Incredibly strong entries, particularly in the female classes, greeted judge Keith Campbell, Lochgoilhead at the Royal Highland Show.

Standing the top of the older ewe class before going on to take the female and overall championship was no stranger to winning ways John Forsyth of Maybole, Ayrshire. Having stood second and reserve female champion to his other successful ewe last year, this year’s champion came in the form of Glenside Lulu, a five year old ewe by Castlecairn Keltic Star out of a ewe by Glenside His Nibs. This is now the seventh breed championship out of eight for John, with the one year break coming when he judged the Texel classes here at the Highland. 

This is the first outing for Lulu this year and she will likely make an appearance at the Great Yorkshire show later next month. Judge Keith Campbell described her as being: “as good a ewe as ever seen at the Highland. The females were exceptionally strong throughout and this ewe is exceptionally correct for her age with great locomotion. She was an easy winner in my eyes.”

Taking the reserve overall championship place and reserve female championship was a shearling ewe from Steven Renwick, Yarrow, Selkirk. An embryo-bred female, she is by Knock Otus, a tup bought for 2800gns two years ago, and out of a Watchknowe ewe that stood champion for Steven at the Highland in 2008. She is one of 25 pedigree ewes run in the Craig Douglas flock.

In the male championship, Myfyr Evans, Denbigh, Denbighshire, made the long journey up to take the top spot with his older ram Knock Overton who is by Garngour Nobleman and was bought in 2008 Carlisle for 2500gns. Going one better than the reserve male championship he won last year at the Highland, Myfyr runs 20 pedigree Texel ewes alongside Suffolks and Charollais.

The second prize older ram from Alasdair Beaton, Falkirk, Stirlingshire, followed the first through to take the reserve male championship. The homebred Wester Crosshill Novo, who is by a Broomknowes tup out of the flock’s show ewe which is by a Brague tup. This one also stood first at Stirling Show. 

Class results:

Judged by Keith Campbell, Lochgoilhead

Tup, two shear or over

1 HAK08957 - Myfyr Evans, Accar

2 BWG08280 - Alasdair Beaton, Wester Crosshill

3 WXS08011 - John M McKerrow, Grougfoot

4 JJW07560 - David Arkley, Cauldcoats

5 MTR08456 - Messrs T and F MacTaggart, Rascarrel

6 ABK08035 - Messrs T and F MacTaggart, Rascarrel

Shearling tup

1 HAK091075 - M Hardy-Bishop, Grey Peel and Firm of G Gray, Ettrick

2 KJM09015 - Firm of G Gray, Ettrick and Messrs T and I Walling, Whitlaw

3 XSR092944 - S Renwick, Craig Douglas

4 BRQ09488 - John J Wight and Sons, Midlock

5 MFZ09005 - F and I F Murray, Glenway

6 TBC - James C Innes and Sons, Ruaig

Tup lamb

1 GGH1000033 - Firm of G Gray, Ettrick

2 FEB1000055 - J P Forsyth, Glenside

3 FEB1000054 - J P Forsyth, Glenside

4 HCC1000026 - J and C Hastings, Courthill

5 YSM1000025 - Robert Cockburn, Connachan

6 BAH100009 - Andrew Barr, Parkhouse

Ewe, above one shear

1 FPG091537 - J P Forsyth, Glenside

2 TBC - Alasdair Beaton, Wester Crosshill

3 KWJ091577 - W J Knox, Haddo

4 FPG091559 - J P Forsyth, Glenside

5 DES07392 - Mrs E J Dunlop, Searigg

6 MTR06171 - Messrs T and F MacTaggart, Rascarrel

Shearling Ewe

1 XSR092908 - S Renwick, Craig Douglas

2 YSM09050 - Robert Cockburn, Connachan

3 IGB09058 - William and Carole Ingram, Logie Durno

4 CJN096513 - J and H Clark, Garngour

5 GCT09028 - D, I and L Gray, Tima

6 TBC - J P Forsyth, Glenside

Ewe lamb

1 TBC - James C Innes and Sons, Ruaig

2 CFT1000145 - Clark Farms, Teiglum

3 WKM1000075 - John J Wight and Sons, Midlock

4 TBC - J P Forsyth, Glenside

5 TBC - Alasdair Beaton, Wester Crosshill

6 CFT1000153 - J and H Clark, Garngour

Performance recorded ram lamb

1 LTC1000129 - T A and R Laird, Cambwell

2 GGH1000040 - Firm of G Gray, Ettrick

3 GGH1000013 - Firm of G Gray, Ettrick

4 CGT1000308 - D I and I Gray, Ettrick

5 MFZ10008 - F and I F Murray, Glenway

6 XMM1000020 - A MacGregor, Allanfauld

Male champion HAK08957 - Myfyr Evans’ older tup

Reserve male champion BWG08280 - Alasdair Beaton’s older tup

Female champion FPG091537 - J P Forsyth’s older ewe

Reserve female champion XSR092908 - S Renwick’s shearling ewe

Overall champion FPG091559 - J P Forsyth’s older ewe

Reserve overall champion XSR092908 - S Renwick’s shearling ewe

	Winning the older ram class and taking the male championship was Myfyr Evans
	James Innes and Sons won the ewe lamb class with one from their Strathbogie flock
	Winner of the older ewe class and female and overall champion was a ewe from John Fosyth’s Glenside flock
	Winning the performance recorded class was T A and R Laird
	Winning the shearling ewe class and taking the reserve female championship was Steven Renwick
	The Shearling Ram winner came from Maurice Hardy-Bishop, Grey Peel and Firm of G Gray, Ettrick
	Leading the tup lamb class was Gordon Gray of the Ettrick flock
	Second prize older ram and reserve male champion from Alasdair Beaton