Sheep on show with strong turnout across the 15 breeds being exhibited

Sheep exhibitors were delighted to be back at Ingliston, with just short of 2,000 entries overall and the addition of two new breed sections – Dutch Spotted and Valais Blacknose.

There was a strong turnout across the 15 breeds shown on the first day, which was one to remember for 18-year-old Finn Christie, who runs the Maidenstone Suffolk flock at Inverurie.

He triumphed in that section with a home-bred gimmer by Howgillfoot Sniper, securing a first championship at the Highland for this 15-ewe flock.

Reserve Suffolk championship went to Glenrothes-based Stewart Craft, with a ram lamb that is destined for sale at Lanark next month.

Jonnie Campbell, who runs 1,000 ewes at Bardnaclavan, Caithness, led the way in the Park-type North Country Cheviots, winning with the homebred shearling ram, Bardnaclavan Cooper, which is destined for sale at Quoybrae in September.

He last won the section 20 years ago – and incidentally, he also met his wife Christine at that same show. This time round, they were joined by their children, Ross and Ailsa.

It’s been 20 years since Andy Frazier last exhibited at the Highland, but he made a worthwhile return, winning the Ryeland section along with his wife Wendy, with the gimmer, Catherton Beatrice.

The Fraziers are now based in France and their Cellardyke flock of Ryelands are looked after by Robert Paterson at Upper Auchinlay, Dunblane.

This gimmer has plenty show-winning blood in her pedigree – her dam won at the Three Counties in 2019 and her sire stood champion at the Royal Welsh the same year.

Reserve in the Ryelands was Stirling-based Janice Milne, of Thornhill, with the threeshear ram, Red

Sewell Zuperman, which also won at Stirling Show.

It was a double win in the commercial sheep ring, for Denny-based Andrew Morton, son Andrew and daughter Kirsty.

They took the champion ticket with their lightweight pair of prime lambs and the reserve prize with their heavyweight duo.

They are all Beltex cross ewe lambs, sired by the same home-bred ram.

Mirroring the 2019 show, the Ramsay family from Milnmark, Dalry, secured both the champion and reserve awards in the busy Blackface section.

This marked a seventh breed win at Ingliston for the family, with a homebred one-crop ewe leading the way for them this year.

The top Ryeland, owned by Andy and Wendy Frazier.