’s That Girl. She was champion at last year’s Great Yorkshire and stood female champion at last year’s Highland

Traditional Bluefaced Leicester champion – Alan McClymont, Kirkstead, Yarrow, winning his fifth breed championship with a ram bought at Carlisle two years ago from Espley for £23,000. He bred lambs up to £3000 last year

Shetland champion – Kate Sharp, Ewingston, East Lothian, with a two-shear ram, Island Ollie, bred by Geordie Morrison, Shetland. He was champion at the Great Yorkshire last year

Kerry Hill champion – Chris Adamson, Littleborough, with a home-bred gimmer by Whitfield Mr Bombastic, out of Whitfield Double Diamond. She was reserve female at the National show in Staffordshire

Scotch Mule champion – M and C Ridley, Shitlington, Hexham, with a ewe lamb by P56 Dawyck, a ram bought at Kelso two years ago for £8000 and shared with Nunnerie. She is out of a home-bred ewe