Blackface ewe sweeps the boards at Sunart Show
JOHN NUDDS’ blackface gimmer swept the boards at a sunny Sunart Show on Saturday, picking up the overall title at the popular Strontian event.
This was the ewe’s fifth winning outing for John, a shepherd at Ardtornish, who also runs his own flock of 40 ewes at Torr-naFaire on Morven.
Out of a Drumgrange ewe by 60,000 Auldhouseburn, as a ewe lamb last year she was reserve overall at Sunart and Lorn, to which she added the 2016 sheep champion title at Lochaber, where her mother was also reserve champion.
John was delighted to have gone one better this year at the Strontian event, but says he always knew the animal was something special.
‘I knew an hour after she was born that she was going to be special and that’s why her name is Special.
‘She’s a fantastic ewe and I am really pleased with the win today,’ said John.
‘This is always a really nice show to come to and it’s been a very enjoyable day.’
John intends taking Special to Lochaber later this month as well as Dalmally. And John says he intends to continue showing Special for as long as possible: ‘I’ll keep showing her as long as she lets me,’ he laughed.
Pipped for the overall show champion title were a Lodge Hamlet Limousin calf shown by Robert and David Wright, from Woodend at Clovullin on Ardgour, which took the cattle title, and the equestrian champion, a Cob called Duke ridden by Olivia Sexton, from Salen on Mull.
Robert and Olivia, the latter taking part in her first Sunart Show, were delighted with their success.
‘We’ve been showing here since the 1950s and it’s always a great wee show,’ Robert said.
Olivia added: ‘I’m really happy to have won, especially as it’s my first time competing at this event.’
In her second year as show secretary, Nikki Robertson said organisers were pleased with this year’s gate numbers, adding: ‘The weather has been great considering what it was like yesterday. It’s been a very good size of crowd and I think going by the gate money taken numbers will definitely be up on last year.’