Show-stoppers
THE past week has seen agricultural communities coming together to celebrate all that’s best from their industry with brilliant annual shows.
PURPLE sheep, a Stone Age man and a miracle spaniel joined the first- class livestock exhibited at the 171st Islay, Jura and Colonsay Agricultural Show last Thursday.
Bridgend thronged with prize beasts, exhibitors (numbering 83 this year) and crowds flocking in their hundreds. The public address system reassured anyone stumbling out of the beer tent not to worry if they saw two purple sheep, for ‘Little Bo Peep’ – Mairi Porter of Bluebell Cottage, Port Askaig – had indeed painted two of her ewes lilac ‘just for the craic’. ‘Some children asked if they were born this colour,’ she said.
Elsewhere, Dangerous Steve juggled chainsaws and knives while straddling a motorbike, and, in the Islay Heritage archaeological project’s Stone Age tent, Mesolithic hunter gatherer Will Lord taught audiences how to knap flint blades and rub wood to make fire.
In the sheep section, Suffolk and Texel judge Willie Smith said the showing was very good and very difficult to judge. The overall sheep champion went to a Suffolk tup lamb reared by 14-year-old James Bignal, of Smaladh Farm, Gruinart.
James, in his third year at Islay High School, said: ‘ We always knew he was a nice tup. He has a nice stance, a big back and big heavy bones.’
James’s proud mum, Gillian, added: ‘This is the first time he has won overall. He works hard at it. It is a labour of love.’
Beef cattle judge Bruce Dickson said he and the Highland cattle judge could not agree on the overall cattle champion, and so called in an umpire to adjudicate. He said: ‘There was a tremendous show of calves, as good as anywhere in Scotland. The Limousin bullock was very strong – 13 entries, which is better than we will get in any show in Scotland.’
The crown for champion Highlander went to Moira Porter of Carrabus for a homebred three-year-old heifer, but was just pipped at the post for reserve champion of champions by a British Blue cross calf, homebred by John Morris of Knocklearach Farm, Dunlossit Estate.
‘This is the first time we have won this,’ John said. ‘I knew she was good but you do not know what is here until you get here. She’s got a good back end and is very quiet. [The judge] said the top line, the back, was tremendous. A great calf right through. The wee one has called her Sparkle.’
John’s daughter Lauren, a nine-year-old Bowmore Primary School pupil, won first prize for best young cattle handler, while fellow pupil Jordie Rountree, seven, of Bridgend, won young sheep handler. ‘This is farming for the future,’ his delighted mum Bizz said.
The champion horse, an Irish sports horse named Lenny, owned by Aphra Mactaggart of Ardtalla Estate and ridden by Shona Isla MacIntyre, was crowned champion of champions and piped in triumph around the show ring.
Shona Isla called the decision ‘an absolute shock ... I was not expecting this at all. It has been a big jump for him. He has come from Ingliston Stables and he is living outside. I do not think he had ever encountered a cow or a sheep, so it is a big contrast.’ Horse judge Mairi Henderson from Lochgilphead said Lenny was ‘ an outstanding horse’ and ‘beautifully turned out’.
Meanwhile, Scarlet Fletcher, 12, of Jura won the £10 first prize in the pet section with her three runner ducks, Canna, Fetlar and Foula, raised from eggs incubated in the family’s kitchen.
Arthur and Peggy MacEachern from Keills picked up best exhibit in the horticultural section with a double begonia.
Peggy said: ‘I am absolutely delighted because the weather was so poor, and they have done so well out of neglect. I could not believe it got best in show. Neglect and bad weather sometimes work.’
Roy Redman, of Tormisdale Croft, won overall champion in the vintage tractors with a 63-year-old grey Fergusson.
‘It has worked on Islay all its life,’ he said. ‘I bought it from Bridgend about 30 years ago. It has been working hard on the croft. It will be there long after me.’
Duffy MacNeill, of Bowmore, drove his 1950 Albion Chieftain truck loaded with whisky barrels, while, in a red Rover 2000, his wife Roberta chauffeured their 11-year-old diabetic cocker spaniel Archie, who never seemed to tire of looking out the window after being given the gift of sight again by an expensive lens transplant. ‘My husband has a large whisky collection,’ Roberta told us. ‘I said, “Sell your whisky and Archie can see again”.’
The association’s president Eion Brown of Gruinart praised ‘the hard-working committee’ and a ‘great bunch of exhibitors and supporters’.
‘The quality was a credit to the exhibitors,’ he said, with particu- larly strong showings this year in the sheep and sucklers.
Another highlight for him was the under-18 young handlers for the sheep and cattle, adding: ‘It bodes well for the future of the show.’
For show results and more photgraphs, visit www.obantimes.co.uk