One-crop ewe takes top honours at Royal Highland Show

A one-crop ewe from Thomas MacTaggart’s Rascarrel flock has taken the championship in the Texel classes at the Royal Highland Show, a first championship for the flock at Ingliston.

The ewe (MTR091851) was picked by Judge Steve Smith, of the Penparc flock, Welshpool, for her excellent breed type, supreme fleshing and her great carriage. “For a young ewe which has worked this spring she’s in immense form and was a strong contender from the minute she entered the ring.”

She is a daughter of Rascarrel Och-Aye (MTR08456) out of a dam by Templand Megane (GKT06505) and was on her first ever show outing having reared a ewe lamb this year.

Reserve overall was the male champion, a ram lamb (LTC1100512) from Robert Laird’s Cambwell flock. This one is a son of Cowal Powerhouse (CKC09911) and is out of a Cambwell Laird (LTC05507) sired dam. He is a full brother to Cambwell Rob Roy (LTC1000028), a lamb sold at Lanark last year for 40,000gns.

The reserve female champion was a ewe lamb (IJS1100035) from Gordon and David Gray’s Ettrick flock. She is a daughter of Ettrick Rainbow Warrior (GGH1000041) out of a dam by Ettrick No Limits (GGH07098) and her grand dam was breed champion at the Royal Show in 2003. Adding to the lamb’s tally at the show was her sale to Robbie Wilson’s Milnbank flock in a private deal for an undisclosed five figure sum.

Reserve in the males was the second prize ram lamb (LYM1100430) from Robbie Wilson. This one is by Mossknowe Pudsey (FWM09627) and out of a homebred dam by Douganhill Navahoe (GCK07093).

Mr Smith said the quality of the sheep had been strong throughout the classes and it was good to see the breed getting back to what it should be.

“For a few years some breeders have been concentrating too much on heads and power, what we’ve seen here today is the breed getting back to what it should be, well fleshed sheep.

“All six of the top ram lambs would have been E grades if they were hung up and that’s exactly what I wanted to see. The Texel is a terminal sire and breeders must concentrate on those traits.”

Class Results

Aged Ram
1 – Gordon Gray, Ettrick – KJM09015
2 – Alasdair Beaton, Wester Crosshill - BWG08447
3 – Alasdair Beaton, Wester Crosshill - BWG07208

Shearling Ram
1 - S Renwick, Craig Douglas – FPG1000054
2 - T A and R Laird, Cambwell – XMM1000014
3 - Clark Farms, Garngour – CFT1000185

Ram Lamb
1 – T A and R Laird, Cambwell – LTC1100512
2 – Robert Wilson, Milnbank – LYM1100430
3 – W J Knox, Haddo – KWJ1100253

Aged Ewe
1 - T MacTaggart, Rascarrel – MTR091851
2 - K A and R Campbell, Drimsynie – CKC08612
3 – TBC – CMC07504

Shearling Ewe
1 - Gordon Gray, Ettrick – GGH1000163
2 - Clark Farms, Garngour – CFT1000143
3 - Robert Wilson, Milnbank – LYM1000018

Ewe Lamb
1 - Gordon Gray, Ettrick – GGH1101166
2 - James Innes, Strathbogie – IJS1100035
3 - David McKerrow, Kettle – DMN1100225

Performance Recorded Ram Lamb
1 - T A and R Laird, Cambwell – LTC1100513
2 - Gordon Gray, Ettrick – GGH1101159
3 - Gordon Gray, Ettrick – GGH1101156

Best Female
T MacTaggart - Rascarrel - MTR091851

Reserve Best Female
G Gray – Ettrick - GGH1101166

Best Male
T A & R Laird – Cambwell - LTC1100512

Reserve Best Male
Robert Wilson - Milnbank - LYM1100430

SUPREME CHAMPION
T MacTaggart - Rascarrel - MTR091851

RESERVE CHAMPION
T A & R Laird – Cambwell - LTC1100512

	First prize aged ram from Gordon Gray - Ettrick – KJM09015
	First prize shearling ram jointly from S Renwick, A J Kennedy, R T Wood & Hartside Farms - Craig Douglas – FPG1000054
	First prize ram lamb from Robert Laird, also reserve breed champion and male champion - Cambwell – LTC1100512
	First prize aged ewe from Thomas MacTaggart, also breed champion and female champion - Rascarrel – MTR091851
	First prize shearling ewe from G Gray - Ettrick – GGH1000163
	First prize ewe lamb and reserve female champion from G Gray - Ettrick – GGH1101166
	First prize recorded ram lamb from T A and R Laird - Cambwell – LTC1100513

Judging of Texel classes ...