Females of the species shine at show

June Geyer presides over event outside Kelty

It took Central and West Fife Agricultural Society 256 years to appoint their first female chairman, but at Kelty at the weekend June Geyer presided over a vintage event.

Mrs Geyer, Blairhall Farm, Culross celebrated her inaugural year in the role by getting stuck in to the huge effort required to make the show a success, and hailed the turnout of livestock and crowds on a warm, sunny day.

She also presented the day’s top honour, the champion of champions award, to another female farmer, Gillian Scott of Gateside Farm, Linlithgow for her 17-month-old British Blue heifer, Drumlone Lindsey. It was the animal’s debut show outing.

In the competition between the interbreed cattle, dairy, sheep, goat and Clydesdale champions, Ms Scott’s only British Blue heifer, sired by Twinging Ash Vaughan, was described by the judge as “outstanding” for her shape and top. She was bought as a calf in Ireland at a Stars of the Future show and sale.

The interbreed dairy title in the strong line-up of Holsteins and Ayrshires went to the Wilson family at Carskerdo Farm, Cupar.

Their winner was the five-year-old Drakar Helio fresh from her interbreed glory at Fife Show two weeks earlier.

In the sheep rings the Texel champion emerged as the interbreed winner for Robin, Nancy and Caroline Orr. He was a home-bred shearling ram by Camwell Trademark and out of Teiglum Topper. He was on his first show outing and will be for sale at the breed event at Carlisle.

The reserve interbreed beef animal was the Limousin heifer, Beith Lara, shown by show host, John Thomson, Hilton Farm, Kelty. Mr Thomson’s champion, a two-year-old heifer by Lodge Hamlet and out of Sarkley Carmen, was reserve champion at Fife Show. And his 13-month-old bull, Beath Maximus, also took the reserve Limousin championship.

Mr Thomson and the society’s committee and other helpers were back in the showfield yesterday clearing all traces of the event in order to get his cows back into the field by tomorrow.

In reserve interbreed place in the sheep rings was the Zwartbles champion, fresh from her success at Drymen Show.

She was a ewe from McLaren & Baird, Greystone Farm, Dunblane.

The overall goat winner was the Campbell family’s British Toggenburg coloured champion, Linnavon Edelweiss, a two-year-old milker. And taking reserve overall was the white champion from Rena Douglas, Cedar Cottage, Old Mill Road, Craigrothie.

He was a two-shear ram, Ivy Dene Patronus, the father of several of the lambs in the show, one of which won a first prize rosette.

The Clydesdale champion was Hillview Lady Jane, a three-year-old mare from David Walker and Bev Brown, Galcantray, Cawdor.

Pictures: Ron Stephen. The winner of the champion of champions title went to Gillian Scott’s British Blue heifer. The award was presented by show chairman June Geyer, Blairhall Farm, Culross.