Spectacular sunshinehas impact on show

Grand parade at Central and West Fife show brought forward due to the heat

Blazing sunshine and heat drew exhibitors and the local agricultural community to a spectacular show day at Kelty’s Hilton Farm showground.

It is rare for good weather to affect the timetable of a summer show but the exceptional conditions on Saturday led to the grand parade being brought forward to give the livestock respite.

The judges of the champion of champions title were in no such rush, however, and they deliberated at length over their top showfield animal, ultimately deciding to give the honour to the Clydesdale champion from the Clarks from Madderty for Muirton Margo, a yearling filly on her very first show outing.

This filly’s half-sister was champion at the show two years ago, and Margo is entered for the Royal Highland Show later this month.

Show chairman June Geyer, from Blairhall Farm, Culross, praised breeders for bringing out such a large entry of Clydesdales and the evergrowing number of cattle.

“We had a brilliant day and this is very much a farming show,” she said.

“Some shows attract townsfolk, but we are seeing a great turnout from the agricultural community.”

In reserve champion of champions position was the dairy cow winner from Cupar farmers Jim and Isobel Wilson, who celebrated winning the top title with another cow from the herd at Fife Show two weeks ago.

However Saturday was a debut show for Witherslack Mincio Joanne, a threeand-a-half-year-old Holstein purchased privately last year and will most likely make her way to the Highland as well.

In the beef rings the interbreed champion was the same animal as last year, a big British Blue heifer from Gillian Scott from Linlithgow which is going on to compete at the Highland and Stirling shows. She juggled the showing of Drumloan Lindsay with that of her commercial champion, Dooda, a 17-month-old Limousin cross by the farm’s former stock bull Melbrake Hero.

The Angus champion took the reserve interbreed spot. Kilmalvag Eriskay was shown by Richard and Carole Rettie for Donald Rankin of Skye and is by Retties JFK and out of Mosston Muir Estelle.

This bull’s sister was reserve junior female champion at both the Highland Show and West Fife last year and Kilmalvag Eriskay is going on to compete at the Highland.

The Texel champion from David Mckerrow of Nochnary, Freuchie, repeated his interbreed championship success at Fife Show with his gimmer by Knock Yankee and out of a ewe by Ettrick You’re a Winner.

In reserve place was the Suffolk champion. This was the one-crop ewe by Muirton One Direction from Stewart Lathangie, Pyeston, Star, Glenrothes.

The any other pure sheep competition was won by 10-year-old Euan Mill from Cardenden who showed a Border Leicester gimmer bought in Lanark, one of his four-strong flock. The gimmer had been third in her class at Fife.

The big turnout of Shetland sheep was led by a white ram with a successful 2017 show history, Greenacre Merlin, from Andrew Bain won Haddington, Kelso and Duns shows last year.

Local Highland cattle breeder Donald Macnaughton won the championship on home territory with Skye 4th of Rannoch, the five-year-old cow which won Balnabroich last year.

In the goat section, last year’s Perth show winner Lovesglen Donner took the top award for the Campbell family of Rachel and her daughters Hannah, Becky, Kate and Daisy. This third kidder is a British AOV.

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Some attract townsfolk, but we are seeing a great turnout from the agricultural community