Champion sheep is new face of RHS

A Blackface sheep, which won the breed championship at last year’s Royal Highland Show, is set to become the “face” of the 2018 event.

Emily, a ewe bred by renowned Lanarkshire sheep farmer, Malcolm Coubrough, will feature the length and breadth of Scotland across billboards, buses, social channels and TV.

Edinburgh Trams is also featuring Emily on a specially-created tram wrap to promote the annual event.

Malcolm and his daughter Emily, after whom the sheep was named, attended a photoshoot along with the ewe’s newborn lamb, April.

Commenting on the campaign, RHS manager David Jackson said: “The show is a once-a-year opportunity to get face to face with the finest farmyard animals as well as tasting the best food and drink Scotland has to offer.”

The event welcomed a record 190,000 visitors in 2017 making it Scotland’s biggest outdoor event with over 6,000 livestock, rural crafts, countryside and forestry areas, farriery and sheep shearing as well as live music and entertainment.

One area that has grown in recent years is Scotland’s Larder Live which showcases Scottish producers and cookery demonstrations.

The four-day event will take place from June 21-24. Accompanied children aged 15 and under can attend for free.